O anthropophagic movement is an aspect of first stage of mBrazilian modernismthe (1922 to 1930). Until then Abaporu, by Tarsila do Amaral, was the great inspiration for the writer Oswald de Andrade to idealize the movement. Thus, he published the “Anthropophagic Manifesto” in 1928, in Anthropophagy Magazine, starting the movement.
With a nationalist and anti-Portuguese character, the anthropophagic movement values Brazilian culture and language. And it has works like Macunaíma, by Mário de Andrade, and debauchery, by Manuel Bandeira. Officially, the movement came to an end in 1929, but it continued to inspire many Brazilian artists.
Read too: European vanguards — the aesthetic movements that influenced Brazilian modernism
Topics of this article
- 1 - Summary about the anthropophagic movement
- 2 - What was the anthropophagic movement?
- 3 - What are the characteristics of the anthropophagic movement?
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4 - Historical context and origin of the anthropophagic movement
- → “Anthropophagic Manifesto”
- 5 - Main artists and works of the anthropophagic movement
- 6 - End of the anthropophagic movement
- 7 - Modernism in Brazil
Summary about the anthropophagic movement
The anthropophagic movement is part of the first phase of Brazilian modernism.
The movement emerged in 1928 with the publication of the Anthropophagy Magazine.
It presents characteristics such as nationalism and praise of Brazilian culture.
The “Anthropophagic Manifesto” founded and presented the principles of the anthropophagic movement.
Oswald de Andrade is the main name of the anthropophagic movement, which came to an end in 1929.
What was the anthropophagic movement?
The anthropophagic movement was a strand of the first phase of Brazilian modernism. Its founders were the painter Tarsila do Amaral and the writers Oswald de Andrade and Raul Bopp. The idea came when Tarsila painted the frame Abaporu, which inspired her husband, Oswald, to idealize the movement.
Consistent with the ideals of nascent modernism, the anthropophagic movement aimed to stir up the cultural milieu and provoke reflection about the true national identity.It was an ironic way of encouraging innovation without losing sight of the country's literary and artistic tradition.
Do not stop now... There's more after the publicity ;)
What are the characteristics of the anthropophagic movement?
Nationalism
Irony
Reflection on Brazilian identity
anti-academicism
renewing character
folklorism
simple language
Humor
Realism
popular character poetry
everyday themes
Affirmation of the Brazilian language
anti-Portuguese content
Valuing the linguistic economy
Respect for colloquial language
Enhancement of Brazilian culture
Opposition between foreign and national
Defense of cultural diversity
Historical context and origin of the anthropophagic movement
The anthropophagic movement emerged in 1928 with the creation of the Anthropophagy Magazine, where, in the same year, the “Anthropophagic Manifesto” was published. Thus, the movement began at the end of the so-called Old Republic and preceded the Vargas Era. This period, therefore, was marked by political and cultural changes in Brazil.
→ “Anthropophagic Manifesto”
The “Anthropophagic Manifesto” was published in issue 1 of Anthropophagy Magazineand inaugurated the anthropophagic movement. However, the manifesto is not clear, so that it is more artistic than functional. Otherwise, it was written in fragments, without a logical sequence. In it, there are historical, social and even scientific references.
In any case, the manifesto defends the supremacy of national culture. Anthropophagous is synonymous with Brazilian. In this perspective, our people would “eat” the foreign culture in order to resignify such culture, by adding uniquely our identity elements to the cultural borrowing.
After all, Brazilian culture is the result of diversity and is in no way inferior to European cultures. But, to reaffirm our identity, it was necessary to prevent Portuguese cultural domination. The manifesto is signed by Oswald de Andrade and ends with the ironic date: “Year 374 of the Swallowing of Bishop Sardinha”.
Next, let's read some fragments of this historic manifesto |1|:
Only Anthropophagy unites us. Socially. Economically. Philosophically.
[...]
Only law in the world. Masked expression of all individualisms, of all collectivisms. Of all religions. Of all peace treaties.
[...]
Against all catecheses. And against the mother of the Gracchi.
[...]
I only care about what is not mine. Law of man. Law of the Anthropophage.
[...]
What trampled the truth was clothing, the waterproof layer between the inner world and the outer world. The reaction against the clothed man. American cinema will inform.
[...]
Against all importers of canned conscience. The palpable existence of life. And the prelogical mindset for Mr. Levy-Bruhl studying.
[...]
We were never catechized. We live through a sleepwalking right. We made Christ born in Bahia. Or in Belém do Pará.
[...]
Against Father Vieira. Author of our first loan, to earn commission. The illiterate king had told him: put it on paper but without too much lip service. The loan was made. Brazilian sugar was recorded. Vieira left the money in Portugal and brought us the lip service.
[...]
We were never catechized. We did Carnival. The Indian dressed as a senator of the Empire. Pretending of Pitt. Or appearing in Alencar's operas full of good Portuguese feelings.
[...]
Against the truth of the missionary peoples, defined by the sagacity of an anthropophage, the Viscount of Cairu: — It is the lie many times repeated.
[...]
Before the Portuguese discovered Brazil, Brazil had discovered happiness.
[...]
Our independence has not yet been proclaimed. Typical phrase of D. João VI: — My son, put that crown on your head, before some adventurer does! We kicked out the dynasty. It is necessary to expel the Bragantino spirit, the ordinations and the snuff of Maria da Fonte.
Main artists and works of the anthropophagic movement
Abaporu (1928), by Tarsila do Amaral (1886-1973).
Anthropophagous Manifesto (1928), by Oswald de Andrade (1890-1954).
Macunaíma (1928), by Mário de Andrade (1893-1945).
china orange (1928), by Antônio de Alcântara Machado (1901-1935).
debauchery (1930), by Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968).
Cobra Norato (1931), from Raul Bopp (1898-1984).
Serafim Ponte Grande (1933), by Oswald de Andrade.
See too: Which artists participated in the Modern Art Week?
End of the anthropophagic movement
The anthropophagic movement had a short life. It was active during the ten months of existence of the Anthropophagy Magazine and another five months of periodical publications of texts from the movement in Sao Paulo Diary. The last publication was on August 1, 1929. Thus, the anthropophagic movement officially came to an end in 1929. However, the anthropophagic ideals did not die.
Modernism in Brazil
Modernism in Brazil began with the Modern Art Week of 1922 and has three phases.
A first phase of Brazilian modernism (1922 to 1930) presents these characteristics:
innovation;
critical nationalism;
anti-academicism;
antiromanticism;
use of free verse.
The main authors of the first phase are:
Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968);
Mário de Andrade (1893-1945);
Oswald de Andrade (1890-1954).
A second level of Brazilian modernism (1930 to 1945)presents poetry marked by existential conflict and sociopolitical themes. Poets use both free and regular and blank verse. The best known authors of this phase are:
Jorge de Lima (1893-1953);
Cecilia Meireles (1901-1964);
Murilo Mendes (1901-1975);
Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902-1987);
Vinicius de Moraes (1913-1980).
The prose of the second phase has the following characteristics:
regionalism;
realism;
social criticism;
simple language.
The main authors of the 1930 novel are:
Graciliano Ramos (1892-1953);
José Lins do Rego (1901-1957);
Erico Verissimo (1905-1975);
Rachel de Queiroz (1910-2003);
Jorge Amado (1912-2001).
Finally, thethird phase of Brazilian modernism (1945 to 1978), also known as postmodernism, presents the poetry of the so-called Generation of 1945. Such poetry has these elements:
formal rigor;
sociopolitical theme.
The main poets of this generation are:
João Cabral de Melo Neto (1920-1999);
Ferreira Gullar (1930-2016).
Concrete poetry is also inserted in this phase. O woncretism is marked by experimentalism. Such aesthetics is centered on the verbivocovisual aspect, that is, the artistic work with the word, the sound and the image. The three main Brazilian concretists are the poets:
Décio Pignatari (1927-2012);
Haroldo de Campos (1929-2003);
Augusto de Campos (1931-).
The prose of the third phase presents these characteristics:
linguistic experimentation;
unconventional structure;
fragmentation;
metalanguage;
stream of consciousness.
And its main representatives are:
João Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967);
Clarice Lispector (1920-1977).
Grades
|1| ANDRADE, Oswald de. Anthropophagic Manifesto. Anthropophagy Magazine, São Paulo, year 1, n. 1, May 1928.
image credits
[1] Cesar Cardoso / Wikimedia Commons (reproduction)
[2] Mrwildeson / Wikimedia Commons (reproduction)
By Warley Souza
Literature Teacher
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