The Poor (Portuguese Literature)

The Poor (Os Pobres, 1906), by Portuguese author Raúl Brandao is a powerful tribute to the underclasses. Innovative thematically and stylistically, the novel consists of loosely connected vignettes on two narrative levels: the lives of prostitutes, where the inexorable need for love is transformed into a means for survival; and the life of Gebo, a seemingly slovenly man, with neither sentiment nor intelligence. Instead, as he searches tirelessly for work -- and loves his daughter and wife with tenderness and constancy -- he is revealed as a victim of the economic situation in Portugal. With prescience, Brandao emphasizes the interdependence between nature and humankind by intertwining descriptions of the physical and human surroundings, while his depictions of desperation, sorrow and violence prefigure the works of contemporary Portuguese writers.

Author: Raul Brandao, Karen Sotelino

Publisher: Dalkey Archive Press

Publication Date: Jul 22, 2016

Number of Pages: 177 pages

Language: English

Binding: Paperback

ISBN-10: 1564787648

ISBN-13: 9781564787644