João Cabral: O humano nas coisas

Abstract

It is known that the poetic stile of modernist poet João Cabral de Melo Neto is characterized by antilirism, constructivism, objectivity, concreteness and reified poetry. However, under this surface, apparently apathetic in relations to the human, pulses something subjective and lyrical that speaks to the intimate of the being. Based in two poems, “Forte De Orange, Itamaracá” and “Pequena Ode Mineral”, this work intends to demonstrate and to assert the symbolic dimension in the João Cabral de Melo Neto’s poetry. For a sense little studied in his poetry, it aims to demonstrate that there is a secondary level of reading and enjoyment of these poems, which occurs through the symbolic interpretation that "speaks" to the reader indirectly. Among the essential theoretical readings, it stands out Antonio Carlos Secchin (2007), Marta Peixoto (1983), Tzvetan Todorov (1979), Mario Ferreira dos Santos (1959; 2000), Antonio Candido (2007), and others. As a result, it was perceived the displacement of the concrete to the abstract, and the symbol as a means to the poet to reach a level of singular lyric manifestation in Brazilian literature, speaking of subjective, intimist and human themes in an indirect and implicit way. In addition, it was verified that his poetic voice is not univocal, this because it allows second intentions and interpretations.