Casimiro de Abreu
Encyclopedia
Casimiro José Marques de Abreu (January 4, 1839 – October 18, 1860) was a Brazil
ian poet, novelist and playwright, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism
" movement. He is famous for the poem "Meus oito anos" ("My eight-years-old").
He is patron of the 6th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
farmers José Joaquim Marques de Abreu and Luísa Joaquina das Neves. He received only a basic education at Instituto Freeze, in Nova Friburgo
, where he met and befriended Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa
. Following orders of his father, he moved to Rio de Janeiro
in 1852 to dedicate himself to commerce, an activity which he hated.
With his father, he travelled to Portugal
in 1853. There he began his literary career, writing for many newspapers (such as O Progresso and Ilustração Luso-Brasileira) and collaborating with Alexandre Herculano
and Luís Augusto Rebelo da Silva, among others. During his stay in Portugal, he wrote his first works: the theater play Camões
e o Jau (influenced by Almeida Garrett
's poem Camões), the novel Carolina, published under feuilleton
form, and the first chapters of a novel which he would never finish: Camila.
In 1857, he returned to Rio, where he became a collaborator for the newspapers A Marmota, O Espelho, Revista Popular and Correio Mercantil. While working for the latter, he met Manuel Antônio de Almeida
and Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
.
In 1859, he published his most famous work, the poetry book As Primaveras (Springtimes). Its publication was financed by his father, although he disapproved Casimiro's literary vocation.
Suffering from tuberculosis
, Casimiro moved to Nova Friburgo
in order to recover, but he died at age 21 on October 18, 1860.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian poet, novelist and playwright, adept of the "Ultra-Romanticism
Ultra-romanticism
Ultra-Romanticism was a Portuguese and Brazilian literary movement that occurred during the 1840s, 1850s and the early 1860s. Aesthetically similar to the Dark Romanticism, as the name implies it is an overvalue of the Romantic ideals....
" movement. He is famous for the poem "Meus oito anos" ("My eight-years-old").
He is patron of the 6th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
Academia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
.
Life
Casimiro de Abreu was born on January 4, 1839, in the city of Barra de São João (renamed "Casimiro de Abreu" in his honor in 1925), to rich PortuguesePortuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
farmers José Joaquim Marques de Abreu and Luísa Joaquina das Neves. He received only a basic education at Instituto Freeze, in Nova Friburgo
Nova Friburgo
Nova Friburgo is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It is located in the northern mountainous region of the state, 136 km from its capital Rio de Janeiro...
, where he met and befriended Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa
Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa
Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa was a Brazilian poet, politician, orator and lawyer, adept of the "Condorist" movement. He is the patron of the 31st chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.-Life:...
. Following orders of his father, he moved to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1852 to dedicate himself to commerce, an activity which he hated.
With his father, he travelled to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
in 1853. There he began his literary career, writing for many newspapers (such as O Progresso and Ilustração Luso-Brasileira) and collaborating with Alexandre Herculano
Alexandre Herculano
Alexandre Herculano de Carvalho e Araújo , was a Portuguese novelist and historian.-Early life:...
and Luís Augusto Rebelo da Silva, among others. During his stay in Portugal, he wrote his first works: the theater play Camões
Luís de Camões
Luís Vaz de Camões is considered Portugal's and the Portuguese language's greatest poet. His mastery of verse has been compared to that of Shakespeare, Vondel, Homer, Virgil and Dante. He wrote a considerable amount of lyrical poetry and drama but is best remembered for his epic work Os Lusíadas...
e o Jau (influenced by Almeida Garrett
Almeida Garrett
João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, Viscount of Almeida Garrett was a Portuguese poet, playwright, novelist and politician. He is considered to be the introducer of the Romanticism in Portugal, with the epic poem Camões, based on the life of Luís de Camões...
's poem Camões), the novel Carolina, published under feuilleton
Feuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
form, and the first chapters of a novel which he would never finish: Camila.
In 1857, he returned to Rio, where he became a collaborator for the newspapers A Marmota, O Espelho, Revista Popular and Correio Mercantil. While working for the latter, he met Manuel Antônio de Almeida
Manuel Antônio de Almeida
Manuel Antônio de Almeida was a Brazilian writer, medician and teacher. He is famous for the book Memoirs of a Police Sergeant, written under the pen name Um Brasileiro...
and Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis , often known as Machado de Assis, Machado, or Bruxo do Cosme Velho , was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature, but he did not gain widespread popularity outside Brazil in...
.
In 1859, he published his most famous work, the poetry book As Primaveras (Springtimes). Its publication was financed by his father, although he disapproved Casimiro's literary vocation.
Suffering from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, Casimiro moved to Nova Friburgo
Nova Friburgo
Nova Friburgo is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. It is located in the northern mountainous region of the state, 136 km from its capital Rio de Janeiro...
in order to recover, but he died at age 21 on October 18, 1860.
Works
- Camões e o Jau (1856)
- Carolina (1856)
- Camila (unfinished novel — 1856)
- A Virgem Loura: Páginas do Coração (1857)
- As PrimaverasAs PrimaverasAs Primaveras is a 1859 poetry book by Brazilian Romantic poet Casimiro de Abreu. It was the last book written by Abreu, before his death from tuberculosis in 1860...
(1859)