Archive for 'Literature'
Elizabeth Bishop Posted by Rachel on Feb 10, 2011
As those of our non-Brazilian students may know, once you fall in love with Brazil, there’s no going back, and sometimes you end up staying longer than you expect. Such was the case with one of the United States’ most brilliant poets, Elizabeth Bishop. Bishop (1911-1979) was born in Massachusetts, and traveled extensively after graduating…
Brazilian Profile: Carlos Drummond de Andrade Posted by Rachel on Oct 14, 2010
Carlos Drummond de Andrade is one of Brazil’s most beloved poets, and is considered one of Brazil’s most important writers. Born in Minas Gerais, the son of farmers, he grew up in a rural area of Brazil and then attended college in Belo Horizonte to study pharmacology. He would never become a pharmacist, though; he…
José Saramago – A Life Full of Portuguese Posted by polyana on Jun 25, 2010
Today Brazil and Portugal battle it out on the field in the World Cup, and although both countries are “rivals,” on the grass, and there is a friendly rivalry in many other aspects amongst the two nations, every once in a while, there’s a person or happening that’s just as important to one as it…
Poetry in Portuguese | “Círculo Vicioso” by Machado de Assis Posted by polyana on Jun 9, 2010
I’m reading a book called, “Como Transformar Defeitos em Virtudes,” and it claims to be a good humored view on the seven deadly sins… which so far it is! And each chapter for each sin starts off with a poem. The first chapter starts off with a poem by Machado de Assis, one of Brazil’s…
Poetry Practice – Círculo de Aguinaldo Fonseca Posted by polyana on Feb 28, 2010
One important thing to remember when learning Portuguese is that the Lusophone world is goes much further than Brazil and Portugal. Cape Verde is a lusophonic country, with Portuguese being one of its official languages, and has an extremely rich culture, especially in its literature and music. Although some music and poetry is found in…
Brazilian Profile: Clarice Lispector Posted by Rachel on Aug 13, 2009
Clarice Lispector is one of Brazil’s most famous and accomplished female writers, who is finally making headlines in the United States after becoming an icon in Brazil. Clarice was born Chaya Pinkhasovna Lispector, the daughter of Jewish Ukrainian parents, in 1920. When she was a baby, her family emigrated to Brazil, fleeing religious persecution, and…
Favorite Brazilian Author Posted by Rachel on Jul 23, 2009
For today’s interactive feature, the question is: who is your favorite Brazilian author? Even though most Americans and Europeans are most familiar with Latin American authors like Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende, Brazil has produced quite a few world class novelists, poets, and playwrights that have not received the international acclaim they deserve. Though Paulo…