Julio Cortazar Biography

(Novelist & Translator)

Birthday: August 26, 1914 (Virgo)

Born In: Ixelles, Belgium

Julio Coratzar was one of the novel and innovative Argentina writers of the 20th century. His uniqueness lied in the fact that he combined existential questioning with experimental writing techniques in his work which was unusual and fresh. It was due to this that he majorly influenced the Spanish-speaking readers and writers settled in Europe and America. Coratzar was one of the founders of Latin America Boom and a modern master of short story. During his lifetime, he came up with various works of poetry and drama in the category of both fiction and nonfiction. Other than writing, he served as a translator for UNESCO. His profile included Spanish translations of the works of Robinson Crusoe, Marguerite Yourcenar and Edgar Allen Poe. Coratzar left his homeland Argentina dissatisfied with the Peron government, moving to Paris. In 1981, he was awarded a French citizenship which he retained along with his Argentina citizenship. To know more about his life and profile, read through the following lines.

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Quick Facts

Nick Name: Julio Denis

Also Known As: Julio Florencio Cortázar

Died At Age: 69

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Aurora Bernárdez (m. 1953–1967), Carol Dunlop (m. 1981–1982), Ugnė Karvelis, Aurora Bernárdez (m. 1953–1967), Carol Dunlop (m. 1981–1982), Ugnė Karvelis

father: Julio José Cortázar

mother: María Herminia Descotte

Born Country: Argentina

Novelists Short Story Writers

Died on: February 12, 1984

place of death: Paris, France

Diseases & Disabilities: HIV

More Facts

education: Carol Dunlop

  • 1

    How did Julio Cortazar's background influence his writing style?

    Julio Cortazar's background in surrealism and existentialism greatly influenced his writing style, leading to the incorporation of dream-like imagery and themes of individual freedom and self-discovery in his works.
  • 2

    What role did Julio Cortazar play in the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s?

    Julio Cortazar was a prominent figure in the Latin American literary boom of the 1960s, known for his innovative narrative techniques and exploration of complex themes such as identity, time, and reality.
  • 3

    How did Julio Cortazar's time in Paris impact his writing?

    Julio Cortazar's time in Paris allowed him to interact with other prominent literary figures and artists, leading to the development of his unique literary voice and experimentation with form and structure in his works.
  • 4

    What is the significance of Julio Cortazar's short story "Blow-Up?"

    "Blow-Up" is a notable short story by Julio Cortazar that explores the themes of perception, reality, and the nature of art, challenging the boundaries between fiction and reality in a thought-provoking manner.

Childhood & Early Life
Julio Cortazar was born to Julio Jose Cortazar and Maria Herminia Descotte in Belgium, Brussels. His family, originally belonging to Argentina, relocated to Zurich shortly after his birth.
For two years, the family moved around Europe, settling at various cities including, Zurich, Geneva and Barcelona. The family finally settled at Buenos Aires in 1919.
After his parents separated, young Cortazar spent much of his time with his mother and younger sister. He was raised in the Banfield area of Buenos Aires. Since he was a sickly child, he spent much of his time bed reading. It was then that he developed a liking for the works of Jules Verne.
Academically proficient, he completed his formal education and by the age of 18, obtained a qualification as an elementary school teacher. He took up studying philosophy and languages later on from the University of Buenos Aires but did not graduate from the same.
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Career
He took up a profession in teaching and served as the teacher in two high schools based in the cities of Chivilcoy and Bolivar.
In 1938, he came up with a volume of sonnets that he published under the pen name Julio Denis. However, he rebuffed this work of his later on.
In 1944, he took up as a professor of French literature at the National University of Cuyo. Five years later, he came up with a play titled, Los Reyes, which was based on the myth of Theseus and Minotaur.
Since he had an opposing line of belief as compared to the government of Juan Domingo Peron, he moved to France where he spent the rest of his life.
In 1951, he came up with a collected volume of short stories titled, ‘Bestiario’. The following year, he started working as a translator for UNESCO. He completed numerous works including Spanish interpretation of the works of Robinson Crusoe, Marguerite Yourcenar and Edgar Allan Poe.
From 1952 to 1959, he came up with several humorous and spirited stories that were published under the book, ‘Historias de cronopios y de famas’. Similarly, he came up with other works include ‘Todos los fuegos el fuego’ and ‘Libro de Manuel’.
It was during this time that he was influenced by the works of Alfred Jarry and Comte de Launtreamont. Towards the end of the decade, he came up two more works titled ‘Final del juego’ and ‘Las armas secretas’
In 1963, he released his magnum opus, ‘Rayuela’ or ‘Hopscotch’, which is an open ended novel or antinovel that invites the reader to rearrange the different parts of the novel according to a plan prescribed by the author
In 1967, publishers Pantheon Books came up with selected stories of Paul Blackburn which were compiled under the title, ‘End of the Game and Other Stories’. While the same served as the name for the hardcover edition, in the paperback, it was known as ‘Blow-Up and Other Stories’
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Later on, he came up with various novels including Los premios (The Winners), Hopscotch (Rayuela), 62: A Model Kit (62 Modelo para Armar), and Libro de Manuel (A Manual for Manuel). While Los premios was translated by Elaine Kerrigan, the other novels were translated into English by Gregory Rabassa.
Along with Carol Dunlop, he came up with one of his last works ‘The Autonauts of the Cosmoroute’. The work based on the mock-heroic style, detailed the explorations made by the couple from Paris to Marseille in a Volkswagen camper nicknamed Fafner.
Other than literary works, he was actively involved in advocating human rights in Latin America. He was an ardent supporter of the Sandinista revolution as well as the Fidel Castro revolution. He even supported the Salvador Allende’s socialist government in Chile.
Personal Life & Legacy
He was twice married in his lifetime. The first was to Aurora Benardez, an Argentina translator in 1953. The relationship did not last long and the couple separated in 1967 due to his infidelity.
Same time, he became involved with Lithuanian Ugne Karvelis. The two were deeply in love but never married. It was Ugne who instilled in him the interest in politics.
He finally tied the knot with Canadian Carol Dunlop. She served as his soul mate until her death in 1982, following which he was taken care of by his former wife, Aurora Bernandez. Bernandez supported him right through his illness and later life.
He breathed his last in Paris in 1984. He was interred at the Cimeti�re de Montparnasse. Though it is widely speculated that leukemia was the cause of his death, he reportedly died due to AIDS which was caused due to blood transfusion.
Facts About Julio Cortazar

Julio Cortazar was known for his love of cats, and he even wrote a short story titled "Blow-Up" inspired by his own pet cat.

Cortazar was a talented jazz musician and often incorporated musical elements into his writing, creating a unique and innovative style.

He was a passionate advocate for social justice and political activism, using his writing to address important issues of his time.

Cortazar had a fascination with puzzles and games, which is reflected in the intricate structures and narratives of his stories.

He was a polyglot, fluent in several languages including French, English, and Italian, which allowed him to engage with a diverse range of literary influences.

See the events in life of Julio Cortazar in Chronological Order

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