Miguel Torga
Encyclopedia
Miguel Torga, pseudonym of Adolfo Correia da Rocha (São Martinho de Anta
, Sabrosa, Vila Real
district, August 12, 1907 – Coimbra
, January 17, 1995) is considered one of the greatest Portuguese
writers of the 20th century. He wrote poetry
, short storie
s, theater and a 16 volume diary.
region (northern Portugal), to small-time farmer parents Francisco Correia da Rocha and wife Maria da Conceição de Barros. After a short spell as student in a catholic
seminary
in Lamego
, his father sent him to Brazil
in 1920, where he worked on an uncle's coffee plantation. His uncle, finding him to be a clever student, decided to pay for his studies. Torga returned to Portugal in 1925 to complete high school and in 1933 graduated in Medicine
at the University of Coimbra. After graduation he practiced in his village of São Martinho de Anta and in other places around the country. By this time, he started writing and self-publishing his books for a number of years. In 1941, he established himself as an otolaryngologist physician
in Coimbra
.
He married Belgian Lecturer
Andrée Crabbé and had an only daughter, Clara Crabée da Rocha (b. Coimbra
, 1955), Literature Lecturer and second wife in 1985 of Vasco Graça Moura
.
His agnostic beliefs are reflected on his work, which deals mainly with the nobility of the human condition in a beautiful but ruthless world where God is either absent or nothing but a passive and silent, indifferent creator.
The recognition of his work earned him several important awards, as the Montaigne Prize, in 1981, and the first ever Prémio Camões in 1989.
He was several times nominated for the Nobel Prize
of Literature, from 1960 to 1994, and it was often believed that he would be the first Portuguese language writer to win it (José Saramago
would eventually become the first Portuguese literary Nobel winner in 1998). Jorge Amado
several times stated that Torga deserved the honour and the 1978 nomination had the support of Vicente Aleixandre
, the winner of the previous year.
São Martinho de Anta (Sabrosa)
São Martinho de Anta is a civil parish in the municipality of Sabrosa in the district of Vila Real. The small parish extends into an area of 15.95 km², and includes a minor population of 870 inhabitants...
, Sabrosa, Vila Real
Vila Real (district)
The District of Vila Real is a district of northern Portugal. With an area of 4,239 km², the district is located west of the port city of Porto and north of the Douro River. Vila Real has always belonged to the historical province of Tras-os-Montes. Approximate population in the 2001...
district, August 12, 1907 – Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, January 17, 1995) is considered one of the greatest Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
writers of the 20th century. He wrote poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, short storie
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
s, theater and a 16 volume diary.
Life
He was born in the village of São Martinho de Anta in the Trás-os-Montes e Alto DouroTrás-os-Montes e Alto Douro
Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro is a historical province of Portugal located in the northeastern corner of the country. Vast plateaus, river valleys, mountains, and castles abound in Trás os Montes e Alto Douro....
region (northern Portugal), to small-time farmer parents Francisco Correia da Rocha and wife Maria da Conceição de Barros. After a short spell as student in a catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Lamego
Lamego
Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants Lamego is a municipality in northern Portugal, with a population of 27,054 inhabitants (the catchment of the city of...
, his father sent him to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1920, where he worked on an uncle's coffee plantation. His uncle, finding him to be a clever student, decided to pay for his studies. Torga returned to Portugal in 1925 to complete high school and in 1933 graduated in Medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
at the University of Coimbra. After graduation he practiced in his village of São Martinho de Anta and in other places around the country. By this time, he started writing and self-publishing his books for a number of years. In 1941, he established himself as an otolaryngologist physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
in Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
.
He married Belgian Lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
Andrée Crabbé and had an only daughter, Clara Crabée da Rocha (b. Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, 1955), Literature Lecturer and second wife in 1985 of Vasco Graça Moura
Vasco Graça Moura
Vasco Navarro da Graça Moura, OSE is a Portuguese lawyer, writer, translator and politician, son of Francisco José da Graça Moura and wife Maria Teresa Amado da Cunha Seixas Navarro de Castro, of Northern Portugal bourgeoisie.He was a Member of the European Parliament for the Social Democratic...
.
Literary work and recognition
He was a member of the literary movement Presença for a short period before founding two cultural magazines in the 1930s. After the publication of the book O Quarto Dia da Criação do Mundo he was arrested for two months, between December 1939 and February 1940.His agnostic beliefs are reflected on his work, which deals mainly with the nobility of the human condition in a beautiful but ruthless world where God is either absent or nothing but a passive and silent, indifferent creator.
The recognition of his work earned him several important awards, as the Montaigne Prize, in 1981, and the first ever Prémio Camões in 1989.
He was several times nominated for the Nobel Prize
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
of Literature, from 1960 to 1994, and it was often believed that he would be the first Portuguese language writer to win it (José Saramago
José Saramago
José de Sousa Saramago, GColSE was a Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, poet, playwright and journalist. His works, some of which can be seen as allegories, commonly present subversive perspectives on historic events, emphasizing the human factor. Harold Bloom has described Saramago as "a...
would eventually become the first Portuguese literary Nobel winner in 1998). Jorge Amado
Jorge Amado
Jorge Leal Amado de Faria was a Brazilian writer of the Modernist school. He was the best-known of modern Brazilian writers, his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in film, notably Dona Flor and her Two Husbands in 1978...
several times stated that Torga deserved the honour and the 1978 nomination had the support of Vicente Aleixandre
Vicente Aleixandre
Vicente Pío Marcelino Cirilo Aleixandre y Merlo was a Spanish poet who was born in Seville. Aleixandre was a Nobel Prize laureate for Literature in 1977. He was part of the Generation of '27. He died in Madrid in 1984....
, the winner of the previous year.
Poetry
- Ansiedade (1928)
- Rampa (1930)
- O Outro Livro de Job (1936)
- Lamentação (1943)
- Nihil Sibi (1948)
- Cântico do Homem (1950)
- Alguns Poemas Ibéricos (1952)
- Penas do Purgatório (1954)
- Orfeu Rebelde (1958)
Fiction
- Pão Ázimo (1931)
- Criação do Mundo. Os Dois Primeiros Dias (1937; autobiographicAutobiographyAn autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
basis) - O Terceiro Dia da Criação do Mundo (1938; autobiographic basis)
- O Quarto Dia da Criação do Mundo (1939; autobiographic basis)
- O Quinto Dia da Criação do Mundo (1974; autobiographic basis)
- O Sexto Dia da Criação do Mundo (1981; autobiographic basis)
- Bichos (1940; short storiesShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
) - Contos da Montanha (1941; short storiesShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
) - Tales From The Mountain (1991; English) (Portuguese: Contos da Montanha)
- O Senhor Ventura (1943; novelNovelA novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
) - Novos Contos da Montanha (1944; short storiesShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
) (English:New Tales from the Mountain) - Vindima (1945)
- Fogo Preso (1976)
Prizes
- Prémio Diário de NotíciasDiário de NotíciasDiário de Notícias is a Portuguese daily newspaper, founded in Lisbon, on December 29, 1864 by Tomás Quintino Antunes and Eduardo Coelho. It gradually became one of the best known Portuguese newspapers...
(1969) - Prémio Internacional de Poesia (1977)
- Montaigne Prize (1981)
- Prémio Camões (1989)
- Prémio Vida Literária da Associação Portuguesa de Escritores (1992)
- Prémio da Crítica, for his entire work (1993)
See also
- Portuguese PoetryPortuguese poetry-History:The earliest Portuguese poetry was produced in Galicia, today a Spanish province that shares some similarities with Portuguese culture. Like the troubadour culture in the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe, Galician-Portuguese poets sang the love for a woman, that often turned into...