The greatest Brazilian writer from the Romantic period
Biography
José Martiniano de Alencar was a Brazilian writer,
born at Macejana, state of Ceará, 1829. He is the greatest
expoent of the Brazilian Romantic period literature. Studied
law between 1845 and 1850 at São Paulo and Olinda, Pernambuco.
While studying, published his first writings on the "Ensaios Literários"
magazine. In this mean time, José also has written a historical novel, "Os
contrabandistas"("The Smugglers". This novel was accidentaly burned in a prank by a colleague of his, whom he shared a room with.
Alencar used to work as a lawyer and as a journalist. He wroted features/short stories
at the Correio Mercantil newspaper and was a writer at Diário do
Rio de Janeiro.
José de Alencar was the writer who most consciously registered, from a aesthetical/literal
view, the popular/nacionalist ideals of the epoch.
The book which made José Martiniano famous was O guarani, published
in 1857. José also entered the world of politics on 1861, being elected general
representative four times for the state of Ceará. In 1868 he was designated
Justice Minister which can be thought of an Imperial secretary of Justice. By the way the term minister is still used in Brasil for the president's secretaries as is deputy used when referring to the states' representatives, a term apparently borrowed from the French. In the year of 1877, he retired from social life and decided to
dedicate himself to the literature. He wrote more than eight theatre parts and
twenty novels.
Famous Works
Novels
O guarani
Iracema
A Guerra dos Mascates
Lucíola
O gaúcho
O tronco do ipê
Ubirajara
Senhora
Theatre parts
Demônio familiar
A mãe