|
|
|
|
| History of Portuguese Literature | Origins of Portuguese Literature | The Portuguese Language | Oral Literature | Fiction | Lyricism |
| Travel Literature | Cantigas de amigo | Historiography | Doctrinal Prose | ||
Jorge de Sena
(1919-1978)
|
|
He
was one of the most crucial figures in our contemporary world of letters, not
only because of the quality of his writing, but also because of the
controversial incisiveness of his interventions, which always demonstrated his
awareness of the Portuguese literary environment, even though he began to work
abroad as a university lecturer (Brazil, United States) after 1959.
 Jorge de Sena. Caricature by Rui Knopfli, 1977 |
Besides
producing an important and extensive corpus of essays and criticism, he wrote
countless books of poetry (Perseguição,
1942, Fidelidade, 1958), some of which demonstrated a powerful sense of
cohesion in terms of composition and theme (Arte
de Música, 1968, Conheço o Sal,
1974, Sobre Esta Praia, 1977), and
collections of short stories (Andanças do
Demónio, 1966), as well as two novels (O
Físico Prodigioso, 1977, and Sinais
de Fogo, 1979), the first being an original mixture of supernaturalness and
eroticism, whilst the second is an incisive testimony relating to his life
experience, particularly the time that he spent living in Portugal.
Towards
the truth march the bodies that do not know it
or that know it only by another name.
Thus slips the wind along the human roads
amidst the voice of the wheatfields undulating within it.
Coroa da Terra
© Instituto Camões, 2001
