Nana_Brazil

LITERATURE IN BRAZIL:

XVI century- Quinhentismo = The inicial phase of literature in Brazil was just in the beginning of the country`s colonization . Padre José de Anchieta ( José de Anchieta Priest - the priest of the colonization) was one of them who represented it in poems, speech letters, hymns and plays. His main aim was to give religious intructions to the indians through this way.
Pero Vaz de Caminha - who was Pedro Álvaro Cabral`s (Brazil `s discover) fleet writer man, through his diary and letters reported to the king of Portugal a kind of informative trip literature about Brazil. His aim was inform the king about the geography, vegetation and social life of the "new land".

XVII century - Barroco - This time was determinated by opositions and spiritual conflicts. The masterpieces talked about the sorrows, disappointment about material life and spiritual one. Metaphors were used this time. Bento Teixeira,Prosopopéia`s author; Gregório de Matos Guerra ( Boca do Inferno ), author of several poetries, criticisms e and sarcasm ; and Padre Antônio Vieira" Santo Antônio or " dos Peixes" sermons`s author.

VIII century - Neoclassicismo or Arcadismo - This century is about the bourgeoisie and its values. So..the conflits of Barroco stopped to give a place to a new simple form of expressing things like the objectivism and the reason. From a previous complex language it became an easier language. The countryside living way and the bucolic life became worth and value, as well as the idealization of the nature and of the beloved woman. The main masterpieces of this time were : Obra Poética by Cláudio Manoel da Costa, O Uraguai by Basílio da Gama, Cartas Chilenas and Marília de Dirceu by Tomás Antonio Gonzaga, Caramuru by Frei José de Santa Rita Durão.

XIX century - Romantismo – Brazil`s modernism time (1808) and the independence of the country (1822) were two facts which influenciated the literature at this time. Romantism period main characteristics were: individualism, nacionalism, reviewing the most important historical facts, women`s idealization, creativity and dreamers, the value of the freedom and the use of the metaphor. Among the Romantic masterpieces the most important are:
O Guarani by José de Alencar, Suspiros Poéticos e Saudades by Gonçalves de Magalhães, Espumas Flutuantes by Castro Alves, Primeiros Cantos by Gonçalves Dias. Other important poets and writers from this time were : Casimiro de Abreu, Álvares de Azevedo, Junqueira Freire and Teixeira e Souza.

Second half of the XIX century- Realismo - Naturalismo – at this time of the century, Romantism fell down with its ideals. The realistic poets and writers started talking about the true social life , the main human beings problems and social conflicts. Objectism, popular usage of the language, psicological intrigue, real life based characters, day by day scenes, social critics and an ironic vision of the real life. The main representant of this phase was Machado de Assis whose works were: Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas, Quincas Borba, Dom Casmurro and O Alienista. (Even nowadays his masterpieces are demanded by the VESTIBULARES – (it is an admission test to the Universties – students have to face).
Also writers like: Aluisio de Azedo wrote O Mulato and O Cortiço, and Raul Pompéia wrote O Ateneu.

End of the century XX- Parnasianismo – This period searched the classical themes, giving na emphasis and value to the formal way of writing again and the describing poetries. The “parnasianos “ authors used a cultural and formal language and vocabulary, mithological themes and detailed description of the things. They explained “they made the art by the art “. Thanks to those authors, there was a different way of writing and describing things, they did not talk about social conflicts. Authors from this time : Olavo Bilac, Raimundo Correa, Alberto de Oliveira and Vicente de Carvalho. End of the XIX century – Simbolismo- This time begins with the essay of “ Missal e Broquéis” by João da Cruz e Souza. The simbolistas poets used na abstract and suggestive language filling their works with mysticism and religion. They focused the mysteries of the death and dreams. Some authors from this time were: Cruz e Souza and Afonso de Guimarães.

( 1902 to 1922 ) Pré-Modernismo – As a matter of fact this was the transition period because the Modernism started in 1922 along with the MODERN ART WEEK. This period talks about regionalism, positivism, the search for the traditional values, coloquial language, and social problems values again. Authors : Euclides da Cunha ( wrote “ Os Sertões” ), Monteiro Lobato, Lima Barreto, wrote “ Triste Fim de Policarpo Quaresma e Augusto dos Anjos “.

( 1922 a 1930 ) Modernismo – the main themes were: nacionalism ,day by day urban routine, a humoristic language, express words and direct texts with much freedom . Some Modernism authors: : Mario de Andrade, Oswald de Andrade, Cassiano Ricardo, Alcântara Machado and Manuel Bandeira.

( 1930 a 1945 ) Neo-Realismo – time in which the writers criticize and point to Brazil`s social problems again. Also the mystic, religious and urban subjects are discussed again. The main masterpieces were : “Vidas Secas” by Graciliano Ramos, “Fogo Morto” by José Lins do Rego, “O Quinze “ by Raquel de Queiróz and “ O País do Carnaval” by Jorge Amado. The principal poets of this time: Vinícius de Moraes (author of Girl from Ipanema song), Carlos Drummond de Andrade and Cecília Meireles.