Modern literature, period from Romanticism to Symbolism
Clepsidra, the apogee of Portuguese Symbolism
CamiloPessanhawasoneof the most
importantPortuguese poets. Maximum
exponentof Symbolism,wrotepoems andsonnetsof greatrhythmicand
formalquality. His workinfluencedwriters such asFernandoPessoaand
Máriode Sá-Carneiro. Hispoems were collectedin a collectionentitledClepsidra, considered one of thebest booksof Portuguese poetry. With greatsensitivity, he wrote ofunattainable idealsand the futilityof human endeavor. CamiloPessanhawas
partof Symbolism, a movement from
Franceand Germany, which sought to express the realitythrough symbols. His poetrywasmelancholicand pessimistic.
The poetcombinesin his poetry the symbolistand modernistsensibilities, through thelonging forunattainableideals, expressed
incarefulmusicalityon the one hand, and, second, stressing the materiality
of writing.
The passage of
time, its
irreversibility, isoneof the mostobsessive reasonsof this poetry,translatedthrough the symbolof "water",
included inthe title itself. Thewater runsin its
twocontradictory meanings: source
oflife and originof the
dissolutionand death.
O Livro de Cesário Verde (posthumous edition in 1871)
Historical period in literature: Modern literature, period from Romanticism to Symbolism
The Poetry in Cesário Verde
Theme
1-The dichotomycity/field
the city asurban and social placewherethe poetwanders,allowing him tocollectdetailedimpressionsof places,environments, characters.In his poems appear differentsocial typestypical of urban space- peoplein the workplace(pavers, blacksmiths, laborers,bakers, theironing)and others (the bourgeois woman,cold,aristocratic,luxurious,drunkards, prostitutes).The city of Vesário Verde isa"living city" inactivity, stageof progress and also of social injustice.
the field as space to overcome limitationsand humiliation;evasion space,a symbol of healthand life
2-Social issues
antagonismrich/poor,hard working conditions, suffering(disease,poverty,humiliation)thatthe weakare condemned.
Language and style
Cesário uses a "realistic" vocabulary composed of short sentences. The use of the adjective and adverb are a constant in his speech. This way the poet gets a faithful reproduction of reality interspersing with poetic figurations that transfigure the reality.
Modern literature, period from Romanticism to Symbolism
The literary work
In
the workof thisimportant figureof Portuguese literature, creator of the
modern novel, can be distinguishedusually threeaestheticphases: first, theromantic
influence, which includes the textsincluded in Prosas Bárbarasand goes tillMistério da Estrada de Sintra; the second, pure affirmationof Realism,which begins withparticipation in theCasino Conferencesand is fully revealedin the novelsO Primo Basílio and O Crime do Padre
Amaro; and third,
the overcomingofRealism-Naturalism,
reflectedin the novelsOs
Maias, A Ilustre Casa de Ramires
and A Cidade e as Serras.
O Primo Basílio
Through
thethemeof adultery, this work mainly focuses onthe fatal consequencesof aromanticfemale education. Luísa,married toJorge,amining engineer,hadasentimentaleducationandconsumes
theday with the same routine. Aprolonged absenceof her husband
coincides with the Basílio’s arrival, cousin and formerboyfriend ofLuísa,who made fortunein Braziland nowitappearswith the charm of the sophisticated lifein Paris.Weakenedby the type ofeducation shehad, the lack ofcontact
withJorgeand the gathering withLeopoldina, a friend that made up foranunhappy marriagewith a succession oflovers,Luísacan’t
yield tothecousin attempts and
has with him, secretly, manydates.
Meanwhile, the maidJulianacaptures someletters
exchangedbetween the lovers andbeginsblackmailingLuísa.The relationshipeventually ends and Basílio leaves toParis.The Juliana requirements willbeincreasing, even after the return ofJorge. Luísa begins doing the
housework, while her healthgets
worse.
In
turn, Juliana,
whois seriously ill, dies,
which allowSebastião,afamily friend, to retrieve
the letters.Luísathinks herselfsaved.Achance,however,reveals everythingto Jorge, who confronts her withthe fact. Luisagets
sickand eventuallydies.In the end,Basílioreturns
toLisbon,once againto showthecharacterofconqueror withoutscruples.
O Primo Basílioreflectswith greatsubtletyand
realismthe differentenvironments
ofLisbon in that time,
habits and values ofbourgeoisie.To thiscontributes significantlyitsgallery of exceptionalsecondary characters, which includesthe maidJuliana,Leopoldina,
Sebastião, Julião,Joana,D. Felicidade andthe CounselorAcácio.
O Crime do Padre Amaro
Eca
deQueiróstheorizesaboutNaturalism,
defined as anew methodto face the truth, and assignsto artapedagogical
missionof social reform.In thisperspective, the work aims todenounce thesocial and moralevilsresulting from thepriesthood withoutcalling andfalsereligious education.
Thefiercecriticism to theCatholic clergyand thepernicious effectsof its presence inbourgeoishomes, besides the seduction process ofAmeliabyAmaro;
his crime, announced in the title,corresponds to thesacrifice of his ownson,unfoldsin a
series ofscenes andsecondary
characters, which brings out the cynicismand lustof thecanon
Dias.
A Relíquia
Itsepigraph–"On thestrongnakednessof
truth, thetranslucentmantleof
fantasy"–becamefamous forsynthesizingthe alliancebetween realismand imagination, naturalism andfantastic,alliance, moreover, evident in the workand confirmedin the "Introduction".
From the
central plot– the
journeyof TeodoricotheHoly
Land,where he brings, not arelic thathad promised to thepiousaunt, but,
by mistake, the nightshirtof alover –standsthe
dream ortravel on time of the protagonist that,accompanied by hislearned friendDr.Topsius, attends the hearing,trial and deathof Jesus. The workthat
exaltsthe human figureof Christas a paradigmof love andkindnesswas consideredheretical bymost conservative sectors,by questioningthe divinityof Christ.
WhileCamilo Castelo Brancoresorts tosarcasmandparodyto express thevanityof the worldin general,Eçamakes use ofirony
andsatire, more subtleand delicate, as it is visible inA Relíquia, narrative of thePortuguese manof the nineteenth century, deformedbywomenthrough aChristian education that, in addition to notprepare forthe
practical realities oflife,denies
himand confusesbasic drives,
contaminating him with valuesthat
he is notable to find in a world wherehuman love isephemeraland lovedivineunreliable,
and seeming togive himabitgrandiloquentrhetoric little appropriate to this
context. The aim is,at bottom,once again, to draw a pictureof whatis thegreat
latent characterof the Eça’s work:Portugal.
Os Maias
This
is themasterpiece byEça de Queirós andoneof the most
importantof all thePortuguesenarrative literature. It is worth especially
by the languageand the fine
ironywith which the authordefines
thecharacters and presents the
situations. It isarealistic novel(and naturalist) where fatalism, social analysis, adventuresand catastrophe typical of the passionate plot
aren’t absent.
The
workdeals
with thestory of a family(Maia)
throughout threegenerations, focusing then on thenext generationand givingrelief to theincestuouslovesof
Carlosda Maiaand MariaEduarda. But the history
is alsoapretext forthe author to criticize thedeteriorating
conditionof the country (political and cultural)and the Lisboanupper middle classnineteenth-century, where permeates a humor (sometimes thin,sometimessatirical)
that sets the defeat anddisappointment
of all the characters.
- andpoetic thatdeals with the Love and the Reason, sources of harmonyin the individual and on thesociety; the
night, dreams anddeath, the pessimismof
returningto emptiness.
Theessential themesof his poetryare God, Love,Justice, Fraternity, Death,Lonelinessand Emptiness.
