With Cuba being the cultural center that it
is, naturally the island has a very rich literary history.
Little is known about literature prior to the Spaniards, however,
ever since the island was colonized, literary works began
appearing, mostly in Spanish. The first known poem that was
written in Cuba dates back to 1608, written by the Canarian
Silvestre de Balboa and entitled “Mirror of Patience”.
A Cuban author, Captain Don Santiago de Pita, wrote Cuba’s
first theatre play, El Principe Jardinero y Fingido Cloridano,
by the mid-18th century. Towards the end of this century,
the first newspaper to be published on the island, Papel
Periodico de La Habana, appeared.
Cuba’s most famous literary figure, is without a doubt
José Martí,
who was not only a poet and writer but also a lawyer. His
ideas and beliefs regarding freedom were reflected in his
literary works and made him a national hero. Nicolás
Guillén is also a poet who made a name for himself,
especially after the 1959 revolution. Well known contemporary
Cuban authors include Alejo
Carpentier, Miguel Barnet, José Lezama Lima, and
Edmundo Desnoes.Much of contemporary Cuban literature focuses
on politics. However, censorship in Cuba has affected artistic
expression and the content not only of literary works, but
other artistic productions.
There is much Cuban literature to be found in Cuba and particularly
in Havana. Both new and old manuscripts and literary volumes
are available here and it may be surprising to know that often
some of the most prized and oldest books (some over 100 years
old) can be found even in street markets. There is a certain
restriction on tourists taking some of these valuable books
out of the country, and as with certain pieces of art, special
authorization is needed.
