Seven poems by León Felipe were discovered inside a notebook carried by Che Guevara at the time of his 1965 capture by the Bolivian Army and the CIA.
Early Life and Professional Shifts
Born in 1884 in Tábara, Spain, León Felipe Camino Galicia spent his youth in Santander. His father, a public notary, encouraged a path into pharmacology. Felipe studied the subject and established a business as a pharmacist. However, he eventually abandoned his professional duties to join an itinerant theatre troupe. This departure resulted in bankruptcy and a two-year prison sentence on charges of fraud. Following his release, he shifted his focus toward literary pursuits.
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Felipe emerged as a poet associated with the Generation of ‘27, a group that included Federico García Lorca, Jorge Guillén, Perdo Salinas, and Vicente Aleixandre. His work is noted for its use of free verse, biblical motifs, and elements of Modernismo and Vanguardismo, as seen in his 1933 collection, Drop a star. His literary output often reflected themes of historical repetition and the political instability of Spain. Scholars have frequently compared his stylistic reliance on repetition and reiteration to the poetry of Walt Whitman, whom he translated into Spanish in 1941.
Conflict and Exile
During the Spanish Civil War, Felipe served with the Spanish Republican Army in opposition to the Nationalist faction. In 1938, he fled his homeland, ultimately settling in Mexico. Throughout his time in exile, he worked as a professor of literature and maintained his status as a central figure among Spanish expatriates. His 1947 work, Antología rota, displayed a distinct Hebrew influence, while his 1958 collection, El ciervo, remains among his notable titles. He lived in Mexico until his death in Mexico City on 18 September 1968.
Fast facts
- Born: 1884, Tábara, Spain
- Died: 18 September 1968, Mexico City
- Movement: Generation of ‘27
- Notable work: El ciervo
- Occupations: Poet, writer, pharmacist, librarian, playwright, translator, university teacher
- Languages used: Spanish and English
Questions readers ask
Was León Felipe involved in the Spanish Civil War?
Yes, he fought for the Spanish Republican Army against the Nationalist faction before fleeing into exile in 1938.
What stylistic movements are associated with his poetry?
His poetry incorporates elements of Modernismo and Vanguardismo, written primarily in free verse with frequent use of biblical motifs.
Achievements
- Notable work: El ciervo
