Biography of Francisco Balagtas - The Unrivaled Poet Within

Francisco Balagtas was one of the most prolific writers of his time. He was a writer of romantic poems and lived in the Philippines. Many in the Philippines consider Francisco Balagtas as a comparable version of Sir William Shakespeare. Here is his biography.

The Early Work of Balagtas

As the youngest of four children of Juan Baltazar and Dela Cruz, Francisco Baltazar’s last name was later changed to Balagtas. He grew up in poverty, but despite this, he always found creative ways to broaden his knowledge. Whether it was the sound of a dog barking or the noise of a horse running, Balagtas would use these sounds to inspire him to write. One of Francisco Balagtas’s early works was “Florante at Laura,” which is a love story depicting the romantic days of Florante and Laura during challenging times.

His Education

Balagtas’s early education started at a Catholic school in Bigaa where he learnt the catechism and prayers. At the age of eleven, he went to Manila and served as a servant to a prominent family living in Tondo.

As a servant in his master’s house, Balagtas took advantage of the many books available to him while working at his master’s house by doing a lot of reading. When his master saw this dedication in his servant, he assisted Balagtas to pursue his studies. Balagtas, eager for the opportunity, grabbed it and afterwards, moved from being a servant to an educated multiple degree holder.

While doing further studies, his teachers Dr. Mario Pilapil and Jose Dela Cruz were pleased with his performance. Because of his education, Balagtas worked harder at improving his writing of poetry.

The Love Life of Francisco Balagtas

Sometime in 1835, Francisco Balagtas met the woman who eventually inspired him to write "Florante at Laura." Even though the relationship caused him to make many sacrifices, it ended in pain and suffering.

Still hurting, Balagtas continued writing his true love, which was poetry. He later married and the union produced eleven children.

Balagtas died in 1862; however, upon his death he left an array of comedies, plays and poems that not only thrilled the hearts of the Philippine people, but the entire world.

Author’s Bio:
The Biography of Francisco Balagtas is just one of the works of guest contributor Christa Blair. She writes for BiographyArchive.Com and has written several other biographies of famous Filipino heroes and poets.