(Un)desired decomposition: the topic of death in the poetry of Augusto dos Anjos and Manuel Bandeira

Abstract

This work analyzes the topic of death in the work of Brazilian poets Augusto dos Anjos and Manuel Bandeira, taking into account the aesthetic procedures that are striking in their styles. It seeks to un­derstand how these poets construct a discourse on death and its implications, such as the anguish that accompanies life. The lyricism in the poetic use of the morbid subject is a point of primordial meeting between the two poets; but, as we shall see, the possibilities of approximations and withdrawals between dos Anjos and Bandeira are not limited to the choice of theme or genre. The first uses the Parnassian language and Symbolist references to express itself; but, by basing his work on the influence of scientificism to explain death and decomposition of matter, escapes the mystical reverence. The second often operates under the key of melancholy to make poetry, but as his poetry, becoming more and more modern, dissolves the rhythm and other categories of traditional poetry, making it closer to prose, presents two recurrent tendencies of reflection on lack and finitude – the abasement of death upon the self and the absence of the other – as well as, using surprising and irreverent metaphors and death figures, defy its power. For this, critical studies on the authors are used, especially the contributions of Arrigucci Jr. (1987, 1990); Gullar (2016); Paes (1985, 2003); Prado (2004); Rosenbaum (2002); Rosenfeld (1996).