Introduction

Relevance of the Theme

Brazilian literature of the 19th and early 20th centuries was characterized by a profound creative transformation. From Romanticism, the previous genre, two significant literary currents emerged: Symbolism and Parnassianism. The study of these literary currents ensures a richer and broader understanding of the Brazilian literary universe, in addition to allowing the analysis of social and historical phenomena present at the time. These literary schools have left important legacies, both in form and literary content, which continue to influence contemporary production.

Contextualization

When contextualizing Symbolism and Parnassianism within the Portuguese language curriculum, they fit into the study of Brazilian literature - one of the fundamental competencies for learning the mother tongue. In the development of the curriculum, students move from studying the colonial period and Romanticism to the complexity of these two literary schools. Understanding Symbolism and Parnassianism serves as preparation for the study of other literary currents, such as Modernism, which delved into discussions of artistic avant-garde and social engagement.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Symbolism: The emergence of symbolism as a reaction to the positivism and scientism of the late 19th century, is marked by subjectivity and the search for mystery and the occult. Symbolists considered poetry as "language of the gods", advocating the use of feelings, intuitions, and emotions, in opposition to reason. Symbols and metaphors in symbolist poetry are used to express an invisible reality, to go beyond the appearance of things.

• Parnassianism: Originating in France, Parnassianism was the reaction to the subjectivism and sentimentalism of Romanticism. The Parnassians were inspired by art for art's sake, advocating objective and rigid poetic creation, influenced by classical Greek aesthetics. Objectivity, meticulous description, and the cult of form and meter are striking characteristics of this movement.

• Main Symbolist and Parnassian Authors: Alphonsus de Guimaraens, Cruz e Souza, Olavo Bilac, and Alberto de Oliveira are examples of important symbolist authors. Among the main names of Parnassianism, Raimundo Correia, Alberto de Oliveira, Olavo Bilac, and Antônio de Castro Alves stand out.

• Representative Works: In terms of representative works, in Symbolism, we have "Missal" by Cruz e Souza and "Kyriale" by Alphonsus de Guimaraens. In Parnassianism, we have "Mal Secreto" by Augusto dos Anjos and "A Canção do Exílio" by Olavo Bilac, among others.

Key Terms

• "Art for Art's Sake": This expression defines the main intention of Parnassianism, the focus on aesthetics, the pursuit of formal perfection, and art itself, relegating to the background elements such as social critique content or political engagement.

• "Despair": A central concept of Symbolism, it is a feeling of apathy towards reality, an atmosphere of sadness, melancholy, and anguish, which permeate many of the symbolist works.

• "Alexandrine Verses": A poetic form that became quite common in both Parnassianism and Symbolism. It consists of twelve-syllable verses divided into two hemistichs of six syllables each, separated by the caesura, a pause slightly longer than a comma.

Examples and Cases

• Verse by Cruz e Souza: Let's observe the verse by Cruz e Souza, a great name in Symbolism: "The sad moonlight, the sad atmosphere, the sad earth". Here, we can see the presence of symbols, sadness is associated with all elements of the sentence, and melancholy, one of the main feelings of Symbolism, is present.

• Poetry by Bilac: A poem by Olavo Bilac, a highlight of Parnassianism, such as "The Emerald Hunter", illustrates well the objectivism and meticulous description characteristic of this movement.

• Intertextuality: Understanding intertextuality - the dialogue that a work establishes with another - is essential for the analysis of Symbolism and Parnassianism, since these literary movements often dialogue with others, such as Romanticism and Classicism.

• Metering: The study of metering, that is, the organization of verses in metrics and rhythms, is fundamental for the analysis of Parnassian and symbolist poetry. In Parnassianism, the use of formal verses, such as the decasyllable and the alexandrine, predominates. In Symbolism, although less rigid, the metric is very explored, with emphasis on free versification.

Detailed Summary

Relevant Points:

• Characteristics of Symbolism: We analyzed the opposition of Symbolism to the scientism and positivism of the time, emphasizing its emphasis on subjectivism, intuition, and feelings. We discussed the role of symbols and metaphors as tools for expressing invisible realities.

• Characteristics of Parnassianism: We compared Parnassianism to Romanticism and how this movement reacted to the subjective and sentimental aspects of the same. We deepened the notion of "art for art's sake" and its influence on Parnassian poetic creation.

• Main Authors and Works: We made an overview of important authors and their works, highlighting the contribution of each to Symbolism and Parnassianism.

• Key Terms: We explored the key terms of these literary movements, such as "art for art's sake", "despair", and "Alexandrine verses", analyzing how these permeate the works.

Conclusions:

• We gained awareness that Symbolism and Parnassianism, although arising as a reaction to previous movements, are unique and autonomous, with their own characteristics and contributions to Brazilian literature.

• We understood the importance of analyzing key terms and concepts for understanding these literary currents and how they manifest in the works of their authors.

Exercises:

1. Analysis of Symbolist Poetry: Request the reading and analysis of a poem by Cruz e Souza or Alphonsus de Guimaraens, seeking to identify the presence of symbols and the expression of feelings and emotions.

2. Comparison between Parnassianism and Romanticism: Make a comparative table between the characteristics of Parnassianism and Romanticism, highlighting the elements that differentiate and connect these two literary movements.

3. Imitative Writing: Ask students to write a poem in Parnassian or Symbolist style, taking into account the characteristics of each movement discussed in class.