Words and Stories. Palavras e Histórias.
It's fascinating to see two literary texts which, though written 180 years apart, match as perfectly as if one author had meant to answer the other. The first text is a prose passage from the novella René, by French writer François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848). The second is a short poem by the German philosopher Frithjof … Continue lendo [Translated poetry analysis] Disquiet and stillness
A beautiful Oriental tale retold by the unique Brazilian writer Malba Tahan — the man who in 1930s Brazil created an Arab alter ego, hoaxed an entire country, and became its favourite author. (Translated by myself.) Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! God is the greatest! God is the greatest! When God created woman, he created also … Continue lendo [Translated story] A Fable about the Fable
A recurring theme in European folk tales is that of the woman who disguises herself, and for some time lives as a man. In a German tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, in many of the Old Rus' tales, in French and Romanian tales, we see those heroines dress in male attire, take a male … Continue lendo [Translated poetry] The Maiden Who Went To War
If you are curious about Brazilian poetry, this famous sonnet is a great place to start your discovery.
As a change from our last two English posts, which were about etymology, I thought I'd share here my translation of a sonnet by Brazilian symbolist poet Eduardo Guimaraens (1892-1928). It is very nearly a literal translation, so the sonnet form is lost (I don't think I could translate it keeping the original form anyhow!); … Continue lendo [Translated poetry] A Brazilian sonnet by Eduardo Guimaraens
Beatriz Becker 