Rachel De Queiroz

Rachel De Queiroz

Date of Birth: 17.11.1910
Country: Brazil

Content:
  1. Raquel de Queiroz: Brazilian Literary Icon
  2. Literary Emergence and Themes
  3. Political Activism and Exile
  4. Transition and Transformation
  5. Accomplished Translator
  6. Literary Legacy and Recognition

Raquel de Queiroz: Brazilian Literary Icon

Early Life and Career

Raquel de Queiroz, born on November 17, 1910, in Fortaleza, Ceará, embarked on a remarkable literary journey. Her family's relocation due to drought shaped her early experiences, influencing her later writings. In 1927, she began her journalistic career under the pseudonym "Rita de Queiroz," also publishing her first modernist poems.

Literary Emergence and Themes

With the resounding success of her debut novel, "O Quinze," in 1930, Queiroz gained widespread recognition. Set in the drought-stricken Northeast, the novel explored the social plight and suffering of the region's inhabitants, a theme that would become central to her literary works. Her subsequent novels, "João Miguel" (1932), "Caminho de Pedras" (1937), and "As Três Marias" (1939), all resonated with similar themes.

Political Activism and Exile

Queiroz's interest in social justice led her to join the Labor and Peasant Bloc in 1928, later aligning with the Trotskyist group in São Paulo. Under increasing scrutiny for her leftist views, she relocated to Maceió in 1935. During the Vargas regime, her books were burned as part of a crackdown on subversive literature.

Transition and Transformation

In 1939, Queiroz moved to Rio de Janeiro and dedicated herself to writing. Her political stances evolved over time, and she supported the military coup in 1964. Queiroz served as Brazil's UN representative and joined the pro-government political party ARENA.

Accomplished Translator

Beyond her literary creations, Queiroz was a renowned translator. Her masterful renditions of works by renowned authors, including Dostoevsky, Remarque, and Austen, enriched Brazilian literature with a diverse array of literary voices.

Literary Legacy and Recognition

In 1977, Queiroz became the first woman elected to the Brazilian Academy of Literature. She received numerous literary accolades, including the Camões Prize (1993) and the Jabuti Prize (1969). Raquel de Queiroz passed away at her home in Rio de Janeiro on November 4, 2003, leaving behind a profound literary legacy as one of Brazil's most celebrated writers.

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