Xabier Lizardi, or José María Aguirre Egaña (1896–1933) was a Spanish poet and writer in the

Basque language Basque ( ; ) is a language spoken by Basques and other residents of the Basque Country (greater region), Basque Country, a region that straddles the westernmost Pyrenees in adjacent parts of northern Spain and southwestern France. Basque ...

. He was the main representative of pre-war

Basque literature Although the first instances of coherent Basque language, Basque phrases and sentences go as far back as the Glosas Emilianenses, San Millán glosses of around 950, the large-scale damage done by periods of great instability and warfare, such as ...

. His Symbolist aesthetic has elicited comparisons with the poet

Juan Ramón Jiménez Juan Ramón Jiménez Mantecón (; 23 December 1881 – 29 May 1958) was a Spanish poet, a prolific writer who received the 1956 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his lyrical poetry, which in the Spanish language constitutes an example of high ...

. Aguirre signed with the pseudonym Xabier Lizardi by which he is known, although he also signed with those of Zarauztar Sabin and Samaiko Zulo. His scarce work, focused mainly on only two books, ''Biotz-begietan'' ('In the heart and in the eye's) written in 1932 and the posthumous anthology ''Umezurtz-olerkiak'' ('Orphan Poems') published in 1934, in which he captures an intimate type of poetry. His work marks the transition from

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...

to Symbolism in Basque literature.

Biography

In 1917, at the age of 21, Xabier de Lizardi graduated in law from the

Complutense University of Madrid The Complutense University of Madrid (, UCM; ) is a public research university located in Madrid. Founded in Alcalá in 1293 (before relocating to Madrid in 1836), it is one of the oldest operating universities in the world, and one of Spain's ...

. In 1926 he participated in the founding of the Euskaltzaleak cultural entity within which he carried out different projects. In 1930 he participated in the Basque poetry contest in

Errenteria Errenteria (, ) is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Country (autonomous community), Basque Autonomous Community, in the north of Spain, near the French border. The river Oiartzun (river), Oiartzun cuts its way through the ...

, where he presented his poems ''Otartxo utsa'' ('The empty basket'), ''Paris'ko Txolarre'' ('The sparrow of Paris') and ''Agur'' ('Goodbye'). At the following year's contest held in Tolosa in honor of the poet Emeterio Arrese, he presented the poem ''Urtegiroak'' ('The seasons of the year'). This poem has been described as "his masterpiece" by Ariztimuño. In 1932 Lizardi published the book ''Biotz-Begietan'' ('In the heart and in the eyes') and was awarded the Kirikiño prize for the article ''Etxe barne bizia'' ('Life inside the house'). The works ''Laño ta izar'' ('Fog and star') and ''Bi aizpak'' ('Two Sisters') also saw the light in the magazine ''Antzerti'' ('Theater'). At 36 years of age, he died in Tolosa on 12 March 1933. The books ''Umezurtz-Olerkiak'' ('Orphan Poems') and ''Itz-Lauz'' ('In Plain Words') were published after his death as well as his dramatic works ''Ezkondu ezin ziteken mutilla'' ('The boy who could not marry') that appeared in ''Egan'' magazine in 1953.

Bibliography

Poetry

* '' XX. mendeko poesia kaierak '' (20th century poetry notebooks), 2000, '' Susa '': Edition of Koldo Izagirre. * '' Biotz-begietan '' (In the heart and in the eyes), 1932, '' Greens-Atxirika ''. * '' Olerkiak '' (poems) 1983, '' Erein '': edited by Juan Mari Lekuona, Ángel Lertxundi and Xabier Lete. * '' Umezurtz olerkiak '' (Orphan Poems) 1934, '' Euskaltzaleak '' * '' Lizardi '' (braking), 1975, '' Valverde ''.

Theater

* '' Bi aizpak '' (Two sisters), 1932, '' Antzerti ''. * '' Laño ta izar '' (Fog and star), 1932, '' Antzerti '' * '' Ezkondu ezin ziteken mutilla '' (The boy who could not marry), 1953, '' Egan Magazine ''

Articles

* '' Itz lauz '', (In plain words) 1934, '' Euskaltzaleak ''. * '' Kazetari lanak '' (journalist works), 1986, '' Erein – Association of Basque publishers '')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lizardi, Xabier 1896 births Basque writers 1933 deaths Complutense University of Madrid alumni