Joaquim Paco D'Arcos and Contemporary Portuguese Literature

Abstract

The literature of contemporary Portugal is scarcely known in the United States, and an account of Joaquim Pago d'Arcos, one of the leading Lusitanian writers of today, should therefore begin with a recapitulation of recent Portuguese literary history. Julio Dantas, now some seventy-six years old, is the grand old man of Portuguese letters. His national consecration as the President of the Portuguese Academy of Letters is complemented by the international fame which he owes chiefly to his one-act play in verse A ceia dos cardeais (The Dinner of the Cardinals), which has been played in many countries. Three old cardinals-one Spanish, one French, and one Portuguese-while supping in the Vatican recall their youthful love-life before they entered the Church, a step they took because of unhappy sentimental experiences. While the literary elegance of Julio Dantas is respected, he is generally regarded as old-fashioned and has little influence on younger writers; he was the dominant figure during the first decade of this century. A greater influence on younger writers is Aquilino Ribeiro, who achieved great fame immediately after World War I. A novelist from the province of Beira Alta, his first stories such as Terras do demo were regional in character, but his later novels like Mdnica describe life in Lisbon. His style is original and powerful. Ideo ogically he is characterized by a mild anti-Catholicism reminiscent of that of Anatole France, who may indeed have influenced him while he was exiled in France during his youth. Politically, he is not associated with the present regime of Dr. Oliveira Salazar. Around 1927 a literary movement began in the university city of Coimbra; it became known as Presenga after the name of the review which was the organ of the group. It cultivated a modernistic type of poetry, and is best represented by Jos6 R6gio, author of Poemas de Deus e do diabo, who teaches in the town of P6rto Alegre, near the Spanish border. When it is recalled that the Portuguese regard themselves as a race of poets, the fame of Jos6 R6gio will be easily understood. He has also written some symbolical novels, such as 0 principe com orelhas de burro. One of the best-known novels in Portugal is A selva by Ferreira de Castro, who describes in it the Amazon valley where he lived as a youth. This exotic story has been translated into some twenty languages. A decade ago, one of the leading literary figures was Miguel Torga, whose poetry was widely appreciated, but whose novels were less successful. However, he wrote gripping short stories, and his Didrio, of which several volumes have appeared, has been followed with wide interest.