Lima Barreto was one of the main writers of Brazilian pre-modernism. In addition to being a writer, he was a journalist and his works are related to social and nationalist themes.
Afonso Henriques de Lima Barreto was born on May 13, 1881 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. His family was black and humble and his parents descended from slaves. He lost his mother when he was just 6 years old.
He was sponsored by the Visconde de Ouro Preto and, therefore, had the opportunity to have a good education.
He attended his secondary studies at Colégio Dom Pedro II. Later, he went to study engineering at Escola Politécnica. However, he was forced to drop out of school to help his family with expenses. He was an employee of the Secretary of the Ministry of War.
In addition, he worked as a writer in newspapers (Correio da Manhã and Jornal do Commercio) and magazines in Rio de Janeiro (Fon-Fon, Floreal, Careta, ABC, etc.).
Faced with a complicated life, Barreto had problems with alcoholism and was hospitalized a few times. In addition, like his father, he suffered from acute depression, being hospitalized for the first time in 1914.
In 1918 he was retired due to disability from the position he held in the Secretary of War. He died on November 1, 1922 at the age of 41.
Main Works
Lima Barreto owns a vast work. He wrote novels, short stories, poetry and reviews. His works include:
- Memories of the Registrar Isaiah Caminha (1909)
- Sad end of Policarpo Lent (1911)
- Numa and Nymph (1915)
- Life and Death of M. J. Gonzaga de Sá (1919)
- The Bruzundangas (1923)
- Clara dos Anjos (1948)
- Intimate Diary (1953)
- Cemetery of the Living (1956)
Characteristics of the Works
Lima Barreto's works present a colloquial and fluid language. One of the characteristics is the satirical and humorous content present in his writings.
In large part, his works are based on social issues, expressing many injustices such as prejudice and racism.
Furthermore, he criticized the political models of the Old Republic and Positivism. He was a sympathizer of socialism and anarchism, breaking away from the boastful nationalist.
Sad End of Polycarp Lent
His work that deserves to be highlighted is the “Sad End of Polycarp Lent”. It was written in 1911 in the serials and represents one of the most important of the pre-modernist movement.
Narrated in third person, it presents a colloquial language and is a critique of the urban society of the time.
It was adapted for film in 1998 entitled: Policarpo Quaresma, Hero of Brazil.
Phrases by Lima Barreto
- “Brazil has no people, it has an audience.”
- “It's not just death that makes us equal. Crime, disease and madness also end the differences that we invent.”
- “And arrived in the world - he wrote in 1948 - the time for us to reform society, humanity, not politically, which is of no use; but socially, that's all.”
- “Football is a school of violence and brutality and does not deserve any protection from public authorities unless they want to teach us murder.”
- “A large part of the city's population lives through this intricate labyrinth of streets and government closes its eyes, although it charges atrocious taxes, employed in useless and sumptuous works in other parts of Rio de January.”
Learn more about the Pre-Modernist movement by reading the articles:
- pre-modernism
- Characteristics of Pre-Modernism
- The Language of Pre-Modernism
- Exercises on Pre-Modernism
