Herberto Hélder
Encyclopedia
Herberto Hélder de Oliveira (born November 23, 1930) is a Portuguese
poet
. He was born in Funchal, Madeira.
to complete his secondary studies and subsequently in 1948 moved to Coimbra
to study Law at university. In 1949 he had changed to the Humanities University to study Romance Philology
but dropped out after three years without completing the course. After returning to Lisbon he took up several temporal jobs, and got in contact with a circle of artists and writers such as Mário Cesariny, Luiz Pacheco
, João Vieira and Hélder Macedo. This group revolved around Surrealism
which would inform his early writings. In 1958 his first book, O Amor em Visita was published. In the following years he traveled and lived in France, Holland and Belgium taking menial and marginal jobs to survive. Living illegally in Antwerp he was reportedly a guide to sailors into the underground world of prostitution.
and fiction
is very visual, and has connections with Surrealism
, still his style is difficult to define; he was a praticcioner of experimental poetry
and some call him an orphic or visionary
poet (that somehow reminds Ezra Pound
).
Considered one of the most important living Portuguese poets his poetry is not yet enough studied by academics
due to the obscurity of his personality
itself (he refuses to take literary prizes
or have media exposure) and the complexity of his paradoxal work that has a strange enchantment.
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...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. He was born in Funchal, Madeira.
Biography
Herberto Helder was born into a family of Jewish ancestry in the Portuguese Atlantic island of Madeira. In 1946 he traveled to LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
to complete his secondary studies and subsequently in 1948 moved to Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
to study Law at university. In 1949 he had changed to the Humanities University to study Romance Philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
but dropped out after three years without completing the course. After returning to Lisbon he took up several temporal jobs, and got in contact with a circle of artists and writers such as Mário Cesariny, Luiz Pacheco
Luiz Pacheco
Luiz Pacheco was a writer, publisher, polemicist and literary critic . He was most proud of his work as a publisher...
, João Vieira and Hélder Macedo. This group revolved around Surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
which would inform his early writings. In 1958 his first book, O Amor em Visita was published. In the following years he traveled and lived in France, Holland and Belgium taking menial and marginal jobs to survive. Living illegally in Antwerp he was reportedly a guide to sailors into the underground world of prostitution.
Works
Herberto Helder's poetryPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
is very visual, and has connections with Surrealism
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
, still his style is difficult to define; he was a praticcioner of experimental poetry
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
and some call him an orphic or visionary
Visionary
Defined broadly, a visionary, is one who can envision the future. For some groups this can involve the supernatural or drugs.The visionary state is achieved via meditation, drugs, lucid dreams, daydreams, or art. One example is Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century artist/visionary and Catholic saint...
poet (that somehow reminds Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
).
Considered one of the most important living Portuguese poets his poetry is not yet enough studied by academics
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
due to the obscurity of his personality
Personality psychology
Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that studies personality and individual differences. Its areas of focus include:* Constructing a coherent picture of the individual and his or her major psychological processes...
itself (he refuses to take literary prizes
Literary award
A literary award is an award presented to an author who has written a particularly lauded piece or body of work. There are awards for forms of writing ranging from poetry to novels. Many awards are also dedicated to a certain genre of fiction or non-fiction writing . There are also awards...
or have media exposure) and the complexity of his paradoxal work that has a strange enchantment.
Poetry
- O Amor em visita (Love in visit), Lisbon, 1958
- A Colher na Boca (The spoon in the mouth), Lisbon, 1961
- Poemacto (Poemact), Lisbon, 1967
- Lugar (Place), Lisbon,1962
- Electronicolirica (Electronicalyrics), Lisbon, 1964
- Húmus (Humus), Lisbon, 1967
- Retrato em movimento (Portrait in movement), Lisbon, 1967
- O bebedor nocturno (The nocturnal drinker), Lisbon, 1968
- O ofício cantante (The singing craft), Lisbon, 1968
- Cobra (Snake/Cobra), Lisbon, 1977
- Photomaton e Vox (Photomaton and Vox), Lisbon, 1979
- Poesia Toda (All Poetry), Lisbon, 1981
- A Cabeça entre as mãos (The head between the hands), Lisbon,1982
- As Magias (1987)
- Última Ciência (1988)
- Do Mundo, (1994)
- Poesia Toda (1º vol. de 1953 a 1966; 2º vol. de 1963 a 1971) (1973)
- Poesia Toda (1ª ed. em 1981)
- A Faca Não Corta o Fogo - Súmula & Inédita (2008)
- Ofício Cantante (2009)
Fiction
- Os passos em volta (The steps around), Lisbon, 1963
- Apresentação do rosto (Presentation of the face), Lisbon, 1968