Octavio Paz Biography

Quick Facts

NAME: Octavio Paz
OCCUPATION: Author, Poet
BIRTH DATE: March 31, 1914
DEATH DATE: April 19, 1998
PLACE OF BIRTH: Mexico City, Mexico
PLACE OF DEATH: Mexico City, Mexico

Best Known For

Mexican poet and essayist Octavio Paz received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990.

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Octavio Paz

APA Style

Octavio Paz. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 11:10, May 19, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456.

Harvard Style

Octavio Paz. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456 [Accessed 19 May 2013].

MLA Style

"Octavio Paz." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 19 2013, 11:10 http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456.

MHRA Style

"Octavio Paz," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456 [accessed May 19, 2013].

Chicago Style

"Octavio Paz," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456 (accessed May 19, 2013).

CBE/CSE Style

Octavio Paz [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 19] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456.

Bluebook Style

Octavio Paz, http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456 (last visited May 19, 2013).

AMA Style

Octavio Paz. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/octavio-paz-9435456. Accessed May 19, 2013.

Synopsis

Octavio Paz was born into a family of writers on March 31, 1914, in Mexico City. In 1933, he published his first collection of poems, Luna silvestre. Several years later, he founded and edited a literary magazine called Taller. Over his lifetime, he produced more than 20 books and poetry collections and received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990. He died on April 19, 1998.

Profile

Poet, essayist. Born on March 31, 1914, in Mexico City, Mexico. Paz was exposed to literature at an early age thanks to his grandfather's library. The son and grandson of political journalists, he followed the family tradition and became a writer, publishing his first volume of poetry, Luna silvestre, in 1933. Paz was also a skilled editor and helped found a literary magazine called Taller in 1938. He entered the diplomatic service in 1945 and was later appointed the Mexican ambassador to India, a position he held from 1962 to 1968. Paz resigned in protest over the Mexican government's handling of student demonstrations during the Olympic Games.

Adept at both poetry and prose, Paz moved back and forth between the two genres throughout his career. Poetry, such as Piedra de sol (1957), and critical and analytical works, such as El Laberinto de la soledad (1950) cemented his reputation as a master of language and a keen intellect. He produced more than 30 books and poetry collections in his lifetime. Paz received numerous awards for his work, including the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990. He died on April 19, 1998, in Mexico City, Mexico.