5 minutos sobre: Simbolismo

Summary

This video lecture explores the Symbolism movement in Brazilian literature, focusing on its characteristics and key poets. The movement, active between 1893 and 1902, was less successful in Brazil compared to France. Symbolism is defined by two main features: musicality, where sound is prioritized over meaning, and spirituality, which seeks transcendence through mystical, dreamlike imagery. The lecture highlights the works of Cruz e Sousa, a poet who overcame racial prejudice, and Alphonsus de Guimaraens, known for his themes of death and religion. Despite its limited success, Symbolism gained greater appreciation in later years.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Symbolist movement in Brazil emerged between 1893 and 1902, during a time when Realism, Naturalism, and Parnassianism dominated Brazilian literature.
• 😀 Although Symbolism was highly influential in Europe, it was less successful in Brazil during its time, gaining more recognition in later decades.
• 😀 The Symbolist movement was primarily focused on poetry, though it also included prose and poetic prose.
• 😀 Two key elements of Symbolist poetry are **musicality** and **spirituality**, with sound being prioritized over meaning.
• 😀 Symbolist poets often used linguistic techniques such as **alliteration** (repetition of consonants) and **assonance** (repetition of vowels) to create musical effects in their poetry.
• 😀 The spirituality of Symbolist poetry focuses on transcending the material world, exploring themes of the divine, the mystical, and the spiritual.
• 😀 Symbolist poets sought to depict **cosmic** and **dreamlike imagery**, often using a religious vocabulary to convey transcendence, including terms like **sacrarium** and **altar**.
• 😀 Words in Symbolist poetry were sometimes capitalized to evoke a sense of spiritual significance or transcendence beyond the material world.
• 😀 The concept of **sublimation** in Symbolist poetry represents the transition from the physical, material world to the spiritual or transcendent realm.
• 😀 Two major figures of Brazilian Symbolism, **Cruz e Sousa** and **Alphonsus de Guimaraens**, were discussed. Cruz e Sousa, a poet who faced racial prejudice, became a major figure of the movement, while Alphonsus focused on themes of **death, religion**, and **love**.

Q & A

What time period did Symbolism in Brazil develop?

Symbolism in Brazil developed between 1893 and 1902, during the pre-modernist period.

What are the two key features of Symbolist poetry discussed in the video?

The two key features of Symbolist poetry are musicality and spirituality.

Why was Symbolism not very successful in Brazil during its time?

Symbolism did not achieve much success in Brazil because it was considered more complex and hermetic, making it less accessible compared to other dominant movements like Realism, Naturalism, and Parnassianism.

Which European poets were influential in the development of Symbolism?

European poets such as Paul Verlaine, Stéphane Mallarmé, and Charles Baudelaire were influential in the development of Symbolism.

How does Symbolist poetry prioritize sound over meaning?

Symbolist poetry often focuses on the sound of the words, using techniques like alliteration, assonance, and echoing words, which sometimes results in verses that lack logical meaning but sound harmonious.

What role does spirituality play in Symbolist poetry?

Spirituality in Symbolist poetry is central, as poets sought to explore the mystical, transcendent, and spiritual realms, often using religious and sacred imagery to convey a sense of the divine or otherworldly.

What is the concept of 'sublimation' in Symbolist poetry?

'Sublimation' in Symbolist poetry refers to the transition from the physical, material world to the spiritual or ethereal realm, symbolizing a shift from solid to gas, or from earthly to divine experiences.

What was the dominant poetry style in Brazil before Symbolism?

Before Symbolism, the dominant poetry style in Brazil was Parnassianism, which was characterized by a focus on formal structure, objectivity, and aesthetic beauty.

Who were the two major Brazilian Symbolist poets mentioned in the video?

The two major Brazilian Symbolist poets mentioned in the video are Cruz e Sousa and Alphonsus de Guimaraes.

What themes are explored in the works of Cruz e Sousa and Alphonsus de Guimaraes?

Cruz e Sousa's works often explore themes of racial identity and spirituality, while Alphonsus de Guimaraes' poetry delves into themes of death, religion, and the afterlife.