Portuguese literature facts for kids

The famous book "Os Lusíadas" by Luís Vaz de Camões

Portuguese literature is all the amazing books, poems, and plays written in the Portuguese language. Most of the time, when we talk about Portuguese literature, we mean works from Portugal itself. But sometimes, it can also include writings from other Portuguese-speaking countries like Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique. This article will focus on literature from Portugal.

Portuguese literature has a long and rich history. It started with medieval poems from Galicia and northern Portugal. It's known for its beautiful lyric poetry (poems about feelings) and lots of historical writings. A very special time was the Renaissance, often called the Golden Age. During this period, writers like Gil Vicente created plays, and Luís de Camões wrote the famous national epic poem, Os Lusíadas (The Lusiads).

The 17th century saw the rise of the Baroque style, which was very fancy and detailed. Some people think this was a weaker time for literature, but there were still important writers like Father António Vieira. In the 18th century, writers tried to bring back the quality of the Golden Age. They formed special groups called academies and Arcadias, which led to Neoclassicism, a style that looked back to ancient Greek and Roman ideas.

The 19th century brought Romanticism to Portugal, with writers like Almeida Garrett and Alexandre Herculano. Later, Realism became popular, focusing on everyday life. Famous Realist writers include Eça de Queiroz. In the 20th century, Fernando Pessoa became one of Portugal's greatest poets. More recently, authors like António Lobo Antunes and José Saramago, who won the Nobel Prize, have made Portuguese prose fiction famous worldwide.

How Portuguese Literature Began

The Pergaminho Sharrer (Sharrer Parchment), which has songs by King Dinis I.

Portuguese literature started to take shape in the 13th century. Before written records, people probably told stories and sang songs. The first poems we know of were written around 1200-1225. They were in a language called Galician-Portuguese, also known as Old Portuguese.

Early Poems and Songs

These early poems were often created in the courts of kings and nobles in Galicia and northern Portugal. Later, the center of this poetry moved to the court of King Alfonso X in Spain. Some of the same poets also worked in the court of Afonso III of Portugal.

We know about these poems from old books called Cancioneiro da Ajuda, Cancioneiro da Vaticana, and Cancioneiro da Biblioteca Nacional. These books were copied many years ago, around 1525.

A lot of poems were written during the time of King Dinis I (1261–1325). He was a very smart king and wrote many poems himself. The main types of poems were:

Cantiga d'amor: Love songs sung by men.
Cantiga d'amigo: Love songs sung by women (but written by men).
Cantigas d'escarnio e maldizer: Songs that made fun of people.

Many experts believe the cantigas d'amigo came from local folk songs. They are a large collection of female-voiced love poems from medieval Europe. In total, there are about 1,685 medieval Galician-Portuguese poems. We even have a few songs with music, like those found in the Vindel Parchment and the Pergaminho Sharrer.

Musicians in a drawing from the Cancioneiro da Ajuda.

By the mid-1400s, this old style of poetry faded. A new kind of court poetry appeared, collected in the Cancioneiro Geral by Garcia de Resende. At the same time, common people created their own folk poems, known as the Romanceiro. These were narrative poems about war, knights, adventures, and legends. They were very beautiful and showed influences from different cultures in the region.

Later, in the 19th century, Almeida Garrett helped bring these folk poems back into fashion. He collected them from the people, showing their importance.

Early Stories and Chronicles

Prose (stories and non-fiction) developed later than poetry. It first appeared in the 13th century. These early prose works included short chronicles, stories about saints, and family histories.

Some medieval adventure stories, like the Demanda do Santo Graal (Quest for the Holy Grail) and "Amadis of Gaul", were also written in prose. The first three books of "Amadis of Gaul" were probably written by João Lobeira in the late 13th century. The Book of Aesop also comes from this time.

Even during the Renaissance, when people admired classical works, they still enjoyed these medieval stories. This led to new adventure stories like the "Palmerins" series. The medieval knightly romances eventually led to the pastoral novel, which featured shepherds and rural life. An early example is Saudades by Bernardim Ribeiro.

15th Century: New Beginnings

Historical Writings

A new era in Portuguese literature began around 1383-1385. King John I wrote a book about hunting. His sons, King Duarte and Peter, Duke of Coimbra, wrote books about morals. An unknown writer also told the heroic story of Nuno Álvares Pereira.

The tradition of great Portuguese chroniclers (historians) began with Fernão Lopes. He wrote detailed histories of the reigns of Kings Pedro I, Fernando I, and John I. He was very good at describing events and people.

Azurara followed him as the official chronicler. He wrote about the discovery of Guinea and the African wars. He was a reliable historian, though his style could be a bit formal. His successor, Ruy de Pina, wrote useful records of Kings Duarte, Afonso V, and John II.

Court Poetry

In the 15th century, Italian poetry, especially by Petrarch, influenced Spanish and then Portuguese verse. Many court poets wrote in Spanish. The "Cancioneiro Geral," collected by Resende, contains poems from this time. These poems were often about love and satire. Some poets, like Bernardim Ribeiro, Gil Vicente, and Sá de Miranda, would later start a literary revolution.

Early 16th Century: The Renaissance Dawn

This period saw the rise of the Portuguese Renaissance, a time of great artistic and intellectual growth.

Pastoral Poetry

Portuguese pastoral poetry, which describes rural life, felt more real than in other countries. This was because Bernardim Ribeiro, who started this style, found inspiration in local folk songs. His poems, and those of Cristóvão Falcão, were full of feeling.

The Birth of Portuguese Drama

While he didn't invent plays, Gil Vicente is considered the father of the Portuguese stage. He wrote 44 plays, some in Portuguese, some in Spanish, and some in both languages. His plays included religious works, tragicomedies, and farces.

He started with religious plays in 1502, like "Auto da Alma." Soon, he added humor and satire to teach moral lessons. By the end of his career in 1536, he was writing pure comedies, like "Inês Pereira." His plays show us what life was like for all kinds of people in Portugal during his time. The stories were simple, the dialogue lively, and the songs beautiful.

First Classical Phase: The Renaissance Golden Age

The 16th century was a "golden age" for Portuguese literature. Many talented poets, historians, and thinkers emerged.

Epic and Lyric Poetry

Sá de Miranda brought Italian poetry styles to Portugal, making poetry more refined. Other poets like António Ferreira followed him. However, many writers of this time focused too much on copying classical styles, losing some of their natural creativity.

The great Luís de Camões was different. He combined the best of Italian and Portuguese folk styles to create something new and wonderful. His most famous work is Os Lusíadas, a national epic poem. Many tried to imitate him in later centuries, but their epics were often just historical accounts in verse.

Classical Plays

Sá de Miranda also tried to improve drama, writing plays based on Italian models. While some plays were written, like "Eufrosina" by Jorge Ferreira de Vasconcellos, many were artificial. António Ferreira's tragedy, "Inês de Castro," was dramatically weak but had a serious tone, like ancient Greek plays.

Important Prose Works

The best prose of the 16th century was about history and travel. João de Barros wrote his "Decadas," which described the amazing discoveries and conquests of the Portuguese in the East. Damião de Góis, a humanist and friend of Erasmus, wrote independently about the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal.

Many writers wrote about the East, including Fernão Lopes de Castanheda and Gaspar Correia. The chronicles of the kingdom were continued by others. Travel literature was also very popular. People visited and described Persia, Syria, Abyssinia, Florida, and Brazil.

One of the most exciting travel books was "Peregrination" by Fernão Mendes Pinto. It's full of incredible adventures told in a lively, colorful style. Another important work is the "História trágico-marítima" (Tragic Maritime History), which records famous shipwrecks between 1552 and 1604.

Second Classical Phase: The Baroque Era

The 17th century is sometimes seen as a period of decline for Portuguese literature. This was partly due to the Portuguese Inquisition and the influence of Spanish culture. Many Portuguese writers even chose to write in Spanish to reach a larger audience.

Poetry of the Baroque

Despite the challenges, there were still talented poets. Rodrigues Lobo wrote pleasant verses in his pastoral romances. D. Francisco Manuel de Mello wrote sonnets and charming imitations of folk songs. Other poets included Soror Violante do Ceo and Frei Jerónimo Vahia.

Baroque Prose

Prose writing was stronger than poetry in this century. History, biographies, sermons, and letters all flourished. Many historians were friars who worked in their monasteries. They focused on good writing style, even if their history wasn't always perfect. Frei Bernardo de Brito wrote a huge history that started with creation! Frei Luis de Sousa wrote the classic "Vida de D. Frei Bartolomeu dos Mártires."

Church sermons were very important in the 17th century, like newspapers today. Father António Vieira was known as the "Prince of Catholic Orators" in Rome. His sermons and letters were full of great ideas and powerful language. One of his most famous is the 1654 Sermon of Saint Anthony to the Fish.

Manuel Bernardes, another important writer, wrote calm and sweet religious works. His books "Luz e Calor" and "Nova Floresta" are considered pure examples of classic Portuguese prose. Letter writing was also popular, with famous letters like the "Cartas de Mariana Alcoforado."

Third Classical Phase: Neoclassicism

In the first half of the 18th century, literature was still a bit artificial. But gradually, things started to change, leading to the Romantic Movement. Many smart people who had to leave Portugal helped intellectual progress by sharing new ideas.

The Academies and Arcadias

The Academy of History, founded in 1720, published many "Memoirs" and helped create a critical study of Portugal's history. The Royal Academy of Sciences, founded in 1779, continued this work.

The most important literary group was the Arcadia Ulisiponense, started in 1756 by the poet António Diniz da Cruz e Silva. It aimed to improve writing and poetry. Members included Pedro Correia Garção, who wrote beautiful sonnets and odes. Quita wrote tender pastoral poems. Cruz e Silva also wrote a funny poem, "Hyssope," which made fun of church rivalries and French trends.

The Arcadia helped improve writing standards and introduced new poetic forms. However, its members sometimes copied ancient classics too much, leading to a cold, overly logical style.

In 1790, the "New Arcadia" appeared. It included Bocage, who could have been a great poet. He reacted against the average quality of writing and wrote sonnets that rivaled those of Camões. He was also a master of short, improvised poems and satire.

Brazilian Contributions

During the 18th century, the colony of Brazil also started contributing to Portuguese literature. Manuel da Costa wrote sonnets. Manuel Inácio da Silva Alvarenga was a passionate lyric poet. Tomás António Gonzaga became famous for his love poem "Marília de Dirceu."

In epic poetry, Basílio da Gama wrote "O Uraguai," about the conflict between the Portuguese and the Paraguay Indians. It has some notable parts. "Caramuru" by Santa Rita Durão tells the early history of Brazil, starting with the discovery of Bahia. These Brazilian poems were often better than similar works from Portugal at the time.

Romanticism and Realism: 19th Century Changes

Romantic Poetry

The early 19th century saw a big change in literature, started by Almeida Garrett. He learned about English and French Romanticism while in exile and based his work on Portuguese traditions. His narrative poem "Camões" (1825) broke old rules. He also wrote passionate love poems in "Flores sem Fruto" and "Folhas Caídas." His clear and elegant prose can be seen in "Viagens na minha terra."

The poetry of Alexandre Herculano often had religious or patriotic themes. The movement started by Garrett and Herculano became very Romantic with Castilho, a master of rhythm but sometimes lacking in ideas.

In 1865, young poets led by Antero de Quental and Teófilo Braga rebelled against Castilho's influence. They believed poetry should be connected to philosophy. This led to a fierce debate, and poetry became broader and more realistic.

Quental wrote beautiful, but often sad, sonnets. Braga, a Positivist, wrote an epic about humanity. Guerra Junqueiro used irony in his poems and criticized the Braganza kings. João de Deus was an idealist who found inspiration in religion and women. His early poems in "Campo de Flores" show tender feelings and a deep Portuguese spirit.

Other important poets include João Penha and Eugénio de Castro. Later, poets like Correia de Oliveira and Lopes Vieira focused on natural, heartfelt poetry. They were influenced by "Só" by António Nobre, a book of true Portuguese poetry.

Drama in the 19th Century

After writing some classical tragedies, Almeida Garrett reformed the stage. He looked for a national drama, choosing subjects from Portuguese history. He wrote a series of prose plays, with "Brother Luiz de Sousa" being a masterpiece.

His followers, like Mendes Leal, sometimes became too Romantic. But Fernando Caldeira and Gervásio Lobato wrote lively and witty comedies. More recently, the regional plays of D. João da Camara have been successful. Today, drama is thriving with historical and social plays by writers like Lopes de Mendonça and Júlio Dantas.

The Rise of the Novel

The novel really took off in the 19th century. It started with historical romances, like those by Walter Scott, written by Alexandre Herculano.

The novel of manners, which describes social customs, was developed by Camilo Castelo Branco. He was a great writer who perfectly captured life in the early 19th century in books like Amor de Perdição. Gomes Coelho (Júlio Dinis) was a romantic idealist, best known for As Pupilas do Senhor Reitor.

The greatest creative artist was José Maria de Eça de Queirós, who founded the Naturalist School. His characters feel real, and his descriptions and satire are classic. Some of his famous works include Primo Basílio and A Cidade e as Serras.

Other Prose Works

History became a true science with Alexandre Herculano and his História de Portugal. Joaquim Pedro de Oliveira Martins was skilled at painting scenes and characters in his historical works.

A strong sense of humor can be found in As Farpas by Ramalho Ortigão, as well as in the works of Fialho d'Almeida. Literary criticism was well-represented by Luciano Cordeiro.

Famous Portuguese Authors

Luís Vaz de Camões

Luís Vaz de Camões (1524 - June 10, 1580) was a legendary poet. He wrote the epic poem Os Lusíadas, which tells the story of Portugal's discoveries.

Portugal's national holiday, "Portugal Day" (Dia de Portugal, das Comunidades Portuguesas e de Camões), is celebrated on June 10th. This day marks the anniversary of Camões' death and is a day of national pride, much like Independence Day in other countries.

Eça de Queirós

Eça de Queirós (1845–1900) was a famous Portuguese novelist. He was born in Póvoa de Varzim and traveled a lot as a consul. He lived in Paris from 1888 until his death. The books he wrote in Paris often criticized Portuguese society.

His most famous works include Os Maias (The Maias) (1878), O Crime do Padre Amaro (The Crime of Father Amaro) (1876), and O Primo Basílio (Cousin Basílio) (1878). Eça is known as the founder of Portuguese Naturalism, a style that shows life as it really is.

Fernando Pessoa

Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935) was a Portuguese poet and prose writer. He was very unique because he used different "heteronyms" – he wrote in different styles as if he were many different poets, each with their own name and personality.

One of his most famous works is the epic-lyric poem "Mensagem" (Message). This poem talks about Sebastianism, a Portuguese belief that a dead king, Sebastian of Portugal, will return one day. It suggests that this return will lead Portugal to a "Fifth Empire," a time of great power and influence.

Antero de Quental

Antero de Quental (1842-1891) was a poet who studied at the University of Coimbra. He was known for his talent and strong opinions. He started writing poetry early, mostly sonnets. He was part of a group of young writers who challenged the older generation's literary leader, António Feliciano de Castilho.

Antero traveled and was involved in political and social movements. After some disappointments, he developed a mild pessimism, which influenced his later poems. He is considered one of the most important modern Portuguese poets after João de Deus. His main focus was often his own feelings and thoughts.

Antero also wrote important prose works, though not many. His writings on the "Coimbra question" (a literary debate) were very influential.

Alexandre O'Neill

Alexandre Manuel Vahía de Castro O’Neill (1924-1986) was a Portuguese poet with Irish roots. In 1948, he helped start the Lisbon Surrealist Movement. However, his writing soon developed its own unique style. His poetry often showed a love-hate relationship with his home country.

O'Neill was known for not following rules, both in society and in literature. He was always questioning things, played with language, and used parody and dark humor. He used these tools to sharply describe what it meant to be Portuguese and his feelings about Portugal.

He often disagreed with Portugal. While other poets protested against the country's dictatorial regime under Salazar, O’Neill's criticism went deeper. Poems like ‘Standing at Fearful Attention’ suggested that the dictatorship was a symptom of bigger problems in the nation's spirit, like a lack of courage.

O’Neill was a publicist and very skilled with words. He refused to use his talent for overly emotional or "feel-good" poetry. He was strongly anti-Romantic and believed humanity was just one species on Earth. He didn't think a perfectly harmonious world was possible and disliked attempts to escape reality through mysticism or poetry. His main hope was the connection he felt with other people.

José Saramago

José Saramago (1922–2010) was a Portuguese novelist who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998. He wrote many important works, including "Memorial do Convento" (Baltasar and Blimunda).