Poets

Afonso Henrique da Costa Guimarães, known as Alphonsus de Guimaraens, (Ouro Preto, July 24, 1870—Mariana, July 15, 1921) was a Brazilian poet. The poetry of Alphonsus de Guimaraes is substantially mystical and involved with Catholicism. His sonets display a classical structure, and are profoundly religious. They become increasingly sensitive as he explores the meaning of death, of the impossible love, of solitude and of his inadequacy regarding the world. However, the mystical tone marks in his works a feeling of acceptance and of resignation towards life, suffering and pain. Another characteristic aspect of his work ids the use of spirituality in relation to the feminine figure, which is considered to be an angel, or a celestial being.

As a result of that, Guimaraes shows himself not one as a Symbolist but also a follower of Neo-romanticism. His works, predominantly poetic, made him one of the main Symbolist authors in Brazil. In reference to the city he spent most of his life in, he is also called the "loner of Mariana", his "ivory tower of Symbolism" ("o solitário de Mariana" and "torre de marfim do Simbolismo", respectively, in Portuguese).

Biography

Afonso Henriques da Costa Guimarães was born on July 24, 1870 in the city of Ouro Preto in Minas Gerais. He was son of a Portuguese trader, Albino da Costa Guimarães and Francisca de Paula Guimarães Alvim, niece of the Romantic writer Bernardo Guimarães. He enrolled in 1887 in the engineering course of his ..