LITERATURE
ESSAYS
Like other countries in Latin America, the historical, political and cultural context of the first 4 decades of the 20th Century partially explain the fact that the essay was the predominant literary genre of those years and that even afterwards, continues to be one of the most fruitful genres of Paraguayan literature.
NARRATIVES
The narrative has been the least prolific genre of Paraguayan literature and most affected by the historical, national-political context. Until the middle of the 20th Century, the historical essay predominates. Narratives, like the essay discuss the romantic-nationalist trends of exaltation of the past and the affirmation of the spiritual values of the Paraguayan people, heroic survivors of the War of the Triple Alliance 1864-1870.
The political history of the last 50 years is restricted and explains the Paraguayan narrative. During this lapse, there was a bloody civil war (Revolution of 1847) and the country endured one of the longest dictatorships of history (General Stroessner 1955-1989). It should not be a surprise that the most known current works have been conceived and published in exile. Ruben Bareiro Saguier, Gabriel Casaccia, Rodrigo Diaz-Perez, Augusto Roa Bastos and Lincoln Silva are among the ex-patriots.
During the last years, some works that deeply explore the painful truths of Paraguayan reality, denouncing the dictatorial, repressive and suffocating regimen of more than 3 decades have appeared. Among these are Celda 12 (1991) by Moncho Azuaga, La Seca y Otros Cuentos (1986), Los Nudos del Silencio (1988), Por el Ojo de la Cerradura (cuentos, 1993) and Desde el Encendido Corazón del Monte ( cuentos ecológicos, 1994 by Renee Ferrer; Diagnol de Sangre (1986) and Isla Sin Mar (1987) by Juan Bautista Rivarola Matto; Sin Testigos by Roberto Thompson Molinas and En Busca del Hueso Perdido: Tratado de Paraguayologia (1960) by Helio Vera. Practically all are prize- winners or finalists in national narrative contests.
POETRY
Although during the last years Paraguay has not been inclined to the artistic creation, poetry has always been the most prolific literary genre of Paraguayan writings. The two most internationally renowned poets, Herib Campos Cervera (1905-1953) and Elvio Romero (1926) have written practically all their works in exile in Buenos Aires. Cervera is the most important poet of the promotion of 1940 and also among the group of poets (Josefina Pla and Augusto Roa Bastos) that have had a major influence on contemporary Paraguayan literature.
THEATER
During the first half of the twentieth century, there are not many names associated with Paraguayan theater with the possible exception of Josefina Pla, who in addition to being an author and co-author (with Roque Centurion Miranda) of several theatrical works, she is among those that have studied Paraguayan theater. Like in other Latin American countries, Paraguayan theater is based on the political, social and economic histories.
Source: Teresa Méndez-Faith: BREVE DICCIONARIO DE LA LITERATURA PARAGUAYA, Editorial El Lector - Paraguay, 1994
Translations and editing by: JoAnn Arbore Mainardi
