por There is a great diversity of peruvian authors, representatives of one of the most important and varied literatures in Latin America. This literature covers the production of works in the pre-Hispanic era —for which reason some are in the Quechua language—, which were translated and disseminated thanks to other authors.
In addition, it includes those carried out during the Colony, following the process of Frenchification, emancipation and republic, up to the s. xx. Thanks to this, it is possible to find a series of important authors who have been in charge of highlighting the cultural legacy of the country.
They have also highlighted indigenous heritage and the political environment through different literary formats such as novels, poetry, essays, newspaper articles and children’s stories.
Currently, the importance of Peruvian authors is recognized, being the literature of that country one of the most admired expressions worldwide.
Peruvian authors and their most important works
Mario Vargas Llosa
Born in Arequipa on March 28, 1936, he is recognized as one of the most important authors in Peru and Latin America, having a prose that exalts the social and political problems of his environment.
His works have earned him a series of international recognitions, such as the Prince of Asturias Award (1986), the Rómulo Gallegos Award (1967) and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2010.
It became known thanks to the book The city and the Dogs (1962), which is based on personal experiences of the author in the community of the Leoncio Prado Military College, in Callao, Peru.
Likewise, it also highlights The green Housewhich focuses on the story of a woman expelled from a convent to become the most famous prostitute in Piura.
also excel Pantaleon and the visitors, Aunt Julia and the writeras well as The War of the End of the World and Don Rigoberto’s notebooks.
Julio Ramon Ribeyro
He was one of the great Peruvian storytellers from the generation of the 50s, who also did work in other literary genres such as novels, journalistic essays and even plays.
Among his works stands out The vultures without feathers, a narration focused on the life of the neighborhoods of Lima, and whose protagonists are a couple of children who find themselves in need of collecting waste due to pressure from their grandfather.
It is worth noting the story Alienationwhich is the narration of the life of Roberto, a black boy who wants to become white to conquer a woman.
Other compilations of his stories are tales of circumstance, bottles and men, three uplifting stories and Silvio in El Rosedal.
Cota Carvallo
She was also known as Carlota Carvallo. She has a variety of works to her credit including poems, plays, newspaper articles, short stories, and paintings. In fact, she is considered one of the first women artists in Peru.
In addition to his pictorial work —important thanks to the fact that it raises the indigenous cultural component—, Carvallo published the books The role of children’s literature, A memory of the painter Enrique Camino and school theater pieces.
It is believed that there is also a set of unpublished works in which he talks about his children through a series of diaries that he wrote throughout his life.
Mariano Melgar
He was a Peruvian poet and independentist who stood out for a series of works focused on indigenous songs and stories of popular origin. Some specialists indicate that Melgar is one of the most important figures of Peruvian literary Romanticism.
He died at the age of 24 and did not leave a solid body of work until his nephew, Manuel Moscoso Melgar, compiled the letters, poems and sonnets in the book poemsin 1878.
It was expanded in a 1971 edition, where a greater number of songs and material by the author were collected.
Cyrus Joy
He was a Peruvian writer and journalist, mostly recognized for his prose marked by indigenous awareness in the country. His work focused on highlighting the difficulties, shortcomings, and problems of these groups in a series of narratives known as «land novels.»
Among his works stands out the golden snakethe author’s first novel that tells the story of a group of «cholos» rafters who find themselves in the jungle area of Peru, at the same time that it tells the experience of Osvaldo Martínez, an engineer who enters this environment in order to Take advantage of the resources that are there.
Cesar Vallejo
This Peruvian poet and writer is considered one of the most innovative and important authors of Latin American literature, whose early works highlight the religious aspect due to his training during childhood and adolescence.
His most acclaimed work the black heraldsis a collection of poems published in 1919 that contains a series of verses that explore pain, anguish and existentialism.
According to critics, it is from this point on that Vallejo began to develop a personal and avant-garde style for the time.
Jose Watanabe
Renowned Peruvian poet of Japanese descent. Watanabe also produced works in other formats, such as film scripts, children’s stories, and documentaries. Similarly, he exalted his affinity for Japanese culture through haiku, a genre of Japanese poetry.
One of his most famous poems is Antigone, published in 2000, as a free version of the Sophocles tragedy.
Carlos Augusto Salaverry
Salaverry was a Peruvian playwright and poet, also an important figure during the literary Romanticism that developed in the country.
That is why it can be said that his work is characterized by being intimate with a certain erotic nuance. In fact, some experts have also come to compare him with the Spanish poet Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.
His poetic works include letters to an angel, from 1871, considered one of the most successful, romantic and erotic works that are available for that time. The most famous poem in this book is «Remember me!».
Ricardo Palma
Palma is considered one of the most prolific and important authors of Peru, thanks to a work in which satires, dramas, criticism, chronicles, poems and essays stand out. In fact, he is a renowned author both in the country and in Latin America.
Among his extensive work, undoubtedly stands out Peruvian traditionsshort stories that combine the story and the chronicle of historical events that seem to denote the different incidents that occurred during the colonial era.
abraham valdelomar
This author noted for his story-type narrative work, also stood out as a poet, journalist, essayist and playwright. He began his career as a cartoonist, to later stand out as an author.
One of Valdelomar’s most important works is The Knight Carmelpublished in 1913, whose argument deals with Caballero Carmelo, a fighting cock that must face a younger one.
It should be noted that the story, told in the first person, also portrays the life of the inhabitants of the town of San Andrés. Currently it is called «the most perfect story of Peruvian literature.»