Description
?India in Portuguese Literature? was the subject chosen for the author?s research work. Portugal was the first nation to give to Europe in the Middle Ages a knowledge of the legendary countries of the Orient. As the Portuguese were the pioneers of modern civilisation in India and as such promoted the intercourse between the West and the East, it would naturally be interesting to Indologists to know what can be found in the various branches of Portuguese literature concerning India, its peoples, customs, ethnology and its religions. The book begins with an introduction in which are described the characteristics of the Portuguese race, the birth of their nationality, their warlike and adventurous qualities, and their culture. This is followed by four chapters comprising respectively the Classic Epoch, its genesis and its results, the Gongoric, Arcadian and Romantic Schools, each containing a brief historical resume, and a bibliographical and critical review of the works in any branch of written thought, which have any reference to India. It attempts to trace out the instances where Indian lore and literature entered into Portuguese Literature, and also when it did so. The works of about a 100 poets, prose writers, historians, travelers, priests have been sifted and then divided, according to their time into four sectionsthe classical Epoch (14981580), Gongoric School (15801706), the French or Arcadian School (17061826) and the Romantic School and contemporary writers. This book was first published in 1937.
