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sonovahades's review against another edition
i literally started reading this for class, cuz i need it for studied but i just can't return to it. it seems impossible. i just can't. mby someday, but not now.
uhambe_nami's review against another edition
5.0
Para conhecer a literatura e história portuguesa, onde melhor começar do que com a epopeia Os Lusíadas? É surpreendente a facilidade com que Camões escreveu sobre a história de Portugal, descrevendo em detalhes a tragédia de Inês de Castro, o cerco de Lisboa de 1147 em que os cruzados ajudaram o rei Afonso para expulsar os mouros; a batalha de Badajoz, em 1169, onde o mesmo rei Afonso teve a má sorte de quebrar a perna, e muito mais - e tudo isso enquanto se encontrava num barco em caminho para a Índia sem qualquer acesso a uma biblioteca.
Imagino que todos temos as nossas passagens favoritas... Eu gosto muito destas linhas sobre o cerco de Badajoz:
Que estando na cidade, que cercara,
Cercado nela foi dos Lioneses,
Porque a conquista dela lhe tomara,
De Lião sendo, e não dos Portugueses.
A pertinácia aqui lhe custa cara,
Assim como acontece muitas vezes,
Que em ferros quebra as pernas, indo aceso
A batalha, onde foi vencido e preso.
Vasco da Gama era um bruto e não merece os elogios e admiração que Camões lhe concede nesta obra. No entanto, a poesia de Os Lusíadas é sublime, não há nada que compara com isso na literatura portuguesa.
Imagino que todos temos as nossas passagens favoritas... Eu gosto muito destas linhas sobre o cerco de Badajoz:
Que estando na cidade, que cercara,
Cercado nela foi dos Lioneses,
Porque a conquista dela lhe tomara,
De Lião sendo, e não dos Portugueses.
A pertinácia aqui lhe custa cara,
Assim como acontece muitas vezes,
Que em ferros quebra as pernas, indo aceso
A batalha, onde foi vencido e preso.
Vasco da Gama era um bruto e não merece os elogios e admiração que Camões lhe concede nesta obra. No entanto, a poesia de Os Lusíadas é sublime, não há nada que compara com isso na literatura portuguesa.
evgeorge's review
adventurous
funny
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
This is a book of fiction written closely following the actual events and using the style of the Aeneid. It is the story of Vasco da Gama’s voyage to Calcutta, India written by an explorer of the next generation of Portuguese mariners. Camoes incorporates the Greek Gods, fantasy islands and several hostilities between the explorers and the Muslim communities they encounter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Classism, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Blood, and Xenophobia
abarbaramf's review against another edition
1.0
Eu sei que me devia sentir mal por só dar uma estrela a isto, mas convenhamos: é uma imitação barata de clássicos gregos; está escrito de uma forma tão rígida, sempre com as mesmas sílabas e número de versos, que se calhar o próprio Camões gostaria de ter dito outra coisa nalgumas situações; e é mais uma das obras que contribui para a tão conhecida mentalidade do "ai coitadinhos de nós um dia tivemos um país tão grandioso".
Não me sinto mal, não.
Não me sinto mal, não.
jklbookdragon's review
This foundational work of Portuguese literature is worth reading for that reason, but it is not easy for a modern reader. It alternates between praising the Portuguese as godly Christians (described in contrast to the awful Mohammedans) and showing scenes of the Greek gods and goddesses manipulating their fate, which is rather a disconcerting effect of the author trying too hard to be Virgil. It also glorifies war and empire, is almost entirely from a male point of view (how many of the men cavorting with nymphs on an island paradise had wives waiting for them at home?), and treats as pagan barbarians pretty much anyone who isn't Portuguese. Today, it's hard to see centuries of cultural appropriation and annihilation, slavery, oppression, etc. that were the result of these and other voyages portrayed in such a positive light. The introduction (which I read afterwards) mentions that the Portuguese were more interested in trade than conquest, so I guess that's a mark in their favor? Anyway, I can see why big statues to navigators are fairly recently going up in Portugal and there is no mention of any downsides of empire to be found in museums there today if this is where they're coming from, which makes it even more discouraging. I can only hope that schools in Portugal provide students with a more balanced history these days.
jenn756's review against another edition
3.0
The Lusiads was written to celebrate Vasco Da Gama’s circumnavigation of Africa in 1497. Camoes had evidently read The Odyssey, for he tries to link Da Gama’s story to the Homerian epic, complete with assorted Greek gods and nymphs. It must have taken considerable mental gymnastics to equate the pantheon of Greek gods with the Catholic faith but I suppose he had the excuse of it being a literary device.
Da Gama travels around Africa encountering terrible storms and unfriendly natives along the way before reaching his goal of India. The aim was to provide a secure sea route to India and its lucrative spice trade, thus avoiding the numerous taxes and tolls from the overland route.
To me Camoes is definitely at his strongest when he is describing the actual journey – there is an authenticity in his account because Camoes did travel to India himself, so knew what he was talking about. There is inevitably a great deal of bumptiousness and glorification of Portugal, as an anointed nation, which is par for the course in national epics.
There is the most bizarre section at the end when Da Gama and his ship end up on a kind of island of love as a reward for the labours, with a great number of attractive nymphs competing for attention. Seems like wishful thinking to me.
I made my usual mistake of buying the cheap translation, so probably a poorer edition than I could have read. A decent translation is really important in a novel like this.
Da Gama travels around Africa encountering terrible storms and unfriendly natives along the way before reaching his goal of India. The aim was to provide a secure sea route to India and its lucrative spice trade, thus avoiding the numerous taxes and tolls from the overland route.
To me Camoes is definitely at his strongest when he is describing the actual journey – there is an authenticity in his account because Camoes did travel to India himself, so knew what he was talking about. There is inevitably a great deal of bumptiousness and glorification of Portugal, as an anointed nation, which is par for the course in national epics.
There is the most bizarre section at the end when Da Gama and his ship end up on a kind of island of love as a reward for the labours, with a great number of attractive nymphs competing for attention. Seems like wishful thinking to me.
I made my usual mistake of buying the cheap translation, so probably a poorer edition than I could have read. A decent translation is really important in a novel like this.
mariana_cscs's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
franciscouto_almeida's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5