Amado Ruiz de Nervo Biography

Amado Nervo is considered one of Mexico's foremost poets of Modernismo, the artistic and literary movement that emerged in Hispanic culture around the turn of the twentieth century. Although the author himself always preferred his prose, critics consider his poetry the superior part of his works. In prose he wrote newspaper articles, novels, essays, short stories, drama reviews, and what can be defined as "poetic prose." His works were characterized by the themes of religion, philosophy, and mysticism, an area often explored by other Modernista authors of the Hispanic world. Nervo shared many of the common characteristics and attitudes held by Modernista writers. French literary movements and writers influenced him, in particular the French Romantic and symbolist poets, who sought to break from traditional poetic forms. Nervo was also a friend of the Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío, one of the leaders of the Modernista literary attitude. They both experimented with colors and images, renewed verse forms long forgotten, enriched the poetic vocabulary, and carried out the reform of rhythm.