Carlos de Oliveira facts for kids

Carlos de Oliveira (born August 10, 1921 – died July 1, 1981) was a famous Portuguese poet and novelist. He is known for his important contributions to Portuguese literature.

About Carlos de Oliveira

Carlos de Oliveira was born in Belém, Brazil. His family was Portuguese. In 1923, when he was just two years old, his family moved back to Portugal. They settled in a small village called Nossa Senhora das Febres, near Cantanhede. His father worked there as a doctor.

In 1933, Carlos moved to Coimbra to continue his education. He stayed there for 15 years. In 1947, he finished his studies at the University of Coimbra. He earned degrees in history and philosophy.

A year later, in 1948, he moved to Lisbon for good. In 1949, he married Ângela. They had met at the university. Ângela, who was from Madeira, became his lifelong partner and helper.

Carlos de Oliveira passed away at his home in Lisbon on July 1, 1981, at the age of 59.

His Books and Poems

Carlos de Oliveira started publishing his works in the 1940s. In 1942, he released his first book of poems, Tourism. It had drawings by another famous writer, Fernando Namora. The next year, 1943, he published his first novel, Casa na Duna (House on the Dune).

In 1944, his novel Alcateia (The Pack) was stopped from being published. This happened because of the Estado Novo government's strict rules. They had a system called censorship, which meant they could prevent books or other media from being shared if they didn't like the content. Despite this, a second edition of Casa na Duna came out that same year.

In 1945, he published another poetry book called Mãe Pobre (Poor Mother). This period was very busy for Carlos de Oliveira. He wrote for magazines like Seara Nova and Vértice. He also worked with Fernando Lopes Graça on a music book. This book included poems by many writers, set to music by Lopes Graça. These songs became known as "heroic" songs.

A Famous Novel

In 1953, Carlos de Oliveira published Uma Abelha na Chuva (A Bee in the Rain). This was his fourth novel. It is considered one of the most important books in Portuguese literature. It is even studied in Portuguese classes in high schools.

In 1957, he worked with José Gomes Ferreira to collect traditional Portuguese stories. They published these in two volumes called Contos Tradicionais Portugueses (Traditional Portuguese Tales). Some of these stories were later made into movies by João César Monteiro.

Later Works

In 1968, he released two new poetry books: Sobre o Lado Esquerdo (On the Left Side) and Micropaisagem (Microlandscape). He also helped filmmaker Fernando Lopes turn Uma Abelha na Chuva into a movie. The film was finished in 1971.

In 1971, he published O Aprendiz de Feiticeiro (The Sorcerer's Apprentice). This book was a collection of his articles and short writings. He also released another poetry book, Entre Duas Memórias (Between Two Memories).

In 1976, he gathered all his poems into a two-volume set called Trabalho Poético (Poetic Work). This collection included his earlier books, which he had reviewed, and some new poems. These new poems were later published separately in a book called Pastoral in 1977. His last novel, Finisterra, was published in 1978.

Carlos de Oliveira is known as a neorealist poet. Neorealism was a movement that focused on showing real life, especially the lives of ordinary people and social issues. He was one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. His writing combined social messages with thoughts about how writing itself works. His poems, like Mãe Pobre and Entre Duas Memórias, are known for being very detailed and precise.

His novels changed over time. Early ones, like Casa na Duna, were purely neorealist. Later, he wrote with more calm feelings and a sense of protest, as seen in Uma Abelha na Chuva. His last novel, Finisterra, was very complex.

Published Works

Here are some of the books Carlos de Oliveira published:

Poetry

• Turismo (1942)
• Mãe Pobre (1945)
• Descida aos Infernos (1949)
• Terra de Harmonia (1950)
• Cantata (1960)
• Sobre o Lado Esquerdo (1968)
• Micropaisagem (1969)
• Entre Duas Memórias (1971)
• Pastoral (1977)
• Trabalho Poético (1977–78)

Fiction (Novels)

• Casa na Duna (1943)
• Alcateia (1944)
• Pequenos Burgueses (1948)
• Uma Abelha na Chuva (1953)
• Finisterra (1978)

Chronicle (Articles and Essays)

• O Aprendiz de Feiticeiro (1971)

His books have been translated into many languages. These include English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Russian.

See also

In Spanish: Carlos de Oliveira para niños