Saturday, July 21, 2012

Jorge de Sena




Main masterpieces: 

  • O Físico Prodigioso (1977)
  • Andanças do Demónio (1960)
  • Os Grão-Capitães (1976)
  • Génesis (1983)
  • Sinais de Fogo (1979)


Historical period in literature: 
Contemporary literature, Neo-Realism period

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_JorgeSena 
lithis

Alves Redol



Main masterpieces: 

  • Gaibéus (1939)
  • Fanga (1943)
  • Forja (1948; category: theater)
  • Ciclo Port-Wine (1949-1953)
  • Barranco de Cegos (1962)
  • O Destino Morreu de Repente (1967; category: theater)


Historical period in literature: 
Contemporary literature, Neo-Realism period

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_AlvesRedol 
lithis

Aquilino Ribeiro




Main masterpieces: 

  • A Via Sinuosa (1918)
  • Terras do Demo (1919)
  • O Malhadinhas, Filhas da Babilónia (1920)
  • Andam Faunos pelo Bosque (1926)
  • Romance da Raposa (1929)
  • Batalha Sem Fim (1931)
  • Volfrâmio (1944)
  • A Grande Casa de Romarigães (1957)
  • Quando os Lobos Uivam (1958)



Historical period in literature: 
Contemporary literature, Neo-Realism period

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_AquilinoRibeiro 
lithis

Mário de Sá-Carneiro




Main masterpieces: 

  • Dispersão (1914)
  • A Confissão de Lúcio (1914)
  • Céu em Fogo (1915)
  • Indícios de Oiro (1937)


Historical period in literature: 
Modern literature, Modernism period

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_MárioSá-Carneiro 
lithis

Miguel Torga



Main masterpieces: 

  • Ansiedade (1928; category: Poetry)
  • Rampa (1930; category: Poetry)
  • Tributo (1931; category: Poetry)
  • Pão Ázimo (1931; category: Fiction)
  • Lamentações (1943; category: Poetry)
  • Nihil Sibi (1948; category: Poetry)
  • A Criação do Mundo (five volumes, 1937-1938-1939-1974-1980 category: Fiction)
  • Os Bichos (1940; category: Fiction)

Historical period in literature: 
Modern literature, Modernism period

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_MiguelTorga 
lithis

José Régio




Main masterpieces: 

  • Poemas de Deus e do Diabo (1925; category: Poetry)
  • Jogo da Cabra Cega (1934; category: Fiction)
  • As Encruzilhadas de Deus (1936; category: Poetry)
  • Jacob e o Anjo (1940; category: Theatre)
  • Fado (1941; category: Poetry)
  • O Príncipe com Orelhas de Burro (1942; category: Fiction)
  • Mas Deus é Grande (1945; category: Poetry)
  • Benilde e a Virgem Mãe (1947; category: Theatre)
  • El-Rei Sebastião (1949; category: Theatre)
  • A Salvação do Mundo (1954; category: Theatre)
  • A Chaga do Lado (1954; category: Poetry)
  • Há Mais Mundos (1962; category: Fiction)

Historical period in literature: 
Modern literature, Modernism period 

A lucid mind to his time


As a writer, José Régio was devoted to romance, theater, poetry and essay. Central in his work are the issues of conflict between God and Man, the individual and society. Carrying out a constant self-contained analysis and insight, his work is strongly marked by the psychologist tone and, simultaneously, by a mysticism which is shown in restless reasons as angelism or redemption in suffering.
His poetry of great lyrical and dramatic tension, often presents itself as a kind of dialogue between different levels of consciousness. The same psychological intensity, combined with a sense of social criticism, takes place in fiction. 

 

Benilde ou a Virgem Mãe adapted into movie in 1975


Director: Manoel de Oliveira 
Cast: Glória de Matos, Jacinto Ramos, Maria Barroso
 
Poster de «Benilde ou a Virgem Mãe»
Poster of the movie

Casa Museu José Régio in Vila do Conde





This is not a museum arranged as such. It is the home where José Régio exposed some of the many pieces gathered over his life
For more information please visit the website Casa Museu José Régio

 
 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_JoséRégio 
lithis

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Fernando Pessoa





Fernando Pessoa


If it is still notorious the symbolist heritage, Fernando Pessoa went further, not only about the creation of new literary and artistic endeavors, but also with regard to the effort of theory and literary criticism. He is an universal poet, giving to his reader a vision unit and simultaneously multiple of Life. It is precisely this attempt to look the world in a multiple form (with a strong substratum of rationalist philosophy and even oriental influence) which lies a plausible explanation for having created the famous heteronyms: Alberto Caeiro, Álvaro de Campos and Ricardo Reis.

Main masterpieces:
  • Mensagem
  • Chuva Oblíqua
  • O Menino de sua Mãe
  • Liberdade
  • Autopsicografia

The heteronymy in Pessoa

 

 

Alberto Caeiro


Considered by Fernando Pessoa as the Master of heteronyms and himself, Caeiro expresses and represents the vision distinctly non-human, primitive and "pure" of Nature and even of Man. Without emotion (of subjectivity) and anulled the whole culture (the Reason) that Man has been creating, this heteronym makes from the pure sensation and objectivism (absolute) the "ideas" of existence and his writing. His words, intentionally without rhetoric-stylistic artifices seek to be the unspotted mirror of that naively wise "science of seeing".
As the Master has no metaphysical or social concerns (as with Pessoa and Álvaro de Campos), is the only heteronym who knows the Truth of things because he doesn't think of them. 
But it is precisely because the truth is not transmissible that the drama of Pessoa-Campos becomes understandable.

Main masterpieces:
O Guardaor de Rebanhos; O Pastor Amoroso; Poemas Inconjuntos

Álvaro de Campos


He is the opposite of Caeiro by the ontological drama that expressed, by the greater involvement in Modernism and by expressing an evolutionary trajectory of his poetic work.
Pessoa gave this famous heteronym some biographical data of interest: was born in Tavira in 1890, graduated in marine engineering by Glasgow, and lived in Lisbon inactive. It is usual to see three phases in the evolution of Campos writing: first, the decadent, is the closest to our fin-de-siècle poetry; the second, the modernist, corresponds to the avant-garde experience started with Orpheu; and the third is the negativistic, in which points out the anguish. It is, therefore, the heteronym that has more multiplied on the pursuit of Truth and the Absolute.

Main masterpieces:
Tabacaria; Lisbon Revisited; Poema em Linha Reta; Ode Triunfal; Ode Marítima; Quasi; Manisfesto de Álvaro de Campos


Ricardo Reis


Education in a Jesuit college, training in medicine, expatriation in Brazil for being monarchical, latinist and hellenist, here are the essential biographical data that Fernando Pessoa left us about this heteronym. His poetry (his odes) reveals a poet who continues the "drama" lived by Pessoa. This imitation / recreation of antiquity is a illusory "response", but poetically effective, to the quiet assumption of the human condition.
That is why Destiny, Death, Glory, Love and fugacity of Time are just marks indicating the futility of all. Epicureanism and Stoicism are the substrate of its philosophical poetry.

Main masterpieces:
Vem Sentar-te Comigo Lídia; Segue o teu Destino; Para ser Grande, sê Inteiro






Historical period in literature: 
Modern literature, Modernism period  


Simple but brilliant initiatives to spread a Frame of Portugal

The fado singer Ana Moura gives voice to Fernando Pessoa: from Chiado, Lisbon to Chinatown, Soho and Downtown New York City.





Song: "Fado de Pessoa"
Featuring: Ana Moura
Lyrics by: João Pedro Pais
Micro-film produced on February 24th, 2007

 

The Brazilian singer Maria Bethânia declaims "O Poema do Menino Jesus" and sings "O doce mistério da vida".

 

 


Poem: "Poema do Menino Jesus" (Alberto Caeiro)
Song: "O doce mistério da vida"
Featuring: Maria Bethânia


Other curiosities

Casa Fernando Pessoa in Lisbon



Inaugurated in November 1993, Casa Fernando Pessoa was designed to honor his memory.
The Casa Fernando Pessoa is a multipurpose small universe that can be visited by anyone without any costs.

For more information please visit the homepage Casa_Fernando_Pessoa

 

Café A Brasileira

A Brasileira is an iconic coffee, founded on November 19, 1905, located at Largo do Chiado, in Lisbon. It has been the scene of many intellectual, artistic and literary gatherings.  
The special attendance of Fernando Pessoa led to the inauguration in the 80s of a statue made of bronze that represents the writer sitting at a table at the terrace cafe. Here you have the opportunity to be in a coffee full of culture. Come visit and enjoy the experience. 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_FernandoPessoa
Banco de Poesia de Fernando Pessoa 
lithis

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Florbela Espanca



Main masterpieces: 

  • Livro das Mágoas (1919)
  • Livro de Sóror Saudade (1923)
  • Charneca em Flor (1931)
  • As Máscaras do Destino (1931)
Historical period in literature: 
Modern literature, period from Romanticism to Symbolism

 

A Poetess of Excess

Florbela's poetry is characterized by recurring themes of suffering, loneliness, disappointment, associated with immense tenderness and a desire for happiness and fulfillment that can only be achieved in the absolute, the infinite. The passionate vehemence of her language, markedly personal, focused on her own frustrations and anxieties, reflects sensualism often erotic.
Poetess of excess, cultivated excessively the passion, with distinctly female voice. Her poetry, even sinning sometimes for some conventionality, has aroused continuing interest of readers and researchers. She is considered as the great woman of Portuguese literature from the early decades of the twentieth century.

 

Mariza singing "Desejos Vãos" (Florbela Espanca)

The most international Portuguese fado singer, Mariza, gives voice to Florbela Espanca through her poem "Desejos Vãos".

 

 

Song: "Desejos Vãos"
Featuring: Mariza

 

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_FlorbelaEspanca 
lithis