Jorge Amado and the internationalization of brazilian literature

Authors

  • Elizabeth Lowe University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2013v1n31p119

Abstract

Jorge Amado (1912-2001) is the most translated Brazilian writer and the literary figure that has shaped the reception of Brazilian literature in the world.  He is credited with opening the international literary market to the post-dictatorship generation of Brazilian writers.  Yet Amado is also a controversial figure.  The debate around him is sparked by what some believe is sexual and ethnic stereotyping in his post-1958 works and the reinforcement of "paternalistic "racial views. His reception therefore is mixed. For his English-language readers, he is a fascinating source of exotic and titillating narratives about the vast, unknown country of Brazil, and for Brazilians he is either a "great ambassador of Brazilian culture around the world" or a faux populist who disguises sexist and racist attitudes behind charming prose. This paper will address Amado's literary career, his unique contributions to Brazilian letters, the challenges of translating his work, and his influence on the production of a new Brazilian literature for export

Author Biography

Elizabeth Lowe, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Mrs. Lowe is a professor in the Center for Translation Studies, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign (USA), and she has translated Euclides da Cunha Os Sertões, which had its high quality acknowledged in 2010 by the Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL). Besides acting as a professor, she is the vicepresident of the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) and, among the Brazilian authors she has already translated, it is worth mentioning Machado de Assis, Clarice Lispector, Darcy Ribeiro, Rubem Fonseca e Moacyr Scliar. At the university, she is a specialist in translation theory and pedagogy, teaching courses on translation theory, history, and practice, as well as on terminology and new technologies for technical translation. Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, United States.

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Published

2013-02-25

How to Cite

Lowe, E. (2013). Jorge Amado and the internationalization of brazilian literature. Cadernos De Tradução, 1(31), 119–140. https://doi.org/10.5007/2175-7968.2013v1n31p119

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 31 (2013): Edição Regular

Section

Articles

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