Bibliotheca Alexandrina to host the Paraguayan writer Augusto Roa Bastos
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In collaboration with the Spanish Cultural Institute in Egypt (Cervantes), the Embassy of Spain and the Embassy of Paraguay in Egypt, Bibliotheca Alexandrina will host the Paraguayan writer Roa Bastos on the evening of Tuesday, 19th February 2002 (at 07:00 pm).
Roa Bastos was born in 1917 and is considered one of the most distinguished contemporary novelists in Latin America. During the seminar, Roa Bastos will shed the light on his literary experience and will also hold a discussion with Egyptian writers on the same theme.
Roa Bastos has witnessed the 1928 revolution and has volunteered to work in the filed of nursing during the Chaco war (1932-1935) against Bolivia. He never joined any political parties but showed great solidarity with the oppressed and poor class of the Paraguayan society.
He was forced to leave the capital Asuncion in 1947 fearing that he would be arrested as a result of the government threat that it would detain all those who have participated in the unsuccessful overthrow attempt. He then settled in Buenos Aires where he had his ups and downs till his works achieved some fame. Due to the dictatorship regime that prevailed at that time in Argentina, he moved to France where he worked in the filed of teaching literature and the Guarani culture in the University of Toulouse Le Mirail. He was deprived of his nationality as a Paraguayan till 1983 when he obtained his Spanish nationality. In 1989, he received the Cervantes Award.
His Works
Augusto started his literary career in 1930 by writing the theater play entitled “La Carcajada”, then he wrote and co-wrote many other works such as, “La Residenta”, “El Nino Del Rocio” in 1942 and “Mientras Llegue El Dia” in 1946.
It is worth mentioning here that these works were published at the time when he was working in an administration job at one of the banks. Then when he worked as a journalist for “El Pais” newspaper, which was issued, at Asuncion, he was able to cover the expenses of his first travels to Europe.
In 1927, he wrote a novel entitled “Fulgencio Miranda” which never saw the light, then in 1942, his novel entitled "El Ruisenor De La Aurora Y Otros Poemas” was published in 1944, Augusto became a member of the group “Vya Raity” which was a group that advocated the renaissance of both poetry and novels in Paraguay.
In 1960, when he was living in Buenos Aires, he published his collection of poems entitled “El Naranjal Ardiente”.
As a novelist, he published many novels such as “EL Trueno Entre Las Hojas”, 1953, “El Baldio”, 1966 where he discussed the political and social problems of Paraguay. In his novels “Hijo De Hombre”, 1960 and “Yo El Supremo”, 1974, he presented an analysis of Paraguayan history since the dictatorship rule of José Gaspar Rodriguez (1814-1840), till the Chaco war and the following period of time.
Some of his successive works that were published afterwards were: “Los pies Sobre El Agua”, 1976, “Madera Quemada”, 1976, “Moriencia”, 1969, “Cuerpo presente Y Otros cuentos”, 1971, “Antologia Personal”, 1980, “Contar un Cuento Y Otros Relatos”, 1984.
His theater play “Yo El Supremo” was published in 1985. The events of this play were based on a previous novel that bears the same title.
The second phase of his literary works started in 1922 on the occasion of the five hundredth (500th) anniversary of discovering the United States of America where he published “Vigilia Del Almirante”, on Christopher Columbos, followed by “El Fiscal”, 1993, “Contravida”1994 and “Madama Sui”, 1996. Through these novels, Augusto Roa Bastos tried to depict characters and memories of his homeland Paraguay, supporting his views with some autobiographies.
His numerous published articles tacked various topics and included his group of articles entitled “Inglaterra Que Ya Vi” which was published in 1946 upon his return from his first travels to Europe.
Augusto wrote many Cinema Scripts as well as several other works.