About
Caterina Albert i Paradís, born in L'Escala in 1869, is a major Catalan writer. Publishing under the male pseudonym Víctor Català, she made her mark with the dramatic monologue La infanticida (1898), which caused a scandal when her identity as a young woman was revealed. Her novel Solitud (1905) is considered a masterpiece of Catalan Modernisme. Author of short story collections such as Drames rurals (1902) and Ombrívoles (1904), her work is characterized by dark naturalism, violent rural settings, and a focus on female desire. Elected to the Royal Academy of Fine Letters of Barcelona in 1923, she remained in L'Escala throughout her life.
* 1869-09-11 — † 1966-01-27
Major works
- La infanticida (1898)dramatic monologue
- Drames rurals (1902)short story collection
- Ombrívoles (1904)short story collection
- Solitud (1905)novel
- Caires vius (1907)short story collection
Key milestones
- 1898Wins the Jocs Florals d'Olot with La infanticida, causing a scandal when her female identity is revealed.
- 1917Presides over the Jocs Florals of Barcelona.
- 1923Elected member of the Reial Acadèmia de Bones Lletres de Barcelona.
Themes
Dark naturalismRural settings and violenceFemale desireHuman conditionIdentity and pseudonymity
Sources: id.loc.gov · llull.cat