Brazilian Literature: division, authors, works

A Brazilian literature it has been produced since the year 1500, when Pero Vaz de Caminha wrote his famous letter. Since then, several works have been written in the national territory and have characteristics of the following periods or literary styles: 16th century, Baroque, Arcadianism, Romanticism, Realism, Naturalism, Parnassianism, Symbolism, Pre-modernism, Modernism and contemporaneity.

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Chronological division of Brazilian literature

→ Sixteenth century (1500-1601)

O whatuinhentism It was the literary period that encompassor the first texts written in Brazilian lands, in the sixteenth century. These texts have a theocentric perspective and were divided into two categories:

• Information Literature: chronicles, cards and traveler reports.

• Catechetical Literature:poems and theater plays aimed at catechizing the Brazilian indigenous peoples.

→ Baroque (1601-1768)

O Bbrazilian arroco began in 1601 and lasted until the second half of the 18th century. It was a

period style marked by duality and had these characteristics:

• anthropocentrism versus theocentrism;

• material versus spiritual;

• faith versus reason;

• morbid appearance;

• guilt;

• reflection on the ephemerality of life;

• tragic view of existence;

• pessimism;

• feism;

• cultism;

• conceptism;

• carpe diem (enjoy the moment);

• use of the new measure in the sonnets;

• use of hyperbates, antitheses It is paradoxes;

• poetry lyrical philosophical, sacred and satirical.

→ Arcadianism (1768-1836)

As reaction to feism baroque, came the period style Thercadism. O Thercadism in Brazil began in 1768 and was in evidence until 1836. Its main features were:

• bucolism;

• pastoralism;

• idealization of love;

• idealization of women;

• appreciation of reason;

• defense of the following ideas:

  • flee urban (escape from the city);
  • mediocre aurea (golden mediocrity);
  • locus amoenus (nice place);
  • useless truncat (cut the useless);
  • carpe diem (enjoy the moment).

→ Romanticism (1836-1881)

O rBrazilian omantism began in 1836 and lasted until 1881, and it is possible to observe both poetry and romance It is theater.

► Poetry of Brazilian Romanticism

The poetry of Brazilian romanticism is divided into three phases.

• First generation of Brazilian romanticism:

  • Indianism;
  • bucolism;
  • nationalism;
  • idealizations;
  • religiosity.

• Second generation of Brazilian romanticism:

  • sentimental exaggeration;
  • morbidity;
  • amorous suffering;
  • idealizations;
  • pessimism.

• Third generation of Brazilian romanticism:

  • social criticism;
  • more realistic view;
  • valuation of emotion;
  • heavy use of exclamations It is vocatives.

► Prose of Brazilian Romanticism

A prose of Brazilian romanticism is composed of three types.

• Indianist:

  • indigenous is the national hero;
  • forest as a space for action;
  • idealization of women and love;
  • loving vassalage;
  • reconstruction of the historical past;
  • nationalistic character.

• Urban:

  • customs of the bourgeois elite;
  • action space is the Rio de Janeiro;
  • idealization of women and love;
  • obstacles to loving fulfillment;
  • melodramatic character;
  • propensity for happy endings.

• Regionalist:

  • the rural environment is the narrative space;
  • the country man is the rough and bold hero;
  • idealization of women and love;
  • obstacles to loving fulfillment;
  • criticism of urban customs;
  • patriarchy and female submission.

► Theater of Brazilian Romanticism

As for the romantic theater, it is possible to point out the following characteristics:

• nationalistic aspect;

• social and political criticism;

• historical drama;

• comic character.

→ Realism (1881-1902)

O realism in Brazil It was inaugurated in 1881 and has these characteristics:

• objective language;

• criticism of the bourgeois elite;

• psychological analysis;

• stream of consciousness;

• sociopolitical issues;

• absence of idealizations;

• adultery theme;

• irony.

→ Naturalism (1881-1902)

Naturalism in Brazil began in 1881. This period style has the following elements:

• objective language;

• determinism;

• zoomorphization;

• scientism;

• absence of idealizations;

• sociopolitical critique.

→ Parnassianism (1882-1893)

In 1882, the Brazilian parnassian poetry began to be published in the country. It presents the following characteristics:

• objectivity;

• descriptivism;

• antiromanticism;

• formal rigor;

• social alienation;

• Greco-Latin references.

It must be said that, in Brazil, Parnassian objectivity was not always strictly followed. This is because some poems from that period have subjective aspects, as they expose the emotion of the lyrical self. This is a Brazilian peculiarity.

→ Symbolism (1893-1902)

A Brazilian symbolist aesthetics came to be identified in the year 1893. Characterized by musicality and appreciation of sensations, the symbolism presents:

• opposition to realistic literature;

• subjectivity;

• appreciation of spirituality;

• defense of an ideal world;

• probing of the self;

• social alienation;

• formal rigor;

• power of suggestion;

• allegorizing capital;

• synesthesia.

→ Premodernism (1902-1922)

O Pre-modernism was a literary period beginning in 1902 and ending in 1922. It included, therefore, all the works published in those years. he did the transition from simbolism for the mBrazilian modernism.

Thus, it presented transition characteristics, that is, elements of past aesthetics (naturalism, Parnassianism and symbolism) coexisting with elements that would be present in modernism, such as critical nationalism and realism Social.

→ Modernism (1922-1978)

O mBrazilian modernism began in 1922, with the Modern Art Week.

► First phase of Brazilian modernism

A first phase of Brazilian modernism (1922 to 1930) had the following characteristics:

• innovation;

• nationalism;

• anti-academicism;

• antiromanticism;

• free verses;

• irony.

► Second phase of Brazilian modernism

the poetry of second level of Brazilian modernism (1930-1945) has the following characteristics:

• contemporary theme;

• sociopolitical criticism;

• existential conflict;

• mysticism;

• regular, blank and free verses.

The prose of that period, the novel of the 1930s, presents:

• regional character;

• social realism;

• determinism;

• engaging storyline;

• simple language.

► Third phase of Brazilian modernism

A third phase of Brazilian modernism (1945-1978), also known as Pos modernism, was composed of:

• Generation of 1945:

  • formal rigor;
  • appreciation of the structure of the poem;
  • sociopolitical theme.

• Concrete poetry:

  • experimental character;
  • valorization of the space of the sheet of paper;
  • verbivocovisual perspective.

• Prose:

  • experimental language;
  • unconventional structure;
  • fragmentation;
  • metalanguage;
  • stream of consciousness;
  • universal theme.

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Characteristics of contemporary Brazilian literature

Contemporary Brazilian literature is marked by diversity.

Contemporary Brazilian Literature includes books produced since 1970s to present day. Therefore, this category includes the well-known marginal poetry of the 1970s. Moreover, the main characteristic of contemporary literature is diversity:

• intertextuality;

• sociopolitical criticism;

• social realism;

• traces of past styles;

• experimental character;

• individualism;

• lack of utopia;

• humor;

• eroticism;

• valuing short stories and chronicles;

• fragmentation;

• urban violence;

• fantastic realism;

• intimate fiction;

• creative freedom;

• preoccupation with the structure of the poem.

Another important fact concerning contemporary literature is the strengthening of so-called peripheral literature or minority literature. Thus, works produced by peripheral authors and authors, for a minority audience (women, black men and women, LGBTQIA+ population, etc.), have greater visibility and attention than they had in the past.

Great authors of Brazilian literature

• Pero Vaz de Caminha (1450-1500)

• José de Anchieta (1534-1597)

• Bento Teixeira (1561-1618)

• Antonio Vieira (1608-1697)

• Gregorio de Matos (1636-1696)

• José de Santa Rita Durão (1722-1784)

• Claudio Manuel da Costa (1729-1789)

• Basílio da Gama (1741-1795)

• Thomas Antonio Gonzaga (1744-1810)

• Gonçalves de Magalhães (1811-1882)

• Martin Pena (1815-1848)

• Joaquim Manuel de Macedo (1820-1882)

• Gonçalves Dias (1823-1864)

• José de Alencar (1829-1877)

• Álvares de Azevedo (1831-1852)

• Manuel Antonio de Almeida (1831-1861)

• Sousândrade (1833-1902)

• Casimiro de Abreu (1839-1860)

• Machado de Assis (1839-1908)

• Fagundes Varela (1841-1875)

• Franklin Távora (1842-1888)

• Viscount of Taunay (1843-1899)

• Castro Alves (1847-1871)

• Teófilo Dias (1854-1889)

• Aluísio Azevedo (1857-1913)

• Alberto de Oliveira (1857-1937)

• Raimundo Correia (1859-1911)

• Cruz e Sousa (1861-1898)

• Julia Lopes de Almeida (1862-1934)

• Raul Pompeia (1863-1895)

• Olavo Bilac (1865-1918)

• Euclides da Cunha (1866-1909)

• Adolfo Caminha (1867-1897)

• Graça Aranha (1868-1931)

• Alphonsus de Guimaraes (1870-1921)

• Francisca Julia (1871-1920)

• Lima Barreto (1881-1922)

• Monteiro Lobato (1882-1948)

• Augusto dos Anjos (1884-1914)

• Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968)

• Cora Coralina (1889-1985)

• Oswald de Andrade (1890-1954)

• Graciliano Ramos (1892-1953)

• Mario de Andrade (1893-1945)

• Jorge de Lima (1893-1953)

• Cecilia Meireles (1901-1964)

• Murilo Mendes (1901-1975)

• Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902-1987)

• Erico Verissimo (1905-1975)

• Mario Quintana (1906-1994)

• Joao Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967)

• Rachel de Queiroz (1910-2003)

• Jorge Amado (1912-2001)

• Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980)

• Caroline Mary of Jesus (1914-1977)

• Jose J. Veiga (1915-1999)

• Murilo Rubião (1916-1991)

• Manoel de Barros (1916-2014)

• Clarice Lispector (1920-1977)

• Joao Cabral de Melo Neto (1920-1999)

• Fernando Sabino (1923-2004)

• Lygia Fagundes Telles (1923-2022)

• Rubem Fonseca (1925-2020)

• Décio Pignatari (1927-2012)

• Haroldo de Campos (1929-2003)

• Hilda Hilst (1930-2004)

• Ferreira Gullar (1930-2016)

• Augusto de Campos (1931-)

• Cassandra Rios (1932-2002)

• Adelia Prado (1935-)

• Cacaso (1944-1987)

• Paulo Leminski (1944-1989)

• Conceição Evaristo (1946-)

• Caio Fernando Abreu (1948-1996)

• Ana Cristina Cesar (1952-1983)

• Milton Hatoum (1952-)

• Marcelo Rubens Paiva (1959-)

• Bernardo Carvalho (1960-)

Main works of Brazilian literature

“Dom Casmurro”, by Machado de Assis, is one of the most famous novels in Brazilian literature. [1]

• The letter (1500), by Pero Vaz de Caminha

• poem to the virgin (1563), by José de Anchieta

• Prosopopoeia (1601), by Bento Teixeira

• sermons (1679), by Antonio Vieira

• Poetic works of Glauceste Saturnius (1768), by Claudio Manuel da Costa

• the uruguay (1769), by Basílio da Gama

• Caramuru (1781), by José de Santa Rita Durão

• Marília de Dirceu (1792), by Tomás Antônio Gonzaga

• Poetic sighs and longing (1836), by Gonçalves de Magalhães

• the brunette (1844), by Joaquim Manuel de Macedo

• chilean letters (1845), by Tomás Antônio Gonzaga

• the novice (1853), by Martins Pena

• twenty years lyre (1853), by Álvares de Azevedo

• Memoirs of a militia sergeant (1854), by Manuel Antônio de Almeida

• the timbiras (1857), by Gonçalves Dias

• the springs (1859), by Casimiro de Abreu

• Voices of America (1864), by Fagundes Varela

• Iracema(1865), by José de Alencar

• the slave ship(1868), by Castro Alves

• Innocence (1872), by Viscount of Taunay

• the hair (1876), by Franklin Tavora

• The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas (1881), by Machado de Assis

• fanfares (1882), by Teófilo Dias

• symphonies (1883), by Raimundo Correia

• wandering quesa (1884), by Sousândrade

• Southern (1884), by Alberto de Oliveira

• The Athenaeum (1888), by Raul Pompeia

• poems (1888), by Olavo Bilac

• the tenement (1890), by Aluísio Azevedo

• bucklers (1893), by Cruz e Sousa

• Bom-Crioulo (1895), by Adolfo Caminha

• marbles (1895), by Francisca Júlia

• burning chamber (1899), by Alphonsus de Guimaraens

• Dom Casmurro(1899), by Machado de Assis

• bankruptcy (1901), by Júlia Lopes de Almeida

• the sertões(1902), by Euclides da Cunha

• Canaan (1902), by Graça Aranha

• I (1912), by Augusto dos Anjos

• Sad end of Policarpo Quaresma (1915), by Lima Barreto

• Urupese (1918), directed by Monteiro Lobato

• Works by Gregorio de Matos (1923-1933), by Gregório de Matos

• Sentimental memories of João Miramar (1924), by Oswald de Andrade

• Macunaíma (1928), by Mario de Andrade

• the fifteen (1930), directed by Rachel de Queiroz

• debauchery (1930), by Manuel Bandeira

• Form and exegesis (1935), by Vinicius de Moraes

• Dried lives (1938), by Graciliano Ramos

• the visionary (1941), directed by Murilo Mendes

• The People's Rose (1945), by Carlos Drummond de Andrade

• black poems (1947), by Jorge de Lima

• the lust of sin (1948), by Cassandra Rios

• The time and the wind (1949-1962), by Erico Verissimo

• Romanceiro da Inconfidência (1953), by Cecília Meireles

• Death and Severe Life (1955), directed by João Cabral de Melo Neto

• Great hinterland: paths (1956), directed by João Guimarães Rosa

• the appointment (1956), directed by Fernando Sabino

• Eviction room: diary of a slum dweller (1960), by Carolina Maria de Jesus

• Poems from the alleys of Goiás and more stories (1965) by Cora Coralina

• The time of the ruminants (1966), by Jose J. Veiga

• The girls (1973), by Lygia Fagundes Telles

• The pyrotechnician Zacarias (1974), directed by Murilo Rubião

• dirty poem (1976), directed by Ferreira Gullar

• Baggage (1976), by Adelia Prado.

• Supernatural History Notes (1976), directed by Mario Quintana

• poetry because it is poetry (1977), directed by Décio Pignatari

• the star hour (1977), directed by Clarice Lispector

• on the tightrope (1978), by Cacaso

• long live boo (1979), by Augusto de Campos

• The obscene lady D (1982) by Hilda Hilst

• moldy strawberries (1982), directed by Caio Fernando Abreu

• at your feet (1982), directed by Ana Cristina Cesar

• happy old year (1982), directed by Marcelo Rubens Paiva

• galaxies (1984), by Haroldo de Campos

• distracted we will win (1987), by Paulo Leminski

• Vast emotions and imperfect thoughts (1988), by Rubem Fonseca

• Report of a certain East (1989), directed by Milton Hatoum

• The Book of Ignorance (1993), by Manoel de Barros

• nine nights (2002), by Bernardo Carvalho

• Poncia Vicencio (2003), by Conceição Evaristo

image credit

[1] Modern Publisher (reproduction)

By Warley Souza
Literature Teacher

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/literatura/literatura-brasileira.htm