Antropofagia como visão de mundo: um convite à leitura de Oswald de Andrade

Abstract

This master's thesis in Brazilian Literature aims to expand the reflection on the work of Oswald de Andrade. The writer is best known for his participation in Modern Art Week - in the halls of the Municipal Theater of São Paulo - than by his writings about the Mangue - central region of Rio de Janeiro and inhabited by houses of prostitution, informal workers, and candomblés until the middle of the 20th century. Although many moments of Oswald de Andrade's life are mentioned, the main focus is on the 50s, which denotes not only the death of the modernist, in 1954, but also an era of combative literature and the review of the ideals presented in the Modern Art Week. The publishing of A crise da filosofia messiânica (1950), A marcha das utopias (1953) and the definite version of O santeiro do Mangue: mistério gozozo em forma de ópera (1950) attests the vitality of an irate Oswald de Andrade, who seems to insist on utopia and counter-discourse, even in a more difficult time, with many debts to pay and with poor health. Furthermore, Diário confessional (1948 - 1954) is also studied as an important record from the same time. Weaving relations between the 20th century and our 21st century, this thesis proves that the ideals of Oswald de Andrade are still useful for thinking about the dilemmas of Brazilian society and, therefore, a source of inspiration for new artistic works, such as made by the singer Elza Soares on the album A mulher do fim do mundo (2015). It’s expected, this way, to propose a broader reading of Oswald de Andrade’s work including, as a priority, the gesture of critical devouring - in a thesis that can also be read as a rehearsal of new approaches to Modernism, because it didn’t limit itself to a specific cutting, wanting to eat everything that was produced by Oswald de Andrade, to extract the juice of this great contester of Brazilian intelligence.