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Paz Márquez-Benítez

Paz Márquez-Benítez (3 March 1894– 10 November 1983) was a Filipina short-story writer, educator, and editor.[1] Her career as a woman educator as well as her contributions as a writer are seen as an important step in the advancement of woman within professional careers and of Philippine literature within the world.

During her career as a writer, Paz Marquez-Benitez developed fictional short stories criticizing American Imperialism.[1][2] Paz is most known by her fictional short story Dead Stars (1925) in which the two main characters are allegories to American imperialism and display the slow decay of Philippine heritage.[1][2] Her only other known published work is A Night in the Hills (1925). Even though she had only two published works her writings would be regarded as the first steps of Philippine literature moving into the mainstream.[2]

Paz Marquez-Benitez remains as a prominent influence on Philippine literature through not only her writing but her impact as a educator and editor.[1][2][3] Her and her husbands establishment of educational magazines as well as her contributions to the development of creative short story writing classes within the Philippines is believed to have inspired generations of Filipino writers.[3]

Life

Early Years

Paz Marquez-Benitez was born on 3 March 1894 in Lucena, Tayabas (now Quezon), Philippines.[1] Paz was born into a prominent landowning family with both parents being educated.[1] Her father, Gregorio Marquez was educated at the Aterno de Manila and mother, Maria Jurado would be educated at the Escuela Municipal.[1] Both of Paz's parents would enter into careers of education and become teachers in what would lead to Paz's admiration and respect for educators.[4]

Aged six, Paz would begin her educational career and after three years at the age of nine would be enrolled into high school.[1] Paz attended the Tayabas Highschool now, Quezon National High School where she would be praised by her principal for her academic achievements in English.[1]

During Paz's time at the Normal School in Manila she like many other Filipinos during the early 1900's would be introduced to American culture.[1] This introduction to American culture would begin in 1910 at the age of sixteen when Paz would take to basketball and eventually become the team captain.[1] American culture would continue to envelop around Paz in 1912 at the age of eighteen when she would be introduced to, and participate in, a beauty contest where she would be chosen to be placed within the cover of the Renacimiento Filipino.

Career

Four years after graduating from the University of the Philippines in 1916, Paz Marquez-Benitez became a faculty member of the English Department at the very same college.[1][4] While teaching at the University of the Philippines Paz would go on to develop and teach a course in short story writing for 35 years until she retired in 1951.[1][4] Throughout her teaching career Paz would cultivate the next generation of well known Filipino writers, authors such as Francisco Arcellena, Bienvenido N. Santo, Paz Latorena, Loreto Paras Sulit, Edra Zapanta Manlapaz, and Arturo B. Rotor.[1]

As a professor Paz would use her writing course as an opportunity to write her first major short story in 1925 named Dead Stars.[1][4] Dead Stars would later become critically acclaimed within Philippine literature and cited as a source of inspiration to many Filipino writers.[1] Though Paz was well known for her success with Dead Stars it would not be her only work as she would continue to release short stories such as A Night in the Hills and Stepping Stones although these works would not be received as well as Dead Stars.[4]

In 1918, outside of her career in teaching, Paz and her husband Francisco Benitez became founders of the Philippine Educational Magazine in which they would produce educational magazines for teachers.[1][4] Francisco Benitez would be the editor of the journal until his death in June 1951 where soon afterword, Paz would retire from her career as an educator and take his place as editor of the journal.[1]

Marriage and Family

In December 1914, Paz married Francisco Benitez (1 June 1887- 30 June 1951), a dean of the University of the Philippines, as well as the founder of the Philippine Educational Magazine.[1] The two would go on to have four children together.[1] In 1951, Francisco Benitez died of a heart attack.

Education

Paz being part of the elite class of the Philippines and having two educated parents was born into a family in which education was highly expected.[1] Paz began her educational career at the age of six where she would first learn English.[1] At the age of nine Paz would continue to progress and attend high school at the Tayabas High School now, Quezon National High School where she would later graduate in the year 1910. During her early years in education she was deemed a studious and excellent student which would lead her onto post secondary education. After graduating from high school Paz began her post secondary education at the Normal School in Manila in which she lived for two years and learned about American culture and found her interest in writing. After spending two years at the Normal School in Manila, In 1912 Paz would finish her education as part of the first class to go through the newly established University of the Philippines , a school in which she would later become a professor, in which she would graduate with a B.A. in Liberal Arts.

Works

  • Dead Stars (1925)
  • A Night in the Hills (1925)

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Raftery, Judith R. (2010). "La Girl Filipina: Paz Marquez Benitez, Brokering Cultures". The Journal of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. 9 (2): 232–243. ISSN 1537-7814.
  2. ^ a b c d "Philippine studies: historical and ethnographic viewpoints". Philippine studies : historical and ethnographic viewpoints. 1953. ISSN 0031-7837. OCLC 841344088.
  3. ^ a b Association for Asian Studies (1956). "The journal of Asian studies: JAS". The journal of Asian studies : JAS. ISSN 0021-9118. OCLC 643534693.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Feminist studies: FS. - New York". Feminist studies : FS. - New York. 0000 uuuu. ISSN 0046-3663. OCLC 476420375. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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