Agustina Bessa-Luís

Main masterpieces: 

• A Sibila (1954)
• O Manto (1966)
• Canção diante de Uma Porta Fechada (1966)
• As Fúrias (1977)
• O Mosteiro (1981)
• Os Meninos de Ouro (1983)

Historical period in literature: 
Contemporary literature, Existentialism period 

A Sibilia and its importance to the literature

Agustina Bessa Luís leads the reader to travel back in time and thought through A Sibilia that comprises a beauty and richness in language.

It is through magical pages that is possible to find real lives, underlined by the trace of the philosophy of life and the uncertain strikeout of the supernatural, mysticism and wisdom.

Sibila de Delfos-Roma by Michelangelo

Sibyl refers to the classic figure of the Sibyl of Delphi, that means fortune-teller and refers to the character Joaquina Teixeira, the Quina. The book doesn’t tell the story from birth to death of the protagonist, but tells the story of two previous generations of the family Teixeira and a later one. It tells conspiracies, intrigues and corruptions of relatives, servants, friends and enemies. There is also criticism of the rural bourgeoisie, but the novel emphasizes above all a reflection on the metaphysical dimension of the human being. Quina had no supernatural powers, was only shrewd and a practice counselor; no one called her sibyl. He died old and sick, but proud of the house saved from bankruptcy and the fortune she amassed.

This work portrays the role of several women from a farming family for prospecting and raising it. Men are presented as supporting characters and without much relevance to the success of the house, while women build together the whole clan forming a strong alliance.

The publication of A Sibila came to solve many of the impasses in which the evolution of contemporary novelistic got entangled. Actually the novel made possible the reconciliation between regionalism and universalism and annulled opposition between objectivity and subjectivity of the narrator.

The publication of A Sibilia, distinguished work with the awards Delfim Guimarães in 1953, and Eça de Queirós, in the following year, devotes Agustina Bessa-Luís as a leading name of the contemporary novelistic.

 

Adapted works into movies:

• Francisca based on Fanny Owen (1981)

Director: Manoel de Oliveira 

Cast: Tereza Menezes, Diogo Dória and Mário Barroso

Watching movie trailer

• Vale Abraão (1993)

Director: Manoel de Oliveira 

Cast: Leonor Silveira, Cécile Sanz de Alba and Luís Miguel Cintra

Watching movie trailer

Consulted sources:  

Portal da Literatura Portuguesa
infopédia_AgustinaBessa-Luís 
lithis