Álvaro Pombo: “Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a pringao” | Culture | EUROtoday

– Well, good morning – mentioned Álvaro Pombo, and gave a infantile smile – How will we do it?

Pombo, from Santander, 85 years previous, enfant horrible in previous age, researcher of contradictions, possessor of his personal humor, was awarded this Tuesday, after successful virtually all of the prizes that may be received, with the Cervantes Prize. The definitive award, essentially the most prestigious in Spanish literature, which crowns the work of a whole profitable profession. “I am happy that they have given me such a nice award,” he mentioned. An award, within the case of Pombo, for greater than 50 years of writing.

Since 2004, Pombo has been a member of the Royal Spanish Academy the place he joined, curiously, on the proposal of the earlier Cervantes, Luis Mateo Díez, amongst others, to occupy the letter j, which Pedro Laín Entralgo occupied till his demise. So within the RAE, his shared home, he obtained the press this Wednesday.

He entered pushed in his wheelchair, along with his eternal blue hat and his spherical glasses, making feedback in regards to the dana that threatens, whereas he was riddled with images. Despite his weak point, bonhomie comes out of his pores, and he laughs, and makes individuals snicker virtually unintentionally. It was when he requested “How do we start?”

And earlier than understanding begin, he began speaking about Cervantes: Cervantes by no means had a prize, Cervantes had the second a part of his e-book plagiarized. Don QuixoteCervantes was imprisoned in Algiers after the battle of Lepanto.

– Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a pringao – he resolved, to the laughter of these gathered.

He then mirrored, considerably erratically, on irony, which he outlined as a secondary emotion, not like love or hate, and extra typical of older individuals than younger individuals, that point through which “you can have it.” very believing as a result of you’ll be able to imagine every thing, since you are like daylight, just like the solar, and the solar believes every thing.” The journalists listened to him like an oracle, making an attempt to disclose the teachings. Valuable classes, such because the lapidary definition of the craft of writing that he provided beneath:

– Writing is difficult, it takes you time with novels, you need to learn quite a bit after which you’re by no means happy.

Spanish is Pombo’s first language, the second is English (he lived for eleven years in London, the place he completed finding out Philosophy and the place he had some experiences that marked him perpetually), and he outlined Spanish as a extra enjoyable language, and a language with many homelands.

Pombo has already considered what to write down for his speech on the award ceremony, in Alcalá de Henares, on Book Day, April 23, in commemoration of the demise of the writer of the e-book. Quixote. will do it about Mr. Vidrieraone in all Cervantes’ exemplary novels, from which a philosophical or ethical lesson may be drawn. For Pombo, this story is a “phenomenology of fragility,” as a result of the textual content offers with the fragility, not of glass, however of the human being. And it’ll delve into that basic concept that loopy persons are those who inform the reality.

Pombo, who had some issues listening to the journalists’ questions, then continued along with his philosophical research, his coaching in classical philosophy, however, above all, the affect of Jean-Paul Sartre on his novels. In philosophy he has favored to make use of “colors”, greater than “backgrounds”. “Philosophers will say I’m an idiot,” he joked. A shade that you simply discover in Ortega y Gasset or in Xavier Zubiri. He declared himself a devoted fan of philosophy and, by the way, of theology.

– That makes me a person of letters, a tremendously unhealthy factor.

He additionally gave some clue in regards to the e-book he’s engaged on, a historic novel centered on the African War and Annual catastrophe. “Historically it is not sewn well, I just think that I do not take history or fiction seriously,” he confessed. And he ended up being requested in regards to the succulent 125,000 euros of the prize, a matter on which he elaborated with pleasure. His mom, he mentioned, known as him “many guy,” however the cash was flying out of his arms, he could not afford it.

– I’m going to spend the 125,000 euros sparingly, as a result of I’m doing very poorly. The cash goes on the cardboard and on the fish, within the sq., not on the events and vices… though that too. The cash is gone, he laughs at me. Maybe if I put it in three accounts… Because I’m positive that is the very last thing I’m going to earn just a little strong.