16th century is the name given to the literary manifestations that emerged in Brazil in the early years of the 16th century, during the period of discovery of the country's native characteristics by the European people.
The name Quinhentismo refers to the year 1500, considered the beginning of this stage, when Brazilian lands were discovered by the Portuguese. In this period, Brazil was not yet a country, but just one of the colonies of Portugal and did not have any kind of genuinely Brazilian artistic or intellectual production.
The 16th century is marked by the European's point of view about Brazil, that is, the impressions on the fauna, flora and, mainly, the indigenous people, the native people of the "new discovered lands".
The narratives told stories focused on the ambitions, intentions and goals of the European man, in search of new lands and riches. These texts were produced mainly by adventurers, Jesuits and missionaries who passed through Brazilian lands.
16th century in Brazil
In Brazil, the 16th century is marked by two main moments of literary productions: the information literature and the Jesuit literature.
information literature
This type of literature is considered by many scholars as paraliterary, as it escapes the conventional norms of the literature.
The information literature was focused on describing and reporting all things found on land. in order to keep the rulers and nobles of Portugal informed about their Domains.
The main milestone of the information literature was the "Letter from Pero Vaz de Caminha" to the King of Portugal, Dom Manuel, on the discovery of Brazil. Caminha was the chief scribe of Pedro Álvares de Cabral's ship and narrated, in texts rich in adjectives, the physical characteristics of the new discovered land, in addition to the inhabitants who lived there and their mores.
Currently, productions created for information literature are crucial for historians (or enthusiasts and curious about Brazilian history) understand how Brazil was before the total insertion of European culture in the parents.
Jesuit Literature
Jesuit literature has a better aesthetic quality than that produced by the authors of information literature, as they were the first to produce cultural content in Brazil.
The Jesuits wrote poems and plays as pedagogical tools to catechize the indigenous people. However, this type of literature did not have exclusively religious content.
The main author was the Spanish historian, grammarian, poet, playwright and Jesuit priest José de Anchieta, who became known as a great defender of the natives against the abusive behavior of Portuguese settlers.
José de Anchieta learned the Tupi language and produced the masterpiece "Grammar art of the most used language on the coast of Brazil", the first grammar book of the Tupi-Guarani language, in 1595.
Characteristics of the 16th century
- Informative and descriptive texts;
- Travel Chronicles;
- Use of adjectives;
- Produced by European man;
- Simple language;
- Emphasis on material and spiritual achievement;
See also the meaning of Baroque.