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Pablo Neruda's Birthday
Pablo Neruda was born on July 12, 1904 in Parral, Chile. His birth name is Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, but he later went by the name Pablo Neruda to hide his identity as a writer from his family. -
Early Education
Pablo Neruda enters Lyceum of Temuco School for men, where he carried out all his studies. In high school he met teacher Gabriella Mistral, who influenced his writing. By sixteen he was publishing poems in school magazines and in the newspapers. -
Moves to Santiago
Pablo Neruda moves to Santiago to pursue a career as a French Professor at the Pedagogical Institute. He wins first prize in the Contest of the Federation of Students of Chile for his poem "The Song of the Party" -
Elected Communist Senator
He was elected a Communist Senator for the northern provinces of Antofagasta and Tarapacá in the Atacama Desert. Four months later he officially joined the Communist Party of Chile. -
Exile
(The communist party is outlawed in Chile leaving many imprisoned or forced into exile or holding.)
Neruda is forced into exile from Chile because of his commitment to communist ideas and his criticism to the Chilean government. For two years Neruda went into hiding until he escaped Chile. -
Campaign
The Chilean Socialist Party was in the midst of naming Salvador Allende as a presidential contender and was eager to see Neruda join the initiative. In august of that year, Pablo returned to Chile. -
Odes
Neruda began composing his series of odes about common everyday objects. The poems were written in simple direct language, so that it was easily understood by people unfamiliar to poetry. -
Relationship Influence
In Java he met and married his first wife, named Maryka Antonieta Hagenaar Vogelzang, a Dutch bank employee. He then remarried to wife Matilde Urrutia, then in 1966, remarried wife Delia del Carr. The women influenced his love poems. -
Nobel Prize
Pablo Neruda won The Nobel Prize in Literature in 1971 "for a poetry that with the action of an elemental force brings alive a continent's destiny and dreams." At the time he was also called the greatest poet of the 20th century in any language. -
Resignation & Death
While serving a two-year term as ambassador to France, Neruda was diagnosed with cancer and resigned his position, ending his diplomatic career. Neruda later died in Santiago Chile.