Dos meus amores imagens: a poesia dos periódicos do Porto oitocentista

Abstract

This master's thesis has the main objective of analyzing the poetry published in the magazines A Lira da Mocidade (1849-1850) and Miscelânea Poética (1851-1852), published in Porto in the 19th century. The aim is to contextualize this poetry within the romanticism literary movement, exploring its distinctive characteristics and its impact on the cultural scene of the time. Unlike Lisbon, whose literary prominence is widely recognized, Porto appears as a less explored protagonist in this panorama. Its non-tradition as an established literary center makes it fertile ground for investigating the dynamics of formation and consolidation of literary identities in Portugal. In this context, young authors emerged, often relegated to the margins by the critics of the time, and, over time, even forgotten. It is interesting to note that for many of these poets, the pursuit of literary glory was secondary; his true desire resided in love, in the search for the muse of flesh and blood. Thus, his texts did not aim for literary perfection, but rather to capture the poetic essence of love, making use of the poetic conventions established by figures such as Alexandre Herculano (1810-1877) and Almeida Garrett (1799-1854), even subverting these figures. In addition to serving as spaces for intellectual debate, these magazines functioned as platforms for exchanging loving messages, full of songs, aimed at a young audience eager for emotional and romantic experiences. As the ideals of freedom and equality spread throughout Porto society, women found space for active participation as collaborators and writers, contributing to publications such as Miscelânea Poética and bringing an enriching female perspective to the literary corpus of the time