Bernardo Guimarães
Encyclopedia
Bernardo Joaquim da Silva Guimarães (August 15, 1825 — March 10, 1884) was a Brazil
ian poet and novelist. He is the author of the famous romances A Escrava Isaura
and O Seminarista
. He also introduced to the Brazilian poetry the "verso bestialógico" (translated roughly as "silly verse"), poems whose verses are very nonsensical, although very metrical. Under the "verso bestialógico", he wrote polemical erotic verses, such as "O Elixir do Pajé" ("The Peai's Elixir") and "A Origem do Mênstruo" ("The Menstruation's Origin"). A non-erotic poem written in "verso bestialógico" is "Eu Vi dos Polos o Gigante Alado" ("From the Poles I Saw the Winged Giant").
He is patron of the fifth chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
, in Minas Gerais
, to João Joaquim da Silva Guimarães (a poet) and Constança Beatriz de Oliveira Guimarães.
He graduated himself at the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo
in 1847, where he befriended the poets Álvares de Azevedo
and Aureliano Lessa
. With those and others, he founded the "Sociedade Epicureia" ("Epicurean
Society") in the same year, and also planned with them an unsuccessful collection of poetry called As Três Liras (in The Three Lyres).
In 1852, he became a judge in the city of Catalão
, Goiás
, a post he held until 1854. He moved to Rio de Janeiro
in 1858, and, in the following year, worked as a literary critic in the newspaper Atualidade. He returned to his duty of judge of Catalão
in 1861, but returns once again to Rio de Janeiro in 1864. In 1866, he became teacher of Rhetoric
and Poetics
in Ouro Preto. He got married in 1867. In 1873, he became teacher of Latin and French
in the city of Queluz
, in Minas Gerais
. He is honored by the Brazilian monarch Pedro II
in 1881. Bernardo died poor, in Ouro Preto
, in 1884.
Some of his most famous descendants were José Armelim Bernardo Guimarães and Alphonsus de Guimaraens
.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian poet and novelist. He is the author of the famous romances A Escrava Isaura
A Escrava Isaura (novel)
A Escrava Isaura is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Bernardo Guimarães. It was first published in 1875 by Casa Garnier publishers in Rio de Janeiro...
and O Seminarista
O Seminarista
O Seminarista is a Portuguese language novel by Brazilian author, Bernardo Guimarães. It was first published in 1872....
. He also introduced to the Brazilian poetry the "verso bestialógico" (translated roughly as "silly verse"), poems whose verses are very nonsensical, although very metrical. Under the "verso bestialógico", he wrote polemical erotic verses, such as "O Elixir do Pajé" ("The Peai's Elixir") and "A Origem do Mênstruo" ("The Menstruation's Origin"). A non-erotic poem written in "verso bestialógico" is "Eu Vi dos Polos o Gigante Alado" ("From the Poles I Saw the Winged Giant").
He is patron of the fifth chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
Academia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
.
Biography
Bernardo Joaquim da Silva Guimarães was born in the city of Ouro PretoOuro Preto
-History:Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto was originally called Vila Rica, or "rich village," the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil's golden age in the 18th century under Portuguese rule....
, in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, to João Joaquim da Silva Guimarães (a poet) and Constança Beatriz de Oliveira Guimarães.
He graduated himself at the Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo
Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de São Paulo
Faculty of Law of the University of São Paulo is an institution of higher education and research in the field of Law located in São Paulo, Brazil...
in 1847, where he befriended the poets Álvares de Azevedo
Álvares de Azevedo
Manuel Antônio Álvares de Azevedo was a Brazilian Romantic poet, short story writer, playwright and essayist...
and Aureliano Lessa
Aureliano Lessa
Aureliano José Lessa was a Brazilian poet, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism" movement. Born in Minas Gerais in 1828, he moved to São Paulo in 1847 to study Law, but received his bacharel degree at the Faculdade de Direito de Olinda, in Pernambuco, in the year of 1851...
. With those and others, he founded the "Sociedade Epicureia" ("Epicurean
Epicurus
Epicurus was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the school of philosophy called Epicureanism.Only a few fragments and letters remain of Epicurus's 300 written works...
Society") in the same year, and also planned with them an unsuccessful collection of poetry called As Três Liras (in The Three Lyres).
In 1852, he became a judge in the city of Catalão
Catalão
Catalão is a small city and municipality located in the south of the state of Goiás, in Brazil. It is a large producer of grains, cattle, and phosphates and has a John Deere and Mitsubishi factory.-Demographics:*Population density: 17.85 inhab/km²...
, Goiás
Goiás
Goiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
, a post he held until 1854. He moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1858, and, in the following year, worked as a literary critic in the newspaper Atualidade. He returned to his duty of judge of Catalão
Catalão
Catalão is a small city and municipality located in the south of the state of Goiás, in Brazil. It is a large producer of grains, cattle, and phosphates and has a John Deere and Mitsubishi factory.-Demographics:*Population density: 17.85 inhab/km²...
in 1861, but returns once again to Rio de Janeiro in 1864. In 1866, he became teacher of Rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
and Poetics
Poetics
Aristotle's Poetics is the earliest-surviving work of dramatic theory and the first extant philosophical treatise to focus on literary theory...
in Ouro Preto. He got married in 1867. In 1873, he became teacher of Latin and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in the city of Queluz
Queluz
Queluz may refer to:*Queluz, Portugal, a city in the municipality of Sintra, Portugal**The Queluz National Palace, located in the city*Queluz , a civil parish in the municipality of Sintra, Portugal...
, in Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. He is honored by the Brazilian monarch Pedro II
Pedro II of Brazil
Dom Pedro II , nicknamed "the Magnanimous", was the second and last ruler of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he was the seventh child of Emperor Dom Pedro I of Brazil and Empress Dona Maria Leopoldina and thus a member of the Brazilian branch of...
in 1881. Bernardo died poor, in Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto
-History:Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto was originally called Vila Rica, or "rich village," the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil's golden age in the 18th century under Portuguese rule....
, in 1884.
Some of his most famous descendants were José Armelim Bernardo Guimarães and Alphonsus de Guimaraens
Alphonsus de Guimaraens
Afonso Henrique da Costa Guimarães, known as Alphonsus de Guimaraens, was a Brazilian poet....
.
Works
- Cantos da Solidão (Solitude Songs — 1852)
- O Ermitão de Muquém (The Hermit of Muquém — 1868)
- Lendas e Romances (Legends and Romances — 1871)
- O GarimpeiroO GarimpeiroO garimpeiro is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Bernardo Guimarães. It was first published in 1872.In 1920 it was made into a film titled O Garimpeiro ....
(The Prospector — 1872) - Histórias da Província de Minas Gerais (Stories from the Minas Gerais Province — 1872)
- O SeminaristaO SeminaristaO Seminarista is a Portuguese language novel by Brazilian author, Bernardo Guimarães. It was first published in 1872....
(The Seminarist — 1872) - O Índio Afonso (Afonso the Indian — 1873)
- A Morte de Gonçalves Dias (Gonçalves Dias' Death — 1873)
- A Escrava IsauraA Escrava Isaura (novel)A Escrava Isaura is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Bernardo Guimarães. It was first published in 1875 by Casa Garnier publishers in Rio de Janeiro...
(Isaura the Slave — 1875) - Novas Poesias (New Poems — 1876)
- Maurício, ou; Os Paulistas em São João Del-Rei (Maurício, or; The Paulistas in São João Del-Rei — 1877)
- A Ilha Maldita (The Damned Island — 1879)
- O Pão de Ouro (The Golden Bread — 1879)
- Rosaura, a Enjeitada (The Neglected Rosaura — 1883)
- Folhas de Outono (Autumn Leaves — 1883)
- O Bandido do Rio das Mortes (The Bandit of the Death River — 1904, posthumous)