Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-p2v8j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-07T05:35:42.548Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

2 - Colonial Brazilian literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2008

By
David Haberly
Edited by
Roberto Gonzalez Echevarría  and
Enrique Pupo-Walker
Roberto Gonzalez Echevarría
Affiliation:
Yale University, Connecticut
Enrique Pupo-Walker
Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University, Tennessee
Get access

Summary

Brazil entered the consciousness of the European world late in April of 1500. Beginning with its conquest of Ceuta in 1415, Portugal had moved beyond the narrow confines of the western shore of the Iberian peninsula, eager to discover a sea route to the rich spice lands of India and the East. The Portuguese sailed down the African coast, reaching the Cape of Good Hope in 1488; Vasco da Gama’s small fleet entered the Indian harbor of Calicut only ten years later. The Portuguese regarded da Gama’s voyage as one of the greatest accomplishments of human history, but the rulers of Calicut were clearly less than impressed. When da Gama returned to Lisbon, it was decided to mount a much more considerable show of force. A new fleet, 13 ships and about 1,100 men under the command of Pedro Alvares Cabral, set sail in early 1500. This fleet – perhaps accidentally carried off-course, perhaps keeping to a pre-arranged plan to follow up on secret reports of a land mass in the South Atlantic – landed on the Brazilian coast on April 22, 1500.

Cabral’s scribe, one Pero Vaz de Caminha, was greatly moved by the beauty of all that he saw during the ten days he spent in this new land, setting down a poetic and profoundly mythic vision of fertility and innocence. Caminha was struck, almost at first glance, by the apparently inexhaustible abundance and goodness of the land – and by the fact that all this visible and latent fertility served no useful purpose. He wrote:

All the land along the coast, from one end to the other, is … very level and beautiful… So far we have been unable to discover whether there is any gold or silver or any other metal or iron there; we have not seen any … There is a great abundance, an infinite abundance of water.

(Cortesāo, A Carta de Pero Vaz de Caminha, 256)
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge History of Latin American Literature , pp. 47 - 68
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alvarenga Peixoto, Inácio José. Obras poéticas, Rio de Janeiro, Gamier, 1865.Google Scholar
Alves, Luiz Roberto. Confissão, poesia e Inquisição, São Paulo, Editora Atica, 1983.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. Arte de gramática da língua mais usada na costa do Brasil, Coimbra, Antônio de Mariz, 1595.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. De Beata Virgine Dei Matre Maria in Vasconcelos, Simão, Crônica da companbia de Jesus, Lisbon, Valente de Oliveira, 1663.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. Cartas, informações, fragmentos históricos e sermões, Rio de Janeiro, Civilização Brasileira, 1933.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. Poesias, São Paulo, Museu Paulista, 1954.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. De gestis Mendi de Saa, Rio de Janeiro, Arquivo Nacional, 1958.Google Scholar
Anchieta, José. Teatro, São Paulo, Edições Loyola, 1977.Google Scholar
BorbaMoraes, Rubens. Bibliografia brasileira do período colonial, São Paulo, Instituto de Estudos Brasileiros, 1969.Google Scholar
Bosi, Alfredo. História concisa da literatura brasileira, São Paulo, Cultrix, 1970.Google Scholar
Botelho de Oliveira, Manuel. Música do Parnasso, Lisbon, Miguel Manescal, 1705.Google Scholar
Boxer, Charles Ralph. A Great Luso-Brazilian Figure: Padre Antônio Vieira, London, Hispanic and Luso-Brazilian Councils, 1957.Google Scholar
Brandão, Ambrósio Fernandes. Diálogos das grandezas do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Oficina Industrial Gráfica, 1930.Google Scholar
Brandão, Ambrósio Fernandes. Dialogues of the Great Things of Brazil, tr. and ed. Hall, F. H., Harrison, W. F., and Welker, D. W., Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press, 1987.Google Scholar
Caldas Barbosa, Domingos. Viola de Lereno, vol. I, Lisbon, Nunesiana, 1798.Google Scholar
Caldas Barbosa, Domingos. Viola de Lereno, vol. II, Lisbon, Lacerdina, 1826.Google Scholar
Caldas Barbosa, Domingos. Viola de Lereno, Rio de Janeiro, Civilização Brasileira, 1980.Google Scholar
Caminha, Pero Vaz. “Carta do descobrimento do Brasil” in Casal, Manuel MAires, Corografia brasílica, Rio de Janeiro, Impressão Régia, 1817.Google Scholar
Caminha, Pero Vaz. “The discovery of Brazil” in Portuguese Voyages, 1498–1663, tr. and ed. Ley, C. D., London, Dent, 1947.Google Scholar
Cândido, Antônio. Formação da literatura brasileira, 5th edn., vol. 1, Editora da Universidade de São Paulo, 1975.Google Scholar
Cândido, Antônio. “A dois séculos d’O Uraguai” in his Vários escritos, São Paulo, Duas Cidades, 1970.Google Scholar
Cantel, Raymond. Les sermons de Vieira: étude du style, Paris, ed. Hispano-Americanas, 1959.Google Scholar
Cantel, Raymond. Prophétisme et messianisme dans I’oeuvre d’Antônio Vieira, Paris, ed. Hispano-Americanas, 1960.Google Scholar
Cardim, Fernão. Tratados da terra e gente do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, J. Leite, 1925.Google Scholar
Castello, José Aderaldo. Manifestações liter árias do Brasil colonial, 3rd. edn., São Paulo, Cultrix, 1972.Google Scholar
Cidade, Hernani. Padre Antônio Vieira, 4 vols., Lisbon, Agênda Geral das Colônias, 1940.Google Scholar
Cortesão, Jaime. A Carta de Pêro Vaz de Caminha, Lisbon, Portugália, 1967.Google Scholar
Costa, Cláudio Manuel. Orbas {sic), Coimbra, Ferreira, 1768.Google Scholar
Coutinho, Afrânio (ed.). A literatura no Brasil, vol. 1, part 1, Rio de Janeiro, Editorial Sul Americana, 1955.Google Scholar
Driver, David Miller. The Indian in Brazilian Literature, New York, The Hispanic Institute, 1942.Google Scholar
Durão, Joseéde Santa Rita. Caramuru, Lisbon, Régia Oficina Tipográfica, 1779; Rio de Janeiro, Agir, 1961.Google Scholar
Eça, Matias Aires Ramos Silva. Reflexões sobre a vaidade dos homens, Lisbon, Francisco Ameno, 1752.Google Scholar
Fernández, Oscar. “José de Anchieta and early theatre activity in Brazil,” Luso-Brazilian Review, 15:1, 1978.Google Scholar
Franco, Afonso Arinos Melo. O índio brasileiro e a revolução francesa, Rio de Janeiro, INL, 1937.Google Scholar
GalanteSousa, José. Em tôrno do poeta Bento Teixeira, São Paulo, Instituto de Estudos Brasileiros, 1972.Google Scholar
Gama, José Basílio. O Uraguai, Lisbon, Régia Oficina Tipográfica, 1769.Google Scholar
Gama, José Basílio. The Uruguay, tr. Burton, RichardSir, ed. Garcia, Frederick C. H. and Stanton, Edward F., Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982.Google Scholar
Gomes, João Carlos Teixeira. Gregório de Matos, O boca de brasa, Petrópolis, Vozes, 1985.Google Scholar
Gonzaga, Tomás Antônio. Marília de Dirceu, Lisbon, Nunesiana, 1792; São Paulo, Livraria Martins Editora, 1972.Google Scholar
Helena, Lúcia. “Gonzaga, a lira e o poder” in her Escrita e poder, Rio de Janeiro, Cátedra, 1985.Google Scholar
Holanda, Sérgio Buarque. Visão do Paraíso: os motivos edênicos no descobrimento e colonização do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Livraria José Olympio Editora, 1959.Google Scholar
Jucá Filho, Cândido. Antônio José, O Judeu, Rio de Janeiro, Editora Civilização Brasileira, 1940.Google Scholar
Léry, Jean. Histoire d’un voyage fait en la terre du Brésil, La Rochelle, Antoine Chuppin, 1578.Google Scholar
MadreDeus, Gaspar. Memórias para a história da capitania de São Vicente, hoje província de São Paulo, Lisbon, Tipografia da Academia, 1797.Google Scholar
Magalhães Gândavo, Pero. História da província de Santa Cruz a que vulgarmente chamamos Brasil, Lisbon, Antônio Gonçalves, 1576.Google Scholar
Magalhães Gândavo, Pero. Tratado da terra do Brasil, Lisbon, Academia Real das Ciências, 1827.Google Scholar
Magalhães Gândavo, Pero. The Histories of Brazil, tr. and ed. Stetson, John B., with facsimile of 1576 edition, New York, The Cortes Society, 1922.Google Scholar
Malinoff-Kamide, Jane. “Domingos Caldas Barbosa: Afro-Brazilian poet at the court of D. Maria I” in Bichakjian, B. H. (ed.), From Linguistics to Literature, Amsterdam, John Benjamins, 1981.Google Scholar
Marques Pereira, Nuno. Compêndio narrativo do peregrino da América, part 1, Lisbon, Manuel Fernandes da Costa, 1728; the second part was first published in 1939 (Rio de Janeiro, Academia Brasileira de Letras).Google Scholar
Martins, Wilson. História da inteligência brasileira, 2nd. edn., vol. 1, São Paulo, Cultrix, 1977.Google Scholar
Matos, Gregório. Obras poéticas, vol. I, Rio de Janeiro, Tip. Nacional, 1882.Google Scholar
Matos, Gregório. Obras, ed. Peixoto, Afrânio, 7 vols., Rio de Janeiro, Academia Brasileira de Letras, 1923–1933.Google Scholar
Matos, Gregório. Obras completas: crônica do viver baiano seiscentista, ed. Amado, James, Bahia, Janaína, 1969.Google Scholar
Merquior, José Guilherme. De Anchieta a Euclides, Rio de Janeiro, Livraria José Olympio Editora, 1977.Google Scholar
Natividade Saldanha, José. Poesias oferecidas aos amantes do Brasil, Coimbra, Imprensa da Universidade, 1822.Google Scholar
Nóbrega, Manuel. Cartas do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Imprensa Nacional, 1886.Google Scholar
Nóbrega, Manuel. Diálogo sobre a conversão do gentio, Lisbon, Comissão do iv Centenário, 1954.Google Scholar
Nóbrega, Manuel. Cartas do Brasil e mais escritos, ed. Leite, Serafim, Coimbra, Universidade de Coimbra, 1955.Google Scholar
Oliveira Lima, Manuel. Aspectos da literatura colonial brasileira, Leipzig, Brockhaus, 1896.Google Scholar
Oliveira, Almir. Gonzaga e a Inconfidência mineira, 2nd edn., Belo Horizonte, Itatiaia, 1985.Google Scholar
Orta, Teresa Margarida Silva. Máximas de virtude e formosura (after this first edition entitled Aventuras de Diófanes), Lisbon, Miguel Manescal, 1752.Google Scholar
Otôni, José Elói. Paráfrase dos Provérbios de Salomão em verso português, Bahia, Manuel Antônio da Silva Serva, 1815.Google Scholar
Pereira, Carlos Assis. Fontes do “Caramuru” de Santa Rita Durão, Assis, Brazil, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, 1971.Google Scholar
Peres, Fernando Rocha. Gregório de Matos e Guerra: uma re-visão biográfica, Salvador, ed. Macunaíma, 1983.Google Scholar
Preto-Rodas, Richard. “Anchieta and Vieira: drama as sermon, sermon as drama,” Luso-Brazilian Review, 7:2, 1970.Google Scholar
Putnam, Samuel. Marvelous Journey: A survey of four centuries of Brazilian literature, New York, Knopf, 1948.Google Scholar
Rocha Pita, Sebastião. História da América portuguesa, Lisbon, José Antônio da Silva, 1730.Google Scholar
Romero, Sílvio. História da literatura brasileira, 3rd. edn.5 vols. Rio de Janeiro, Livraria José Olympio Editora, 1943.Google Scholar
Salvador, Frei Vicente. Histôria do Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Leuzinger, 1889.Google Scholar
São Carlos, Francisco. A Assunção da Santíssima Virgem, Rio de Janeiro, Tip. Régia, 1819.Google Scholar
Sayers, Raymond S.The Negro in Brazilian Literature, New York, The Hispanic Institute, 1956.Google Scholar
Silva Alvarenga, Manuel Inácio. Glaura: poemas eróticos, Lisbon, Nunesiana, 1799.Google Scholar
Silva, Antônio José. Teatro cômico português, 2 vols., Lisbon, Oficina Silviana, 1744.Google Scholar
SoaresSousa, Gabriel. Tratado descritivo do Brasil em 1587, Rio de Janeiro, Laemmert, 1851.Google Scholar
Sousa Caldas, Antônio Pereira. Psalmos de David, Paris, P. N. Rougeron, 1820.Google Scholar
Sousa, Ronald W.The Rediscoverers, University Park, Pennsylvania State University Press, 1981.Google Scholar
Sousa, Ronald W. “The divided discourse of As Aventuras de Diófanes and its socio-historical implications” in Sousa, (ed.), Problems of Enlightenment in Portugal, Minneapolis, Institute for the Study of Ideologies and Literatures, 1984.Google Scholar
Staden, Hans. Warbaftige Historia und beschreibung einer Landtscbafft der Wilden, Nacketen, Grimmigen, Menschenfresser Leuthen, in der Newenwelt America gelegen, Marburg, A. Kolben, 1557.Google Scholar
Staden, Hans. The True History of bis Captivity, tr. and ed. Letts, Malcolm, London, George Routledge & Sons, 1928.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sturm, Fred. G. ‘“Estes têrn alma como nós?’: Manuel de Nóbrega’s view of the Brazilian Indians” in Hower, Alfred and Preto-Rodas, Richard (eds.), Empire in Transition: The Portuguese world in the time of Camões, Gainesville, University Presses of Florida, 1985.Google Scholar
Teixeira, Bento. Prosopopéia, Lisbon, Antônio Álvares, 1601.Google Scholar
Thévet, André. Les singularités de la France Antartique autrement nommée Améri-que, Paris, Maurice de la Porte, 1557.Google Scholar
Thévet, André. The New Found World, or Antarctike, probably tr. Hacket, Thomas, London, Thomas Hacket, 1568.Google Scholar
Unali, Anna. La “Carta do Achamento” di Pero Vaz de Caminha, Milan, Cisalpino-Goliardica, 1984.Google Scholar
Besselaar, José. Antônio Vieira: o homem, a obra, as idéias, Lisbon, Ministério da Educação e Ciência, 1981.Google Scholar
Veríssimo, José. História da literatura brasileira, 5th. edn., Rio de Janeiro, Livraria José Olympio Editora; (first edition Rio de Janeiro, Livraria Francisco Alves, 1916), 1969.Google Scholar
Vieira, Antônio. Cartas, 3 vols., Lisbon, Oficina da Congregação do Oratório, 1735–1746.Google Scholar
Vieira, Antônio. Sermões, 16 vols., Lisbon, João da Costa and others, 1679–1748.Google Scholar
Vieira, Antônio. Sermões, 15 vols, in 5, Oporto, Lello, 1959.Google Scholar
Vilanova, José Brasileiro. A literatura no Brasil colonial, Recife, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 1977.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×