The Year of Octavio Paz (Part 1)

The Year of Octavio Paz

The Mexican Congress recently declared 2014 as “The Year of Octavio Paz” to commemorate the centenary of his birth. The Nobel Prize-winning poet, writer, essayist and diplomat was born in Mexico City on March 31, 1914, and passed away on April 19, 1998.

Wordfest Presents an Online Mini-Series on Octavio Paz

In celebration of Octavio Paz’s legacy, Wordfest published a weekly mini-series throughout the month of May on wordfest.com. Each Tuesday of the month, Wordfest featured a new post exploring an aspect of Paz’ contribution to the cultural landscape, including his influence on contemporary writers and artists from other disciplines. The series is authored by Everett Wilson, the Festival’s Communications Coordinator.

Octavio Paz is widely known both regionally and internationally as one of Mexico’s most influential authors. Prominent English translations of his poetry include the collections: Early Poems: 1935–1955 (tr. 1974), and Collected Poems, 1957–1987 (1987). His most enduring work of prose, The Labyrinth of Solitude, is a collection of essays that explore the role of solitude in shaping the Mexican identity.

Wordfest’s mini-series on Octavio Paz includes the following articles:

– The Year of Octavio Paz [Part 1]
– The Significance of Beginnings [Part 2]
– Octavio Paz: Philosophy & Poetry Interpreted [Part 3]
– Mexican Literature “after Octavio Paz” [Part 4]
– Alberto Ruy Sanchez on Octavio Paz [Part 5]