Arcadianism was a literary movement that emerged in Europe in the 18th century. The movement was characterized by the appreciation of the bucolic life, lived in the countryside and with simplicity. Arcadianism also placed a high value on the elements of nature.
The literary school was also known as eighteenth century because it emerged in the early 1700s. It was also called neoclassicism, as a reference to the Classicism of Greco-Roman antiquity, as the movement made a return to the classical traditions of that period.
The movement was called Arcadianism because it originated in a region of Ancient Greece called Arcadia, where it was supposedly the abode of the god Pan.
The writers of the period, who became known as Arcadians, sought to distance themselves from the Baroque form of writing, the previous literary school, which was characterized by exaggerations and excesses.
The authors of Arcadianism used to sign their works with pseudonyms based on the names of pastors in Greek or Latin poetry. This explains the presence of Greco-Roman mythology and pastoralism in Arcadian works.
Topics covered in Arcadism
Arcadian poets wrote about themes related to the beauty of the countryside and the peace of nature, contemplating the simple life. They used to criticize and despise life in big cities and urban centers, for the hustle and problems of modern life.
The Arcadians were formed by the bourgeois society of the time, which repudiated the most "savage" behavior in social life. They preferred the simplicity of the "natural man" as the ideal of life, as philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote.
Arcadian Features
Among the main features of Arcadism are:
- works inspired by classic Greco-Latin and Renaissance models,
- influence of pagan mythology and French philosophy,
- simplified writing form,
- simple and humble poets,
- bucolic and pastoralism,
- search for values from nature,
- written in a confessional tone,
- spontaneity of feelings,
- attachment to the simple life,
- appreciation of purity, beauty and ingenuity,
- use of Latin expressions.
Latin expressions
It was very common for Arcadian authors to use Latin expressions in their texts. See some examples of expressions found in the texts of the period:
- carpe diem: means enjoy the day, it was used in reference to the simple life that the Arcadians had as an ideal,
- flee city: the expression was used to mean fleeing the city or escaping the confusion of urban life,
- disables truncate: expression that means to remove excesses, used in a reference to the excesses of writing by poets of the Baroque period.
See an excerpt from the poem "O Uruguai" by Basílio da Gama:
Through lakes, forests, valleys and mountains,
We arrived where the step impedes us
Enraptured and mighty river.
All along the opposite bank is discovered
from barbarians the infinite number
That insults us from afar and waits for us.
Preparing balsa curves and pellets,
And in a part of passing nod,
While in another step I hide the troops.
Arcadianism in Brazil
In Brazil Arcadism emerged in the middle of the 18th century. The historical context was the peak of the gold cycle in Minas Gerais and the maximum period for the dissemination of Enlightenment thoughts around the world.
From the mixture of experiences of social conflicts with the cultural ideals brought by the Enlightenment, many Arcadian poets emerged in this period.
In Brazil, Arcadism had as its starting point the publication of “Obras Poéticas” by Cláudio Manuel da Costa in 1768. The foundation of Arcadia Ultramarina in Vila Rica was also an important milestone in Brazilian Arcadism. Arcadia Ultramarina was an association that brought together Brazilian Arcadian authors.
Authors of Arcadianism in Brazil
The main Brazilian writers of this period were:
- Cláudio Manuel da Costa,
- Saint Rita Durão,
- Basilio da Gama,
- Tomás Antônio Gonzaga,
- Manuel Inácio da Silva Alvarenga.
Arcadian Works in Brazil
Some of the best known works of Arcadianism are:
- Caramuru (Santa Rita Durão),
- Uruguay (Basil of the Range),
- Chilean Letters (Tomás Antônio Gonzaga),
- Epic Poem of the Discovery of Bahia (Santa Rita Durão).
See also the Arcadian Features and the meanings of Bucolic and Baroque.