'A vision of benevolence': Why Chilean poet Pablo Neruda’s legacy endures in France
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Pablo Neruda at the poet’s former home in Santiago during his visit to Chile on Wednesday, highlighting the enduring bond between the Nobel laureate and France. This connection, which began more than 80 years ago, was both literary and political, with France serving as both a refuge and a platform for Neruda’s voice during crucial moments in his life.
President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte paid tribute to Pablo Neruda during a private visit to La Chascona, the poet’s historic home in Santiago, Chile, on Wednesday. This visit, part of Macron’s Latin American tour, highlighted the profound bond between Neruda and France, a nation that continues to honour the poet's influence through schools, libraries, and cultural institutions bearing his name.
Nearly a century ago, Pablo Neruda arrived in Paris, a city that shaped his poetic and political journey. Stéphanie Decante, a professor of Hispanic literature at the University of Nanterre who translated and edited Neruda’s works, said that France had been the ultimate symbol of intellectual freedom for many Latin American writers.
Neruda’s fascination with French literature began early. While studying at the University of Chile, he immersed himself in the works of French poets such as Arthur Rimbaud and Victor Hugo, initially intending to become a French teacher.
Read more on FRANCE 24 English
Read also:
Remembering Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, France's flying storyteller
Racism, ruin & resounding success: The epic life of French author Alexandre Dumas
