French Literature Reviews - 2026
Brazilian Literature and Identity Construction
Other Literary Studies
Rita Olivieri-Godet, João Ubaldo Ribeiro: Brazilian Literature and Identity Construction
P.U. Rennes, Interférences, 2006
ISBN: 2-7535-0104-1
EAN: 9782753501041
18 €
Publisher's overview:
Abstract
Joao Ubaldo Ribeiro was born in 1941 on the island of Itaparica (State of Bahia, Brazil), a foundational setting that permeates his literary universe. Trained as a lawyer, political science professor, and journalist, he now devotes himself primarily to literature. The author of nine novels as well as several collections of short stories and chronicles, his work has been translated into multiple languages and enjoys both national and international acclaim. Five of his novels have been published in France: Sergent Getulio (Gallimard, 1971); Vila Real (Gallimard, 1986); Vive le peuple brésilien (Belfond, 1959); Le Sourire du lézard and O luxure ou la maison des bouddhas bienheureux (Le Serpent à Plumes, 1998 and 2001). The social dimension of his work, rooted in Brazil's Northeast, is evident in his reinterpretation of the formation of Brazilian society and the often painful process of ethnic and cultural miscegenation. Another key theme is the confrontation between a rustic, primitive Brazil and an urban Brazil aligned with Western models. This first monograph on Ribeiro's work focuses on the author's novels, short stories, and collections of chronicles. Navigating a rich and diverse body of work characterized by linguistic exuberance—whose polyphony exposes the underlying interests embedded within its social discourses—Rita Olivieri-Godet explores the question of identity in contemporary literature. By emphasizing the relationship between narrative strategies and identity representations, this book highlights how Ribeiro's work deconstructs a homogeneous vision of "Brazilianness" and its associated stereotypes. The analysis demonstrates that the author moves beyond the essentialist perspective of identity, instead framing it in relation to history and cultural memory. Furthermore, it underscores the relevance of his work for understanding intercultural relations in modern societies.
Biography
Rita Olivieri-Godet is a Professor of Brazilian Literature at University Rennes 2 and holds a PhD in Literary Theory and Comparative Literature from the University of São Paulo. She has edited and co-edited several works in France and Brazil, including *Le modernisme brésilien* (Université Paris 8, Série Travaux et Documents, 2000); *Figurations identitaires dans la littérature portugaise, brésilienne et africaine de langue portugaise* (Université Paris 8, Série Travaux et Documents, 2002); and *Jorge Amado: leituras e dialogos em torno de uma obra* (Salvador: Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado, 2004).
The study of national identity within Latin American literature often involves interrogating the historical and social narratives that define a country. In the context of Brazilian letters, authors frequently grapple with the legacy of colonization, the complexities of ethnic miscegenation, and the tension between rural traditions and urban modernization. This volume examines the work of João Ubaldo Ribeiro, focusing on how narrative form and linguistic diversity can be used to deconstruct monolithic cultural representations. Readers interested in the intersection of post-colonial identity and contemporary fiction may find this analysis relevant.
The literary landscape of Brazil is characterized by a long tradition of exploring the social and political realities of the nation, particularly through the lens of the Northeast region. This monograph situates Ribeiro's novels, short stories, and chronicles within this tradition, noting his departure from essentialist views of identity. By examining how the author employs polyphonic narrative strategies to address cultural memory and history, the text illustrates the mechanisms through which literature can challenge established social discourses and re-examine concepts of Brazilianness.