Lyric, experience and autobiography: João Cabral and the “Discovery of literature”

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to develop a reading of João Cabral de Melo Neto’s poem “Descoberta da literatura”, in which by the thematization of infant memory, it seems to distinguish from the previous cabralinian’s poetry due to its contrasting expression of the self. Thus, we point out that the notion of autobiographical pact developed by Philippe Lejeune is not enough to deal with the complexities between the speaker and the empirical self. In this regard, we present a reading that moves the angle from autobiographical elements of the empirical self in order to highlight a specific literary and intelectual experience of the poet, especially the significance of popular literature in the construction of that poetic itinerary.