Santa Rita Durão
Encyclopedia
José de Santa Rita Durão (1722 — 1784) was a Colonial Brazil
ian Neoclassic
poet, orator and Augustinian
friar. He is considered a forerunner of the "Indianism" in the literature of Brazil
, with his epic poem Caramuru
.
He is the correspondent patron of the 9th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
, in the State of Minas Gerais
, in 1722. For 10 years he studied at the Jesuit College of Rio de Janeiro
and, one year later, he went to Europe
, where he became an Augustinian priest. He graduated in Philosophy
and Theology
at the University of Coimbra, where he would occupy a Theology chair.
During the government of the Marquess of Pombal, he was persecuted and fled from Portugal
. He went to Rome
, where he worked as a librarian
for 20 years, also travelling to Spain
and France
. After Pombal's government was defeated, he returned to Portugal.
It was in Portugal that Durão wrote his masterpiece
: the Luís de Camões
-influenced epic poem
Caramuru
, published in 1781
. Based on the life of the famous Portuguese
sailor Diogo Álvares Correia
(a.k.a. "Caramuru" — Tupi
for "Son of the Thunder"), it is a tribute to Brazil, to where Durão would never return. He would die in Portugal, in 1784.
s of the time, what made Durão destroy all his poems.
Colonial Brazil
In the history of Brazil, Colonial Brazil, officially the Viceroyalty of Brazil comprises the period from 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, until 1815, when Brazil was elevated to kingdom alongside Portugal as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.During the over 300 years...
ian Neoclassic
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
poet, orator and Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
friar. He is considered a forerunner of the "Indianism" in the literature of Brazil
Literature of Brazil
Brazilian literature is written in the Portuguese language by Brazilians or in Brazil, even if prior to Brazil's independence from Portugal, in 1822...
, with his epic poem Caramuru
Caramuru (epic poem)
Caramuru is an epic poem written by Brazilian Augustinian friar Santa Rita Durão. It was published in 1781, and it is one of the most famous Indianist works of the Brazilian Neoclassicism — the other being Basílio da Gama's O Uraguai....
.
He is the correspondent patron of the 9th 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
José de Santa Rita Durão was born in the city of MarianaMariana, Minas Gerais
Mariana is the oldest city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. It is a touristic city, founded on July 16, 1696, and retains the characteristics of a baroque city, with its churches, buildings and museums.-Further reading:...
, in the State of Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
, in 1722. For 10 years he studied at the Jesuit College of 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...
and, one year later, he went to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where he became an Augustinian priest. He graduated in Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and Theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at the University of Coimbra, where he would occupy a Theology chair.
During the government of the Marquess of Pombal, he was persecuted and fled from 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...
. He went to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he worked as a librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
for 20 years, also travelling to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After Pombal's government was defeated, he returned to Portugal.
It was in Portugal that Durão wrote his masterpiece
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
: the Luís de 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...
-influenced epic poem
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
Caramuru
Caramuru (epic poem)
Caramuru is an epic poem written by Brazilian Augustinian friar Santa Rita Durão. It was published in 1781, and it is one of the most famous Indianist works of the Brazilian Neoclassicism — the other being Basílio da Gama's O Uraguai....
, published in 1781
1781 in literature
-Events:* Friedrich Schiller arrested after the first performance of his play, The Robbers-New books:* Anna Barbauld - Hymns in Prose for Children* Robert Bage - Mount Henneth* Christoph Friedrich Bretzner - Belmont und Constanze...
. Based on the life of the famous Portuguese
Portuguese 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....
sailor Diogo Álvares Correia
Caramuru
Diogo Álvares Correia , called Caramuru by the Tupinambá, was a Portuguese settler born in Viana do Castelo. He departed for Brazil in 1509, and his ship wrecked in the coast of Bahia, Diogo Álvares found himself among the Tupinamba Indians...
(a.k.a. "Caramuru" — Tupi
Old Tupi language
Old Tupi or Classical Tupi is an extinct Tupian language which was spoken by the native Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who lived close to the sea. It belongs to the Tupi–Guarani language family, and which has a written history spanning the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries...
for "Son of the Thunder"), it is a tribute to Brazil, to where Durão would never return. He would die in Portugal, in 1784.
Trivia
Tradition says that Durão wrote many poetries during his lifetime. However, his poem Caramuru received mixed reviews by the intellectualIntellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s of the time, what made Durão destroy all his poems.