Análise de "Construção", de Chico Buarque

Summary

The transcript explores Chico Buarque de Hollanda's 'Construção,' a poignant musical narrative that critiques the dehumanization of construction workers in Brazil. Through a series of dramatic acts, the song tells the tragic story of a laborer, using poetic devices like metalinguistic rhythm, repetition, and metaphor. The worker's routine and eventual death symbolize the neglect of the working class under capitalism. The song weaves biblical and existential themes, ultimately revealing the worker's despair. The cyclical structure and grim tone underscore the stark realities of labor, offering both a critique and a cry for change.

Takeaways

• 😀 The song 'Construção' by Chico Buarque is a masterpiece that has been relevant for nearly half a century, remaining a rich source for questions in grammar, literature, history, and music exams.
• 😀 The song metaphorically describes the construction of a building, paralleling it with the life of a construction worker, highlighting the tragic and repetitive nature of his labor.
• 😀 The lyrics of the song serve as a metapoetic reflection on the creative process itself, using the construction metaphor to represent both the building and the structure of the song's poetic form.
• 😀 The song employs 12-syllable verses, all of which end with proparoxytone words, creating a rhythmic and melodic effect that mimics the repetitiveness of the worker's life.
• 😀 The orchestration contrasts the monotony of the construction site with the sounds of horns and violins, evoking the chaos and routine of the work environment.
• 😀 Repetition in the lyrics (e.g., 'as if it were the last time') serves to convey the worker's sense of despair and the cyclical nature of his life, ultimately leading to his tragic death.
• 😀 The song is divided into dramatic acts, each representing different stages of the worker's life and work, culminating in a tragic conclusion where the worker dies in a way that disrupts the flow of life around him.
• 😀 Chico Buarque critiques capitalism, portraying the construction worker as dehumanized, reduced to a mere tool for labor, whose death becomes an inconvenience in the system.
• 😀 The song ends with a shift in the narrative, reflecting on the worker’s death and its impact, with the repetition of verses transforming into a reflection on sacredness, suggesting a deeper spiritual dimension.
• 😀 The worker’s life and death symbolize the plight of millions of Brazilian workers, portraying their struggles and the harsh reality of their daily existence, with no significant change expected.
• 😀 The final verses of the song echo the gratitude of a beggar who receives an alms, symbolizing the worker’s forced acceptance of his miserable fate, resigning to the suffering and precariousness of his life.

Q & A

What is the central theme of Chico Buarque's song 'Construção'?

The central theme of 'Construção' is the dehumanization of workers in the capitalist system, particularly focusing on a construction worker’s life, routine, and tragic death.

How does the song's structure reflect the monotony of the worker's life?

The song's repetitive rhythm and structure mirror the monotony and routine of the worker’s life. The recurring verses and similar phrasing emphasize the unchanging, repetitive nature of the worker’s existence.

What role do proparoxytone words play in the song?

Proparoxytone words, placed at the end of each verse, create a melodic effect and reinforce the sense of rhythm and monotony in the worker’s life. This contributes to the song's musicality and thematic focus on repetition.

What is the significance of the biblical reference to the 'prodigal son' in the song?

The reference to the 'prodigal son' serves as a metaphor for the potential redemption of the worker, juxtaposing the harshness of his life with the notion of return and grace. However, it also underscores the worker’s ultimate neglect and dehumanization within the capitalist system.

How does Chico Buarque use the metaphor of construction in the song?

The metaphor of construction in the song extends beyond building a physical structure to represent the building of the worker's own tragic narrative. As the worker constructs the building, he is also building his own fate, leading to his eventual demise.

What does the worker's death represent in the song?

The worker’s death symbolizes the expendability of labor in a capitalist society. His death occurs while working, and it is treated as an interruption to the public traffic, reinforcing the idea that his life and death hold little significance in the larger social and economic systems.

What is the impact of the orchestra’s role in the song?

The orchestra’s role contrasts the mechanical and repetitive sounds of construction with more sophisticated and classical music. This juxtaposition highlights the tension between the mundane, repetitive life of the worker and the potential for transcendence or higher meaning.

How does the song's structure change in the final verses?

In the final verses, the repetitive structure of the song changes slightly, introducing a shift in the rhythm and adding a moment of transcendence through biblical imagery. The last verses emphasize the worker’s resignation and ironic gratitude for the hardships he faces.

What does the phrase 'Deus lhe pague' signify in the song?

'Deus lhe pague' (God pay you) is a phrase traditionally used to thank someone for a favor. In the song, it is ironically used by the worker to express thanks for the harshness and suffering of his life, including his death, reflecting his acceptance of fate within an oppressive system.

How does Chico Buarque blend music and literature in 'Construção'?

Chico Buarque blends music and literature by using the song’s lyrics as a form of poetry that critiques the worker’s life, while the musical elements, such as rhythm, melody, and orchestration, work in tandem to emphasize the song’s themes of repetition, monotony, and tragic inevitability.