The Poetry of the Discovery of America: Spaces of Tradition and Renewal

Abstract

The heirs of Columbus (1991), by Vizenor, and A caravela dos insensatos (2006), by Novaes, are the focus of the present study. By retelling the past, the Canadian narrative highlights aspects such as miscegenation, hybridization and the fusion of American cultures. These images are opposed to those of Columbus presented in the Brazilian literature, as one can see in A caravela dos insensatos (2006), by Novaes. In the Canadian universe, the past is recollected on the basis of the oral culture of the natives, who today, take part in the American capitalist society. The fusion of aspects turned to the hybridity, miscegenation and symbiosis of the native and European cultures is presented on innovative perspectives by Vizenor, while the fiction of Novaes follows the traditional historical novel, evoking exalting images of Columbus. Key words: Contemporary American Historical Novel; Poetry of the Discovery; Hybridity; Miscegenation; Amerindian Culture