ANGUISH, by Graciliano Ramos
A masterpiece from one of the greatest Brazilian writers
Often compared to Dostoyevsky and William Faulkner, Graciliano Ramos is one of Brazil's greatest and best-selling writers. His work has inspired films, TV series and plays. He was posthumously awarded the William Faulkner Foundation Prize in 1962 for his novel Vidas Secas, translated in the USA as Barren Lives.
ANGUISH
Anguish, by Graciliano Ramos, is a profound psychological exploration of the character Luís da Silva, a modest civil servant in Alagoas. The narrative delves into Luís' worries and torments, exacerbated by loneliness, unrequited love and envy. The book details his internal struggle and the way his past experiences shape his present actions and perceptions, revealing the complexities of the human mind and interpersonal relationships. Through a literary style that combines dense introspection and social criticism, Graciliano Ramos constructs a work that reflects on individual anguish in the face of social and moral pressures. Anguish is an engaging and challenging read, offering an intimate portrait of despair and moral decay.
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Critical reception
He writes of the human soul in bondage; his landscapes like his characters are sun-parched; and his method is that of the social-literary vivisectionist.
Samuel Putnam, American scholar and translator.
The extent of the glory of the novelist of Anguish is no longer in anyone's hands. And if, by chance, due to a natural or political catastrophe, all of Brazilian literature disappeared in a fire and only Graciliano Ramos' books remained, these novels would be enough to justify it: they alone would affirm that in his three centuries of life our literature had not existed in vain.
Rachel de Queiroz, brazilian writer
[Graciliano Ramos, ] who may be considered Brazil's greatest novelist since Machado de Assis. Like Machado (...), Ramos was something of an enigma to his contemporaries, and already he is half hidden in legend.
Fred P. Ellison, American writer and professor at University of Texas.
The Writer
Graciliano Ramos, a distinguished Brazilian writer, was born on October 27, 1892, in Quebrangulo, Alagoas, Brazil. His literary work, deeply rooted in the social and psychological landscapes of Brazil, showcases an enduring exploration of human anguish and societal disparities. The formative years of Ramos’s life in northeastern Brazil deeply informed his narrative style and thematic concerns, reflecting his engagement with the complexities of human existence and societal injustice.
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As the mayor of Palmeira dos Índios, Ramos’s literary prowess began to emerge through the administratively inclined yet profoundly narrative reports he penned about the town's state. These reports revealed his acute observational skills and narrative flair, drawing attention from the Brazilian literary circles and setting the foundation for his literary career.
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His foray into literature with Caetés was followed by the critically acclaimed São Bernardo, which explored the psychological depth and moral complexity of its characters, a hallmark of his writing. However, it was during the publication period of Angústia (Anguish) in 1936, a novel that delves deeply into the existential despair and psychological turmoil of its protagonist, that Ramos faced profound personal adversity. He was arrested and detained without charges or trial, an experience that occurred amidst the repressive political climate of the Getúlio Vargas regime. This period of unwarranted imprisonment marked a critical moment in Ramos's life, profoundly impacting his perspective and subsequently influencing his literary output.
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Despite the adversity, Ramos continued to produce works of significant social and psychological depth, including Vidas Secas (Barren Lives), which portrays the stark reality of Brazilian life through the lens of a family struggling in the drought-plagued Northeast. His experiences of incarceration without due process were later recounted in Memórias do Cárcere (Memories of Prison), offering a poignant reflection on his life and the broader implications of authoritarian governance on the human spirit.
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Ramos's contributions extend beyond novels to include insightful memoirs and short stories, where themes of existential angst and the quest for meaning recur, reflecting both his personal experiences and his observations of the human condition.
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Graciliano Ramos passed away on March 20, 1953, in Rio de Janeiro. His legacy endures through his incisive critiques of Brazilian society, his exploration of the depths of human suffering, and his articulate depiction of the struggle against existential dread, securing his place as a pivotal figure in Brazil's literary canon and as a profound commentator on the universal human experience.