Gabriela Mistral

@Poets, Timeline and Childhood ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Gabriela Mistral was the pseudonym used by Lucila Godoy Alcayaga, a Chilean poet, educator and feminist who became the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945. Lesbians Nobel Laureates In Literature Chilean Writers Poets Aries Celebrities Gabriela Mistral was a woman with a multi-faceted personality—she was a poet, an educator, a diplomat and a feminist all rolled into one. She has the honour of being the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1945. She had a difficult childhood, and had to start working as a teacher’s aide by the time she was 15 in order to support herself and her mother. While working as an educator, she also started to write poetry, some of which were published in the local and national newspapers and magazines. The tragic death of her lover in 1909 influenced her to write Sonetos de la muerte which went on to win a national award for her when published years later. Her growing popularity as a poet also opened up newer avenues for her career growth as a teacher. She got many opportunities to teach at prestigious schools, and then gradually went on to become a college educator. Her rising stature in the international scenario made it impossible for her to remain in Chile for long. In the mid 1920’s, she represented Latin America in the Institute for Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations. She lived primarily in France and Italy between1926 and 1932. During this period, she also extensively toured many countries like Brazil, Argentina, the Caribbean, Uruguay, etc. She held a visiting professorship at Barnard College of Columbia University, worked briefly at Middlebury College and Vassar College. She published many articles in newspapers and magazines throughout the Spanish-speaking world.

Personal Details

Birthday: April 7, 1889 Died on: January 10, 1957 Nationality: Chilean Famous: Poets, Lesbians, Nobel Laureates In Literature, Writers, Poets Siblings: Emelina Molina Universities: Primary school Birth Place: Vicuña Information Detail Birthday April 7, 1889 Died on January 10, 1957 Nationality Chilean Famous Poets, Lesbians, Nobel Laureates In Literature, Writers, Poets Siblings Emelina Molina Universities Primary school Birth Place Vicuña Gender Female Father Juan Gerónimo Godoy Villanueva Mother Petronila Alcayaga Sun Sign Aries Born in Vicuña Famous as Chilean poet Died at Age 67

Vicuña

Gabriela Mistral born at Unsplash Birth Place

Her personal life was tough and difficult from the very beginning. Her father abandoned her family when she was a small child and her lover committed suicide when she was a teenager. Unsplash Personal Life

The subsequent death of a beloved nephew some years later further saddened her already broken soul. Unsplash Personal Life

As a dedicated and concerned educator cum feminist, she passionately fought for the rights of children, women and the poor. Unsplash Personal Life

Gabriela Mistral was born to Juan Ger�nimo Godoy Villanueva and Petronila Alcayaga. Her mother was of Basque descent while her father was a school teacher of Indian and Jewish descent. She also had one step-sister named Emelina who was fifteen years older to her. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

She grew up in a world of poverty after her father abandoned his family leaving his wife and daughters to fend for themselves.She had begun to get her poems published in local newspapers from an early age. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

Gabriela Minstral began her career as a teacher’s aide at the age of fifteen. In spite of her lack of a solid foundation in formal education, her sister helped her to get a teaching job. Unsplash Career

The suicide of her lover, a railway worker named Romelio Ureta, affected her deeply and had a profound influence on her works. Unsplash Career

Her growing popularity as a poet also helped her in rising from one position to another. Unsplash Career

She got the opportunity to teach in a number of schools in various Chilean cities. The government of her country awarded her the title “Teacher of the Nation” in 1923. Unsplash Career

As she became increasingly famous for her works in the fields of education and poetry, she received many invitations to attend conferences and make speeches. Unsplash Career

In 1914, she was awarded the first prize in the Juegos Florales a national literary contest for her work Sonetos de la Muerte. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

In 1945, she was honored with the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her lyric poetry which, inspired by powerful emotions, has made her name a symbol of the idealistic aspirations of the entire Latin American world". Unsplash Awards & Achievements

She received the Chilean National Prize in literature in 1951. Unsplash Awards & Achievements

Information	Detail
Birthday	April 7, 1889
Died on	January 10, 1957
Nationality	Chilean
Famous	Poets, Lesbians, Nobel Laureates In Literature, Writers, Poets
Siblings	Emelina Molina
Universities	Primary school
Birth Place	Vicuña
Gender	Female
Father	Juan Gerónimo Godoy Villanueva
Mother	Petronila Alcayaga
Sun Sign	Aries
Born in	Vicuña
Famous as	Chilean poet
Died at Age	67

Gabriela Mistral

Chilean

Apr 7, 1889

Biography

Personal Details

Vicuña