Federico García Lorca, one of Spain’s most celebrated writers of the 20th century, remains an enduring figure in world literature. His work, deeply rooted in the traditions of Spanish culture, seamlessly blends the lyrical, the dramatic, and the political. Born in 1898 in the small village of Fuente Vaqueros, near Granada, Lorca’s life and writing would become emblematic of the struggles, passions, and tensions of early 20th-century Spain. Tragically, his life was cut short at the age of 38 during the Spanish Civil War, but his legacy as a poet, playwright, and visionary continues to captivate audiences around the world.
Lorca’s upbringing in the picturesque Andalusian countryside shaped much of his later work. Raised in a family with a deep respect for both rural and urban traditions, he was exposed to the folk music, myths, and oral traditions of the region from an early age. His early education in Granada further nurtured his artistic sensibilities, and he went on to study at the University of Granada, where he began to make his mark as a writer and intellectual. His first collection of poetry,Impresiones y paisajes(1918), demonstrated his sensitivity to the Spanish landscape and his ability to weave surrealist elements into his observations of the world.