Diario las Américas., 1958-07-19
Know thy
Neighbor
By ANTONIO RUIZ

early colonial times, literary
schools and currents which flour
ished in other parts of the world
have had their opponents in Cos
ia Rica. An extremely peaceful
and democratic people, the spirit
of life of Costa Ricans is exempli-
fled in their literature.
Roberto Brenes Mesen, in his
work EN- ell Silencio" (In the ST.
lence), which appeared in 1907,
follows the modernist school of
art for arts sake".c One of Costa
Rica's most versatile writers, he
found time during his active pub
lie career as an educator to pub
fish some excellent t%ranslations,
with Maeterlink's 1.-THE Blue Bird
and Kahill Gibran's "The Prophet"
among the most outstanding. Bre-
mes Mesen'se essays and reviews,
his languages treatises and text
books, all verify his genius.
There has been one gender in
which Costa Rican letters have
been preeminent. A realistic form
of expression called "costumbris-
mo-, a school which focuses upon
every day life of the peasantry,
describing their modes of life and
dress, often using vernacular Ian
guage. 1t has been said of this IL
terature that zone volume gives a
better picture of Costa Rican life
than twenty volumes of statistics.
Two men may be cited as pio-
neerS of this realistic movement,
the priest Juan Garita, a poet
whose verses are filled with subtle
irony, and Manuel Arguello Mora,
author of many novels and short
stories on customs, both of whom
were the real innovators of the
Costa Rican folkorist movement.
The title of National Poet of
Costa RIGA has been bestowed up
on Aquileo Echeverria 1856 1909.
His brilliant folkoric sketches of
the people in all their daily prac-
tees have contributed a perman-
ent legacy to the world. Echeve-
rria possessed a profound observa-
ton sense, as well as an expert
ability to reproduce the same in
words he carefully nodded into
rhythmic verses. His life was one
of constant service to his country,
first as a journalist and later in
the diplomatic service. Among tine
best of his poetry can be found
in a volume, "Concherias". (ShellS)
published first in 1905. The finest
edition of this work was publish
ed in 1913 by the Guatemalan
Government, as part of their col
lection LOS Clasicos del Istmo"
(The Classics of the Isthmus).
The novel la Propia" by Ma
nuel Gonzalez Zeledon, more COM
monty known by his pseudonym
"Magon", confirms his right to be
named the best "costumbrista" in
prose writing. His works are full
of vivacity, wit, irony and grace.
An educator, businessman, and d.
plomat, he spent around thirty
years outside Costa RIGA holding
in the United States. various con-
sular offices.
Joaquin Garcia Monge is also a
novelist who distinguished him.
self in this type of literature. His
youthful novels ."Abnegacion" Cab
negation) and "Hijas del Campo"
Daughters of the Country, Great
ed a sensation when published
around 1900, and paved the way
for other authors to write reals.
tically on local themes. AS found
er and publisher of the outstand-
ing literary review Repertoire
Americana" (American Reperto-
ry), which is famous for its repro
auctions of New World art, he has
achieved considerable information.
al prominence.
While Ricardo Fernandez Guar
dia is9primarily renowned for his
treatises on Costa Rican history,
his collection of "Cuentos Ricosr
costa Rican Short Stories) publish
ed in 1901, shows the best deyel-
opment of the rcostumbrista"
movement in the short story.
Spanish VarsiNn PaGs z