Juan Goytisolo today received the Cervantes Prize – El Colombiano

“Devoto de Cervantes”, Juan Goytisolo says he feels “like a stowaway on an ocean liner “, before collecting the Cervantes Prize in a ceremony full of pomp in which this unorthodox writer, who does not like the institution, try as always break fees.

And so much well, for starters, and in terms of form, not dressed in tuxedo as tradition dictates, but will do so with a jacket and a “normal” pants.

“I told them if they wanted to disguise me, for it put me a hijab (traditional costume of Morocco), so I’ll go as always will, because I have not even suit, “he told Efe, at his home in Marrakech, this anomalous writer,” as all artists “which has built its literary tree with roots nourished by the Spanish critical tradition, which gives the award.

” I have never spoken of me in terms of being recognized or not argues the Catalan writer – but I’ve criticized a lot is the recognition of a Spanish critical tradition, beginning with Black White and Larra and continues with Pi and Manuel Azaña and in the field of historiography, with Américo Castro and Francisco Márquez Villanueva . “

” This tradition has been marginalized -more- by the official institution and tried to fight with all my means to be recognized. More than heterodox, I’ve tried has always been to expand their restricted canon, nacionalcatólico has shelved a number of important works. I’ve always tried to recover what has been left out, “says.

No mean or anticipate anything of speech to be delivered tomorrow, yes that says will talk about personal difficulties surrounding the life of Cervantes when he wrote Don Quixote, the misery that surrounded him and how nevertheless could write this “book of books”.

“I am a devoted reader de Cervantes. I read four times the Quixote; at 25, 40, 60 and 80 and every time I read a different book, it is becoming better and this is proof of great literature is, “he adds.

” Humor has been and is very important in all my work has been crucial, “says Goytisolo, to also explain that the turning point in his narrative occurs in the final chapter of ‘Hallmarks’ and becomes ‘Don Julián’ to then continue throughout his work, leaving the commitment to work with the experimental realism.