About Mariano José de Larra
Mariano José de Larra (1809–1837) was a Spanish journalist and satirist, the leading prose writer of Spanish Romanticism. Writing as "El Pobrecito Hablador" and later "Fígaro," he published hundreds of articles on Madrid's customs, politics and theater between 1828 and his death at 27.
Works by Mariano José de Larra
2 essays to practice
Vuelva usted mañana
Larra's satire of idleness and red tape in Madrid, told through a French visitor who expects to settle all his affairs in fifteen days.
Intermediate · Medium
About 1 hr 39 min to type
El castellano viejo
Larra recounts a disastrous dinner at the home of Braulio, a proud "old Castilian" who mistakes bad manners for sincerity.
Intermediate · Medium
About 1 hr 46 min to type
Mariano José de Larra’s writing style
Larra's articles usually open with a reflection, move into a small scene told in the first person, and end with a pointed general lesson. He mixes dialogue, mock-formal Spanish and asides to the reader, and his irony is aimed at idleness, bureaucracy and empty patriotism.
How to write like Mariano José de Larra
Pick one of Mariano José de Larra’s essays and retype it word for word. Copying slows you down enough to notice how each sentence is built: where it starts, how long it runs and which words carry the weight. Keep the style notes above in mind as you type, then write a paragraph of your own in the same voice. New to this? Read what copywork is and how to do it.