Sousa Caldas
Encyclopedia
Antônio Pereira de Sousa Caldas (November 24, 1762 — March 2, 1814) was a Colonial Brazil
ian poet, priest and orator, patron of the 34th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
merchant Luís Pereira de Sousa and Ana Maria de Sousa. Since he was a small boy, he had a vocation for Letters
, and, with only 8 years old, he was sent to Lisbon
, to live under the care of an uncle. With 16 years old, he ingressed in the University of Coimbra, where he learnt Mathematics
and Canon law
.
In 1781, he was arrested by the Inquisition
because of his ideals, influenced by the Enlightenment. Transferred to the convent of Rilhafoles, he was catechized for six months. After the catechism
, he became a fully different person, discovering his sacerdotal vocation. However, he did not abandoned his philosophical and satirical poetry, writing the poem Ode ao Homem Natural in 1784
. It is attributed to him the satire O Reino da Estupidez.
After graduating in the Canon law
course in 1789, he travelled to France
and Genoa
. In Genoa, he wrote the ode
A Criação and abandoned the satirical poetry.
In 1801, he returns to Rio de Janeiro
in order to visit his mother, settling permanently in the town. During his final years in Rio, he wrote many letters for his friends, but only five of them exist today.
He died in 1814.
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 poet, priest and orator, patron of the 34th 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
Sousa Caldas was born in 1762, to 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....
merchant Luís Pereira de Sousa and Ana Maria de Sousa. Since he was a small boy, he had a vocation for Letters
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, and, with only 8 years old, he was sent to Lisbon
Lisbon
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 live under the care of an uncle. With 16 years old, he ingressed in the University of Coimbra, where he learnt Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and Canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
In 1781, he was arrested by the Inquisition
Portuguese Inquisition
The Portuguese Inquisition was formally established in Portugal in 1536 at the request of the King of Portugal, João III. Manuel I had asked for the installation of the Inquisition in 1515 to fulfill the commitment of marriage with Maria of Aragon, but it was only after his death that the Pope...
because of his ideals, influenced by the Enlightenment. Transferred to the convent of Rilhafoles, he was catechized for six months. After the catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
, he became a fully different person, discovering his sacerdotal vocation. However, he did not abandoned his philosophical and satirical poetry, writing the poem Ode ao Homem Natural in 1784
1784 in poetry
Nationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* About this year, the Sturm und Drang movement ended in German literature and music, which began in the late 1760s...
. It is attributed to him the satire O Reino da Estupidez.
After graduating in the Canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
course in 1789, he travelled to 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...
and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. In Genoa, he wrote the ode
Ode
Ode is a type of lyrical verse. A classic ode is structured in three major parts: the strophe, the antistrophe, and the epode. Different forms such as the homostrophic ode and the irregular ode also exist...
A Criação and abandoned the satirical poetry.
In 1801, he returns 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 order to visit his mother, settling permanently in the town. During his final years in Rio, he wrote many letters for his friends, but only five of them exist today.
He died in 1814.
Works
- Ode ao Homem Natural (17841784 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* About this year, the Sturm und Drang movement ended in German literature and music, which began in the late 1760s...
) - A Criação (17901790 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Henry James Pye became Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom...
) - Poesias Sacras e Profanas (anthologyAnthologyAn anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
of poems compiled by Francisco de Borja Garção StocklerFrancisco de Borja Garção StocklerFrancisco de Borja Garção Stockler, 1st Baron of Vila da Praia, was a lieutenant general and the eighth Captain General of the Azores, politician, and mathematician. He was one of the pioneers in differential calculus and one of the most notable historians of mathematics in Portugal.-Biography:He...
and published posthumously in 18201820 in literatureThe year 1820 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* Robert Chambers's publishing company publishes The Songs of Robert Burns....
)