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Modern Language Studies



Maxims in "Grande Sertão: Veredas"
Author(s): Thomas J. Braga
Reviewed work(s):
Source: Modern Language Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Summer, 1992), pp. 76-83
Published by: Modern Language Studies
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3195221 .
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in     Sertio: Veredas
               Maxims Grande
                            Thomas Braga
                                 J.


       When the historyof twentieth-century    Brazilian literatureis
writtenin the next century,Joao Guimaraes Rosa's Grande Sertio:
Veredas will undoubtedly  emergeas the singlemostimportant   workof
fiction the period. Vast and varied have been the numerouscritical
        of
works devoted to thismajor authorwho has already been proclaimed
the equal of Machado de Assis. Curiouslyenough,however,relatively
littleattentionhas been accorded the didactic aspect of the novel in
generaland its maximsin particular. Yet the narrator Riobaldo makes
                                 of              his         in
a pointquite earlyin the narrative underscoring interest litera-
tureof moralinstruction:

      Em tanto, ponhoprimazia naleitura
                            e          proveitosa, de santo,
                                                vida       virtudes
      e exemplos-missiondrio espertoengambelandoos indios,ou Sao
                de
      Francisco Assis, SantoAnt6nio, Geraldo... Eu gostomuito
                                     Sao                        de
      moral.Raciocinar,exortar outros
                              os       para o bom caminho,
                                                         aconselhar
      a justo.(14)

        Indeed, a close reading of the work reveals more than four
hundred(400)1statements      thatcould be qualifiedin varying    degreesas
either  maximsin theconventional     sense of theword meaning"a concise
formulation a fundamental
               of                principleor rule of conduct,"or in an ex-
tendedinterpretation    meaning             in
                                 moralizing toneorperspective.     Without
pretending    to exhaustthe subject,it is the purpose of thisbriefessay to
filla real lacuna in Rosian studiesby concentrating thosemaximsthat
                                                       on
deal withthe fourmost frequently       cited themes,namely (1) the sertdo
and the jagunqo, (2) lifeand death, (3) God and the devil, and (4) love
                   On
and friendship. another       level, carefully interwoven  intothetext, the
maxims serve five (5) important       functions  that give the narrativeits
structural   and thematicunity.Firstly,by theirsheer frequency,the
maximsestablishtextualcoordinatesby focusingattention the four  on
major themesin an otherwiseillusive,ambiguous and ellipticalnovel.
Even forBrazilianreaders,Grande Sertdo:Veredas presentsproblems
of interpretation   because of itsconvolutedsyntax    and style.Riobaldo is
clearlyaware thathisreader-interlocutor notfully
                                            may           understand  what
he has to say. "Falo por palavras tortas"(457). But the maximsare very
often  couched ina moresuccinct,    simpler, easilyaccessiblelanguage,
                                             and
even when theyimplythe unintelligible:      "Mas a vida nao 6 entendivel"
(131). Equally important, maximsplay a role of primeimportance
                             the
in identifying the reader the thread,thefilconducteurof the work,
                 for
namelythat is a dangerous
              life               business:"Viver6 neg6ciomuitoperigoso"
(10). Secondly,the aural presence of the silentinterlocutor,     Doutor, is
suggestedby the factthatRiobaldo triesto elicita reassuring        response
by phrasing maximsveryoftenin theformof a questionand thereby
               his

76
attemptingreaffirm analysis what taken
            to            his            of       has        place:"A gente   vive
nao 6 caminhando costas?"
                      de              (522). In other situations, he contrasts  his
opinions  withthoseof hisfriend          Quelem6m.     Thistechnique further
                                                                         is
reinforced suchexpressions "O senhor
            by                         as             aprova?"(10) or "Senhor
o que acha?"(12). Thirdly, most and          importantly, maxims
                                                           the          represent
a richand variedcompendium sertanejo    of             folklore wisdomby
                                                                 and
        a
treatinggreat              of
                 variety subjects        which   givethenarrative itslocal
                                                                    both
coloras well as itsbroad universal           appeal. Fourthly,    structurally the
maxims   appearas reference                 in
                                    points theworkto immobilize plot       the
in theeternal  present    whilealluding thepastand future.
                                             to                       Maxims    by
theirvery   nature universally therefore, are outsidethe
                     are                  true,             they
temporal  distance theplot:"No realda vida,as coisasacabamcom
                      of
menos  formato, acabam"(79). Fifthly,
                  nem                               Guimaraes    Rosa effectively
              in
usesmaxims a creative oflanguage, irate'o raboda palavra"
                              use                  "de
toconvey  more   than verbal
                        the                    As
                                      reality. Jos6   Carlos  Garbuglio    affirms:
"O  mundo6 a palavra"(46). Rosa synthesizes extrapolatesand                 experi-
ence to createanother                                           in
                             dimension, verbalmythos the existential
                                            a
dilemmaof being,not unlike othergreatmyth
                                       the                      makerof Latin-
American   literature   Gabriel   GarciaMarquez.Riobaldoinvents           because
"Avidainventa! porque vida6 mutirdo todos, todos
                  ...           a                  de         por        remexida
e temperada"   (430).
       Riobaldo narratorona difficult
                  as            is                 moral  quest: "Contar muito,
                                                                          e6
muito  dificultoso"   (712).He is attempting unravel mystery his
                                                   to          the           of
experiences   amongthe iagunqosin generaland his personalmoral
dilemma,  specifically    whether devilexists ifso whether has
                                      the              and                  he
signed pactwith
       a               him.Consequently, desire knowis a desire
                                                his        to                    to
distinguish absolutes,   absolute    right from  absolute wrong, the
                                                                   and certain
from uncertain. theother
     the               All             themes            or
                                                directly indirectly upon
                                                                      hinge
thisdifferentiation. nottherefore
                       It is                   surprising a goodlynumber
                                                          that
of maxims,   somefifty     (50), are devotedto thesertioand theiagunqo,
forthesertdo                   the
                represents allegorical            backdropwherethisconflict
takesplace. Butthesertdo physicalas             place cannot circumscribed:
                                                               be
        6
"Sertao semlugar"        (331)."O             6
                                      sertdo do tamanho mundo"do            (68). It
has neither  entrance    norexit-"O sertao        nao temjanelasnemportas"
(462)-because basically sertdo within
                              the           is        man'spsyche, mind-set:
                                                                      a
        6
"Sertao dentro gente"
                   da            (289).The mosttypical       characteristicthe
                                                                             of
sertio as a view of life is both its illusivenatureand its inherent
contradiction:  "Sertio6 isto,o senhor          sabe: tudoincerto,    tudocerto"
                  6
(146)."O sertao confusio grande   em            demasiado   sossego"  (423).Very
oftenRiobaldo    reverts personification
                           to                    inorder givea familiar
                                                          to                  fixed
form projection that
      and                to       which basically
                                           is           amorphous:   "Sertionao
6 malino nemcaridoso eletira da,ou agrada amarga, senhor,
                          ...           ou                 ou           ao
conforme senhor
           o           mesmo"      (487).The sertdo    surrounds challenges
                                                                   and
man:"Sert'o6 isto: senhor
                       o          empurra tr's,masde repente volta
                                              para                        ele
a rodearo senhor lados" (267). The sertdo in perpetual
                      de                                is                agitation
becausewaris constantly                    its
                              reshaping violent                     "A
                                                      contortions: guerra       era
o constante mexer sertdo,comocomo vento seca6 que as arvores
                     do           e                      da
se entortammais" (337). In fact,veryoftenin the maximsthe sertio is
compared to the armaments war and violence-"O grande sertio 6
                            of

                                                                             77
a forte arma, Deus 6 umgatilho"                      it
                                    (320)--because is associated      with  the
socialoutcast, criminal:
                the            "Sertio6 o penal,criminal.      Sertao6 onde
homemtemde tera duranuca e mao quadrada"(102). Illusion                    and
contradiction,  beneficence    and destruction, are reduced to one
                                                   all
nebulous              for
           confusion, thesertdio      generallyignores welfare man
                                                          the          of
and recognizes absolutes
                 no             other thanitself: sertao sabe s6 por
                                                  "O           se
alto.Mas, ou ele ajuda,com enorme        poder,ou 6 traigoeiro      muito   de-
sastroso" (497).
       Itisthe jagunqo  himself best
                                 who      incarnates enigmatic
                                                      the             sertdio-
"Jagungo o sertao"
           6           (291)-forhe hassubsumed ruggedness the
                                                       the               of
localeby hissurvival    mentality:  "Sertao ondeo pensamento gente
                                           6                          da
se forma   maisforte que o poderdo lugar"(24). His activities
                       do                                                   are
antithetical theconstraints society, he exercises willby
             to                  of          and                  free
simplybeing what he is, an outlaw:"Ningu6m               nunca foi jagungo
obrigado"(538). The jagunqoneeds conflict,          challenge    and physical
          to
hardship define              in
                    himself opposition thenorms socialbehavior:
                                           to              of
"Que jagungo   amolecequandonao padece" (274).His happiness in           lies
constant  turmoil, violent movement horseback:
                                       on                          do
                                                        "Alegria jagungo
6 o movimento     galopado"(526).In manyways,theJagunqo a stoic      is
forwhomgood and evil,right wrong, all reduced an amoral
                                  and         are                to
neutral stance-"Jagungo, que 6, quase que nuncapensaem reto"
                             pelo
                             nao
(257)-because "Jagungo se escabreiacom perda nem derrota-
quase que tudo para ele 6 igual" (52). Unlikethe narrator              who is
desperately         to
             trying sort the"why" "wherefore" hislife,
                            out            and                  of          the
jagunqodoes notreasonwhy, simply  he         acceptsthegivenas is: "Nao
podendoentender razaoda vida,6 s6 assim se pode serverobom
                    a                            que
jagungo"   (533). Butlikethenarrator, jagunqois in thetemporal
                                         the                                 in
a solitary "O sertao umaespera
          wait:           6             enorme"  (538)."Sertio o sozinho"
                                                                  6
(289).The jagunqo-sertdio encompasses that "O sertao
                            bond                 all       is:            tudo
nao aceita?"(455).In contrast,     Riobaldoby hisrationalizingtheoddis
manoutinthis     jagunqo-sertiio  setting he is trying makesenseout
                                         for               to
of,drawa conclusion     from pronounce final
                              and             a        judgment whathe
                                                                   on
hasseen, thereader reminded "Quemjulga, morreu"
          yet            is            that                 ji           (251).
       Anequal number maxims, fewer
                           of           no        than   forty-eight are
                                                                      (48),
devotedto thelife-death     cyclebutwith    reference thenexus
                                                         to             sertdio-
jagungo.  Riobaldois seeking philosophy lifeand a classical
                                a             of                        modus
vivendi:                      6 que
          "Aprender-a-viver 6 o viver,           mesmo"(546). Curiously
         all
enough thecharacteristics                in
                                 evident themaxims                  the
                                                           treating sertido
andthejagunqo alsopresent those
                  are              in      maxims   addressing    thequestion
       and        in
oflife death general. isillusory-"A
                              Life                gente   vive6mesmo       para
se desiludir desmisturar"
              e                  (137)-but is ungovernable        because of
constant  changeand an innate      feeling it really
                                          that            does notbelongto
us:"A vidada gente setevoltas diz. A vidanem6 da gente"
                      faz             se                                 (145).
Of all thesensations  associated  with sight speechareespecially
                                       life,     and
singled for
         out comment:       "Poucose vivee muito va" (429).Deathon
                                                      se
theother   handis realistically identified theolfactory
                                           with                  sensation: "A
tudo, cheiro morte
      o        de        velha.O mau-fetido vaiterminar
                                               que                 mazelando
a gente"  (330). Butlifeis also a songand speechis itslyrical         manifes-
tation-"Tudo, nesta vida 6 muitocantivel" (455)-caught in the
78
of
cacaphony constant        change turmoil" vida6 umvagovariado"
                                    and             "A
(467). Silenceby contrast associated
                              is             with    death:"Ficarcalado 6 que
6 falar mortos" Hope anddespair ata continual
       nos           (43).                        are                 tug-of-war:
"A vida 6 ingrata maciode si; mastranstrazesperanqa
                    no                                   a             mesmodo
meiodo feldo desespero"      (207).Lifefrequently      resembles devil
                                                                    the        more
thanit does God: "A vida 6 muito         discordada.     Tem partes,    temartes.
Tem as neblinas Siruiz.
                   de           Tem as carastodasdo Cao, e as vertentes
do viver"(471). Lifeis thetemporal cannot delayed-"A vida
                                            that           be
naodi demora nada"(223)-becauseithasbeenpreordained:
                em                                                           "Antes
de menino  nascer, de suamorte marcada"
                    hora                 esti               (473).There three
                                                                          are
       that
things lifedemands us-courage,inquisitiveness, goals:"O
                            of                                      and
correr vida embrulha
       da                   tudo,a vida e6     assim:              e
                                                       esquenta esfria,      aperta
e dai afrouxa,  sossegae depoisdesinquieta. que ela querda gente
                                                     O                             6
coragem"(297). Whatlifeteachesus if anything to pose further   is
questions:             se
           "Vivendo, aprende, o que se aprende,
                                      mas                         mais6s6 a fazer
outras maiores   perguntas"    (385-386).                    is
                                           Beingethical notas difficult           as
determining  one's goals in life:"O mais dificil           nao 6 um ser bom e
proceder  honesto;   dificultoso,            6
                                    mesmo, umsaberdefinido que quer,  o
e tero poderde irat6no raboda palavra"            (162-163).
                  to
       Contrary life,      deathpresents imperatives it is always
                                              less                 for
concealed ourpreoccupations the
           by                         with living the   and minutiae daily of
life:"Com os vivos6 que a gente         escondeos mortos"         (339). Nor does
itinvolve struggle; gives
          a            it        itself naturally:
                                      up               "Morrer,             a
                                                                   morrer,gente
semluxose cede" (141).It is theinstantaneous             without   forewarning    or
       "Um
fright: homem         morre que vive, susto instantaneamente"
                              mais             sem          de
(543).Thusthejagunqo histaciturnity
                           by                    is moreassociated     with   death
than with itself:
          life       "Quemvaimorrermatar,  e          podeter    conversa?"   (190).
Ironically, as thesertdo
           just                 reverses natural
                                          the            order things, does
                                                                of         so
deathrevealcontrarily intervention God: "A morte o sobrevir
                           the                 of                    6
de Deus,entornadamente" Alltalkofdeath bytheliving
                               (305).                       is                about
misfortune is alwayspast:"A morte corisco
            that                                6            que sempre veio"
                                                                           ja
                  6
(200)."A morte paraos que morrem"              (223).Lifelikewaris thegiven
thatneedsno further     explanation:                        6
                                       "Vida,e guerra, o que 6" (214).
       Without   going far PauloHecker
                        so as                       Filhowhoconsiders       Grande
Sertdo: Veredas "Fausto
                  the            sertanejo" Brazilian
                                             of             literature itcould
                                                                      (5),
be easily argued   that Riobaldo's    moral   questlyrically    addresses key
                                                                            the
issueof thedevil'sexistence hispersonal
                                   and                  relationship  withhimin
theform a pactin general hispursuit theenemy
          of                      and                of              Herm6genes
inparticular, latter ultimately causethedeath the
             the         who               will                     of beloved
Reinaldo-Diadorim.The epigraph"O diabo na rua no meio do
redemoinho"               in
              repeated thetext thenarrative
                                       of                  clearly  focuses the
                                                                              on
demonicintercession whattranspires forms secondfilcon-
                         of                       and           a
         in
ducteur thework.No fewer             than  thirty-seven maxims
                                                           (37)           alludeto
either devilor God, or both.The ethical
       the                                             question   invariably   leads
toan ontological theological
                   and                             if
                                      dilemma; thedevilexists, exists. God
In a seeming   contradiction,    Riobaldotransposes terms suggest
                                                           the        to           a
playful twist thesubject;
             on                 God exists thedeviltranscends
                                            but                          existence:
"Deusexiste  mesmo    quando hI. Maso dem6nio precisa existir
                             n-o                n-o                       de
parahaver-a gente      sabendoque ele nio existe, 6 que ele tomaconta
                                                          ai
                                                                            79
de tudo"(56).What                  is
                         Riobaldo really             is
                                            seeking consent,      permission,   the
right  to possess   and to be whathe is: "Se nao temDeus, entdo, gente     a
                     de
nao temlicenga coisanenhuma"               (56). Thusthenarrator     playsa cat-
and-mouse     gamewith reader-interlocutor2
                            the                       concerning    existence  and
non-existence, verysame game thatGod seemsto play withhis
                  the
creatures thedevil:"E preciso Deus existir gente,
            and                            de                a          mais6 do
                 a
diabodivertirgente         comsuadelenenhuma        existencia"   (292).Riobaldo
who by temperament           clearlyleans towardsGod's existence,           posits,
                                 in
however, middleground an attempt place himself
            a                                     to                  outside   the
ontological-theological     dilemma:   "Nao soudo demoe nao soude Deus"
(461).Throughout maximsthe           God and thedevil,    absolute   goodandits
contrary    absoluteevil are depictedin anthropomorphic                termsand
metaphorical    imagery. devilmanifests
                            The                   himself   mostly  through   very
descriptive   harsh   emotional  attitudes in theform Herm6genes's
                                            and                 of
rugged projectionwhile God's presenceis evidenced by genteel
emotional    states  moreakinto Diadorim's        mannerisms. demonic
                                                                 The              is
physical              the
           prowess, God-like         affective angelic. as thejagungo
                                               and            Just
incarnates the characteristics the sertdio, also visually
              all                        of               he                   and
physically   reflects devil's
                      the        harshness his
                                             by brute     force domination:
                                                                 and
"Quemvence,6 custoso          nao ficar   com a cara de dem6nio"        (333). But
very  often  while devil brutal, canbetray: diabo,6 as brutas;
                     the      is         God               "O
mas Deus 6 traigoeiro!" Of all thesensations
                              (22).                          associated  withthe
demonic,    sight, voyeuristic thefurtive singled for
                    the              and              are          out special
consideration: diabo vige,diabo quer 6 ver" (510). "O diabo vige
                  "O
dentro homem, crespos homem-ou 6 o homem
         do             os          do                              arruinado,   ou
o homem avessos"(10). Butwhatprecisely thefeatures the
             dos                                         are                 of
devil's visage?   "Maisfeiono dem6nio o nariz os beigos"
                                             6         e             (535).God's
physical              are                                in
           features neveralludedto directly favorof a positive
description certain
              of                       traits
                          personality dealing         with  strong  character  and
demeanor-aboveall joyand patience:             "Deus 6 paciencia. contrario,
                                                                     O
6 o diabo," (16) or "Deus 6 alegriae coragem-que Ele 6 bondade
adiante"(292). God is alwaysdefinitive          whilethedevilis illusive       and
evasive:  "Deus 6definitivamente;       o demo6 o contririo     Dele" (39).Ifthe
devilis "doido sem cura"(219),he is no less boorish               especially  with
regards hiseating
          to              habits: "Deus come escondido, o diabo sai por
                                                               e
todapartelambendo prato"   o         (52). Falsehoods thedevilform
                                                        and                    one
in their  reproduction-"retorce        que  os falsissimos demo se repro-
                                                             do
duzem"(346)-but thebountifulnesstheearth's  of             harvests a reflec-
                                                                     are
tion whoandwhat
      of                                                      A
                          God is:"Deuse umaplantaCgo. gente-6 areias"    as
(318).The concept knowledge general therelationship man
                        of              in         and                      of
to God in particular      requires  a habitof memory:      "At6para a gente      se
lembrar Deus, carecede se teralgumcostume"
           de                                                 (144). AndifGod
inhisinfinite   wisdom     knows  whathe knows-"O que Deus sabe,Deus
sabe" (133)-what we can knowof God can onlybe through                     interme-
diaries:  "Deus escritura os livros-mestres" Therefore can
                             s6                      (326).              God
                   in
be interpreted diverse         waysevenin man'svariedand contradictory
beliefsbecause he is in everything:          "Deus esti em tudo-conforme           a
crena"   (291).Man'sfeewillis simply illusion inthefinal
                                             an          for               analysis
it is God who callsall theshots:        "Deus 6 que deixaafinar vontade
                                                                     a             o
80
instrumento, que cheguea hora de se dangar"(289). Riobaldo's
                at6
concluding                on
              remarks thedevilfittingly           correspond theconclusion
                                                               to
ofthenarrative hismoral
                   and              ordeal.  The devilas a distinct   realityand
absolute  outside   man's   consciousness notexist.
                                            does             Likeman,thedevil
is a passage-"travessia": "0 Diabo nao existe . . . se for . . . Existe 6
homem    humano.     Travessia"   (568).AndwhatofGod? He exists only    but
inthegooddeedsandmisdeeds men.The cycleis complete Rosa
                                      of                               and
simply  poses thequestion        anew:"Que Deus existe,       sim,devagarinho,
depressa. existe
            Ele          mas quase s6 porinterm6dio ago das pessoas:
                                                           da
de bonse maus"(320).
       Of thefour      major  themes            in
                                       treated themaxims,       nonehasstirred
moreinterest     thanthe love-friendship        dichotomy,   and none explains
morecogently      whyGrandeSertdo:          Veredasis uniquein thecanonof
Brazilian  literature. fact, other
                         In       the         three  themes intimately
                                                             are            con-
necteddirectly indirectly Riobaldo's
                   and               with               attraction Reinaldo-
                                                                   for
            the
Diadorim, boy-man,           man-woman,      jagungo-beauty           with
                                                              duality allthe
moral esthetic
       and                           of               and
                       implications androgyny bisexuality.            Riobaldo's
questif nothing is an attempt determine
                     else                  to              whether physical
                                                                     his
attraction Reinaldo-Deadorima manifestationan allegedpact
            for                          is                   of
withthedevil.The amorous           dilemma be reduced thetwofaces
                                              can               to
of love,"amor"     and "amizade."      One is a foilfortheother:     "Amor  vem
de amor"(23). ButRiobaldorefuses accepthisbisexual
                                             to                       orientation
becauseitis diametrically      opposedto therugged,        super machocode of
behaviorof the jagungo.The thirty              (30) maxims    treating love and
friendship   revealGuimaraes       Rosa as a true   heirofa rich  Iberian lyrical
tradition where medieval
                   the              cantiga amigofuses
                                             de               with pastorela
                                                                    the
in an emotional     disguise.  WhatRiobaldofeelsforDiadorim            either has
no namebecause"Muitacoisa importante nome"(102);or else it
                                                    falta
daresnotspeakitsname,foritis something                 morethanfriendship    and
closer passionate
       to                love:"Ah,a flor amortemmuitos
                                            do                     nomes"  (178).
At leastone critic,     notably   Paulo HeckerFilhoposits       "homosexuality"
as themaintheme thenovelbutconsiders workflawed
                        of                             the               because
theauthor   chooses circumvent realsubject opting a toofacile
                       to              the              by        for
denouement In revealing
                (5).                 Diadorim be a woman,
                                                 to                HeckerFilho
believes  that narrative distorted lacksverisimilitude, one
                the             is            and                        but
is reminded "O amors6 mente
               that                        paradizermaior     verdade"(455).It
is intheclassical    definition "amigo" "amante" one perceives
                                 of            and            that
two paralleldevelopments. first theGreekconceptof a virile,
                                   The        is
fraternitycombat-"Amigo o bragoe o ago" (168)--contrasting
            of                        era
witha more genteeland pastoraldisquietude love disguisedas of
friendship:    "Amizade dada 6 amor" (146-147).The unlikely                locus
amoenus thesertdo
           of               gives rise only a budding
                                      not        to            romance  between
jagungos a specialrelationship equals,soulmates:
           but                            of                       "Amigo,  para
mim, so isto: a pessoacomquema gente
      6          6                                        de             do
                                                     gosta conversar, igual
o igual, desarmado"       (168).
        The characteristics "amor"and "amizade"get confused
                                 of                                            as
Riobaldocrosses threshold platonic
                      the             of            love to passionate love.Just
as the boy Reinaldo and the jagunco Diadorim introduceRiobaldo to
beauty as reflectedin the waterways,floraand fauna of the sertio, so
                                                                          81
too does the"amigo"developintothe"amante."                   The thought the   of
belovedevokesan instantaneous                         of
                                        outpouring emotion:           "Mas,pensar
                                                      a
na pessoa que se ama, 6 como quererficar beirad'agua,esperando
que o riacho,  alguma    hora,  pousoso   esbarre correr"
                                                   de           (337).IfRiobaldo
has recourse metaphor describing passionforDiadorim, is
               to               in               his                              it
becauseall love demands         comparison:    "Todo amornao 6 uma especie
de comparago?"(147). Suffering thesinequa nonof love because
                                          is
although   love is a little of healthand a respite
                              bit                                frommadness-
"Qualquer    amorji 6 umpouquinho sauide, descanso loucura"
                                           de           um               na
(291)-it is no lessa little ofgrief pain:"Porqued6 de amizade
                              bit            and
6 numsofrezinho      simples"                  in
                                 (203).Often themaxims           Riobaldoalludes
to animals contrast natural
             to            the           inclination physical
                                                       of            love withthe
socially  acceptable   constraints conjugal
                                     of             bonding: amor?Pissaro
                                                               "O
que poe ovosde ferro" Loveproduces unforeseen uncovers
                           (56).                   the                and
thehidden:    "Amizade amorsurpreende senais almada gente,
                          de                       uns         da
a qual 6 arraial  escondido detrisde seteserras?"
                                por                             (437).The homo-
eroticnatureof the love-friendship            themeis suggested double   by
entendre   couchedin animal                     of
                                   metaphors expansion:                    6
                                                                 "Amor assim-
                                     6
o rato saidumburaquinho:umratazao, umtigre
      que                                            6            leao! (399).Love
transforms thelover thebeloved,
             both             and                  often  encompassing      contrary
emotions    and abilities:   "que   se temepor amor;mas que, por amor,
tambe6m, a coragem faz"(426).Lovekeepsoneyoung-"O amor
           e6que              se
geral            a
      conserva mocidade"                                            in
                                  (491)-but alsoitsproximity theold may
sidetrack   and delay: "Amorem perto"s vezes sossega,em muitos
adiamentos-aohomem brancabarba"(435).Love can be destruc-
                              da
tiveinspite itself: amor6 isso:o que bem quere mal faz" (514).
              of        "E
While  loveturns backonallreprobation-"O
                   its                                   amor as costas toda
                                                               da              a
reprovaCgo"    (437)-yet theloverremains            alwaysa disobedient         slave:
"Quem    ama 6 sempre       muito   escravomas nao obedece nuncade ver-
dade" (516).
        Love callsus inquiet,      hushed   tones:  "Quieto,  muito    quietoe que
a gente  chamao amor;      comoemquieto coisaschamam gente"
                                              as                     a          (433).
Butoncelost,   lovealways     leavesanindelible            in
                                                     mark theform anopen  of
wound-"D6i sempre gente,   na          algumavez, todo amorachivel,que
algumdia se desprezou"         (488)-for thejoysof love are invariably             ac-
companied remorse: amor, de si,6 algum
              by            "O         ji                  arrependimento"       (38).
Love turns thoughts all speechto itsowngalloping
             all            and                                         imperatives:
"Quandose viaja varadoavante,           sentado quente,
                                                  no           acaba o coximda
sela falade amores"      (489).Finally, crystallizationlovecausesthe
                                          the                   of
                                                 for
loverto overlook flaws character, "S6 se pode viver
                     all         of                                         pertode
outro, conhecer
       e            outra  pessoa,   semperigo odio,se a gente amor"
                                                  de                      tem
(291). The "amigo-amante"                        in
                                  relationship facthas no definitive            terms
and defies   explanation justification liketheother
                            and                 just                   three  themes
under  discussion:  "Amigo-6que a gente          seja,massemprecisar saber   de
o porque 6 que 6" (168).
        Inconclusion, didactic
                         the           scopeofGuimaraes       Rosa'smasterpiece
hasbeenseento focus four    on       mainthemes revealed themaxims.
                                                     as             in
More specifically,    Riobaldo'spersonal        moralquestis seen to revolve
around sexualattraction Reinaldo-Diadorim hissubsequent
         his                      for                         and
82
failure consummating love bond:"Quemvai em caga,perdeo
        in               that
que nao acha" (258).On another  level,Riobaldo's  longnarrative repre-
sents verbalattempt restore
      a                to       Diadorim lifeifonlyvicariously
                                           to                      in
hisinjured  memory  andthereby together contrary ofsexual
                               join         the         ends
identity fulfillment:
         and            "Comose,tudorevendo,               eu
                                                 refazendo, pudesse
receber  outra o que naotenha
              vez                tido,
                                     repor  Diadorim vida?"(561).
                                                      em
"Viver"joins"contar" as "cantar"
                       just                                  form
                                       and "non-entendivel" the
unifying  threads Riobaldo's
                 of          lovesong.  The maxims             not
                                                     crystallize just
the narrator's  moraldilemmabut man's fate;on the one hand,his
obsessive  desire differentiate from andonthe
                to            good       evil,         other, futile
                                                              his
attempt uncover fixed
         to         any     moral guidelines: carego que o bom
                                              "Eu       de
seja bome o ruim   ruim. Queroos todospostos   demarcados"  (206).The
reader  must imagine         as      of           and
                     Riobaldo a sort Sisyphus Orpheus,         forever
            his
recounting lyrical             in
                      adventure an attempt recoupa lostlove and
                                              to
fathom complex weighty
         the         and         enigmatic  modesof human    behavior
and memory.    Narration becomesa passage,
                        thus                     "travessia."      to
                                                            Finally,
paraphrase  Riobaldosententiously: 6 muito
                                   contar         moral.

StateUniversity      Plattsburgh
              College,

                              NOTES
1. I haveidentified hundred sixty-one
                  four       and        (461)statements couldbe
                                                      that
   considered       in                              a
              maxims thebroadsenseoftheword,treating great  variety
   of themes.
                                        between narrator the
                  analysis therelationship
2. For an excellent      of                     the        and
   reader, Luiz Fernando
          see             Valente.


                          WORKSCITED
Filho,Paulo Hecker, "GrandeRomance:Frustraq6es."   Estado de Sao Paulo,
    Supplemento         29
                Literario April 1973:5.
Galvio,Walnice Nogueira. Formas Falso. Sio Paulo:Perspectiva,
                        As         do                             1969.
Garbuglio, JoseCarlos.O MundoMoventede Guimaraies      Rosa. Sao Paulo:
         1972.
    Atica,
Nunes, Benedito. Dorso do Tigre. Paulo:Perspectiva,
                O                Sao                   1969.
Rosa,JoioGuimaraes.  Grande Sertio:Veredas. 16th Rio de Janeiro:
                                                ed.               Nova
    Fronteira,1984.
Valente,Luiz Fernando."Affective  Responsein GrandeSertao:Veredas."
    Luso-BrazilianReview23 (Summer   1986):77-88.
Vincent, Guimaraies
        Jon.          Rosa. Boston:Twayne,   1978.




                                                                   83

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Maxims in GSV, by Thomas J. Braga

  • 1. Modern Language Studies Maxims in "Grande Sertão: Veredas" Author(s): Thomas J. Braga Reviewed work(s): Source: Modern Language Studies, Vol. 22, No. 3 (Summer, 1992), pp. 76-83 Published by: Modern Language Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3195221 . Accessed: 27/04/2012 14:16 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org. Modern Language Studies is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Modern Language Studies. http://www.jstor.org
  • 2. in Sertio: Veredas Maxims Grande Thomas Braga J. When the historyof twentieth-century Brazilian literatureis writtenin the next century,Joao Guimaraes Rosa's Grande Sertio: Veredas will undoubtedly emergeas the singlemostimportant workof fiction the period. Vast and varied have been the numerouscritical of works devoted to thismajor authorwho has already been proclaimed the equal of Machado de Assis. Curiouslyenough,however,relatively littleattentionhas been accorded the didactic aspect of the novel in generaland its maximsin particular. Yet the narrator Riobaldo makes of his in a pointquite earlyin the narrative underscoring interest litera- tureof moralinstruction: Em tanto, ponhoprimazia naleitura e proveitosa, de santo, vida virtudes e exemplos-missiondrio espertoengambelandoos indios,ou Sao de Francisco Assis, SantoAnt6nio, Geraldo... Eu gostomuito Sao de moral.Raciocinar,exortar outros os para o bom caminho, aconselhar a justo.(14) Indeed, a close reading of the work reveals more than four hundred(400)1statements thatcould be qualifiedin varying degreesas either maximsin theconventional sense of theword meaning"a concise formulation a fundamental of principleor rule of conduct,"or in an ex- tendedinterpretation meaning in moralizing toneorperspective. Without pretending to exhaustthe subject,it is the purpose of thisbriefessay to filla real lacuna in Rosian studiesby concentrating thosemaximsthat on deal withthe fourmost frequently cited themes,namely (1) the sertdo and the jagunqo, (2) lifeand death, (3) God and the devil, and (4) love On and friendship. another level, carefully interwoven intothetext, the maxims serve five (5) important functions that give the narrativeits structural and thematicunity.Firstly,by theirsheer frequency,the maximsestablishtextualcoordinatesby focusingattention the four on major themesin an otherwiseillusive,ambiguous and ellipticalnovel. Even forBrazilianreaders,Grande Sertdo:Veredas presentsproblems of interpretation because of itsconvolutedsyntax and style.Riobaldo is clearlyaware thathisreader-interlocutor notfully may understand what he has to say. "Falo por palavras tortas"(457). But the maximsare very often couched ina moresuccinct, simpler, easilyaccessiblelanguage, and even when theyimplythe unintelligible: "Mas a vida nao 6 entendivel" (131). Equally important, maximsplay a role of primeimportance the in identifying the reader the thread,thefilconducteurof the work, for namelythat is a dangerous life business:"Viver6 neg6ciomuitoperigoso" (10). Secondly,the aural presence of the silentinterlocutor, Doutor, is suggestedby the factthatRiobaldo triesto elicita reassuring response by phrasing maximsveryoftenin theformof a questionand thereby his 76
  • 3. attemptingreaffirm analysis what taken to his of has place:"A gente vive nao 6 caminhando costas?" de (522). In other situations, he contrasts his opinions withthoseof hisfriend Quelem6m. Thistechnique further is reinforced suchexpressions "O senhor by as aprova?"(10) or "Senhor o que acha?"(12). Thirdly, most and importantly, maxims the represent a richand variedcompendium sertanejo of folklore wisdomby and a treatinggreat of variety subjects which givethenarrative itslocal both coloras well as itsbroad universal appeal. Fourthly, structurally the maxims appearas reference in points theworkto immobilize plot the in theeternal present whilealluding thepastand future. to Maxims by theirvery nature universally therefore, are outsidethe are true, they temporal distance theplot:"No realda vida,as coisasacabamcom of menos formato, acabam"(79). Fifthly, nem Guimaraes Rosa effectively in usesmaxims a creative oflanguage, irate'o raboda palavra" use "de toconvey more than verbal the As reality. Jos6 Carlos Garbuglio affirms: "O mundo6 a palavra"(46). Rosa synthesizes extrapolatesand experi- ence to createanother in dimension, verbalmythos the existential a dilemmaof being,not unlike othergreatmyth the makerof Latin- American literature Gabriel GarciaMarquez.Riobaldoinvents because "Avidainventa! porque vida6 mutirdo todos, todos ... a de por remexida e temperada" (430). Riobaldo narratorona difficult as is moral quest: "Contar muito, e6 muito dificultoso" (712).He is attempting unravel mystery his to the of experiences amongthe iagunqosin generaland his personalmoral dilemma, specifically whether devilexists ifso whether has the and he signed pactwith a him.Consequently, desire knowis a desire his to to distinguish absolutes, absolute right from absolute wrong, the and certain from uncertain. theother the All themes or directly indirectly upon hinge thisdifferentiation. nottherefore It is surprising a goodlynumber that of maxims, somefifty (50), are devotedto thesertioand theiagunqo, forthesertdo the represents allegorical backdropwherethisconflict takesplace. Butthesertdo physicalas place cannot circumscribed: be 6 "Sertao semlugar" (331)."O 6 sertdo do tamanho mundo"do (68). It has neither entrance norexit-"O sertao nao temjanelasnemportas" (462)-because basically sertdo within the is man'spsyche, mind-set: a 6 "Sertao dentro gente" da (289).The mosttypical characteristicthe of sertio as a view of life is both its illusivenatureand its inherent contradiction: "Sertio6 isto,o senhor sabe: tudoincerto, tudocerto" 6 (146)."O sertao confusio grande em demasiado sossego" (423).Very oftenRiobaldo reverts personification to inorder givea familiar to fixed form projection that and to which basically is amorphous: "Sertionao 6 malino nemcaridoso eletira da,ou agrada amarga, senhor, ... ou ou ao conforme senhor o mesmo" (487).The sertdo surrounds challenges and man:"Sert'o6 isto: senhor o empurra tr's,masde repente volta para ele a rodearo senhor lados" (267). The sertdo in perpetual de is agitation becausewaris constantly its reshaping violent "A contortions: guerra era o constante mexer sertdo,comocomo vento seca6 que as arvores do e da se entortammais" (337). In fact,veryoftenin the maximsthe sertio is compared to the armaments war and violence-"O grande sertio 6 of 77
  • 4. a forte arma, Deus 6 umgatilho" it (320)--because is associated with the socialoutcast, criminal: the "Sertio6 o penal,criminal. Sertao6 onde homemtemde tera duranuca e mao quadrada"(102). Illusion and contradiction, beneficence and destruction, are reduced to one all nebulous for confusion, thesertdio generallyignores welfare man the of and recognizes absolutes no other thanitself: sertao sabe s6 por "O se alto.Mas, ou ele ajuda,com enorme poder,ou 6 traigoeiro muito de- sastroso" (497). Itisthe jagunqo himself best who incarnates enigmatic the sertdio- "Jagungo o sertao" 6 (291)-forhe hassubsumed ruggedness the the of localeby hissurvival mentality: "Sertao ondeo pensamento gente 6 da se forma maisforte que o poderdo lugar"(24). His activities do are antithetical theconstraints society, he exercises willby to of and free simplybeing what he is, an outlaw:"Ningu6m nunca foi jagungo obrigado"(538). The jagunqoneeds conflict, challenge and physical to hardship define in himself opposition thenorms socialbehavior: to of "Que jagungo amolecequandonao padece" (274).His happiness in lies constant turmoil, violent movement horseback: on do "Alegria jagungo 6 o movimento galopado"(526).In manyways,theJagunqo a stoic is forwhomgood and evil,right wrong, all reduced an amoral and are to neutral stance-"Jagungo, que 6, quase que nuncapensaem reto" pelo nao (257)-because "Jagungo se escabreiacom perda nem derrota- quase que tudo para ele 6 igual" (52). Unlikethe narrator who is desperately to trying sort the"why" "wherefore" hislife, out and of the jagunqodoes notreasonwhy, simply he acceptsthegivenas is: "Nao podendoentender razaoda vida,6 s6 assim se pode serverobom a que jagungo" (533). Butlikethenarrator, jagunqois in thetemporal the in a solitary "O sertao umaespera wait: 6 enorme" (538)."Sertio o sozinho" 6 (289).The jagunqo-sertdio encompasses that "O sertao bond all is: tudo nao aceita?"(455).In contrast, Riobaldoby hisrationalizingtheoddis manoutinthis jagunqo-sertiio setting he is trying makesenseout for to of,drawa conclusion from pronounce final and a judgment whathe on hasseen, thereader reminded "Quemjulga, morreu" yet is that ji (251). Anequal number maxims, fewer of no than forty-eight are (48), devotedto thelife-death cyclebutwith reference thenexus to sertdio- jagungo. Riobaldois seeking philosophy lifeand a classical a of modus vivendi: 6 que "Aprender-a-viver 6 o viver, mesmo"(546). Curiously all enough thecharacteristics in evident themaxims the treating sertido andthejagunqo alsopresent those are in maxims addressing thequestion and in oflife death general. isillusory-"A Life gente vive6mesmo para se desiludir desmisturar" e (137)-but is ungovernable because of constant changeand an innate feeling it really that does notbelongto us:"A vidada gente setevoltas diz. A vidanem6 da gente" faz se (145). Of all thesensations associated with sight speechareespecially life, and singled for out comment: "Poucose vivee muito va" (429).Deathon se theother handis realistically identified theolfactory with sensation: "A tudo, cheiro morte o de velha.O mau-fetido vaiterminar que mazelando a gente" (330). Butlifeis also a songand speechis itslyrical manifes- tation-"Tudo, nesta vida 6 muitocantivel" (455)-caught in the 78
  • 5. of cacaphony constant change turmoil" vida6 umvagovariado" and "A (467). Silenceby contrast associated is with death:"Ficarcalado 6 que 6 falar mortos" Hope anddespair ata continual nos (43). are tug-of-war: "A vida 6 ingrata maciode si; mastranstrazesperanqa no a mesmodo meiodo feldo desespero" (207).Lifefrequently resembles devil the more thanit does God: "A vida 6 muito discordada. Tem partes, temartes. Tem as neblinas Siruiz. de Tem as carastodasdo Cao, e as vertentes do viver"(471). Lifeis thetemporal cannot delayed-"A vida that be naodi demora nada"(223)-becauseithasbeenpreordained: em "Antes de menino nascer, de suamorte marcada" hora esti (473).There three are that things lifedemands us-courage,inquisitiveness, goals:"O of and correr vida embrulha da tudo,a vida e6 assim: e esquenta esfria, aperta e dai afrouxa, sossegae depoisdesinquieta. que ela querda gente O 6 coragem"(297). Whatlifeteachesus if anything to pose further is questions: se "Vivendo, aprende, o que se aprende, mas mais6s6 a fazer outras maiores perguntas" (385-386). is Beingethical notas difficult as determining one's goals in life:"O mais dificil nao 6 um ser bom e proceder honesto; dificultoso, 6 mesmo, umsaberdefinido que quer, o e tero poderde irat6no raboda palavra" (162-163). to Contrary life, deathpresents imperatives it is always less for concealed ourpreoccupations the by with living the and minutiae daily of life:"Com os vivos6 que a gente escondeos mortos" (339). Nor does itinvolve struggle; gives a it itself naturally: up "Morrer, a morrer,gente semluxose cede" (141).It is theinstantaneous without forewarning or "Um fright: homem morre que vive, susto instantaneamente" mais sem de (543).Thusthejagunqo histaciturnity by is moreassociated with death than with itself: life "Quemvaimorrermatar, e podeter conversa?" (190). Ironically, as thesertdo just reverses natural the order things, does of so deathrevealcontrarily intervention God: "A morte o sobrevir the of 6 de Deus,entornadamente" Alltalkofdeath bytheliving (305). is about misfortune is alwayspast:"A morte corisco that 6 que sempre veio" ja 6 (200)."A morte paraos que morrem" (223).Lifelikewaris thegiven thatneedsno further explanation: 6 "Vida,e guerra, o que 6" (214). Without going far PauloHecker so as Filhowhoconsiders Grande Sertdo: Veredas "Fausto the sertanejo" Brazilian of literature itcould (5), be easily argued that Riobaldo's moral questlyrically addresses key the issueof thedevil'sexistence hispersonal and relationship withhimin theform a pactin general hispursuit theenemy of and of Herm6genes inparticular, latter ultimately causethedeath the the who will of beloved Reinaldo-Diadorim.The epigraph"O diabo na rua no meio do redemoinho" in repeated thetext thenarrative of clearly focuses the on demonicintercession whattranspires forms secondfilcon- of and a in ducteur thework.No fewer than thirty-seven maxims (37) alludeto either devilor God, or both.The ethical the question invariably leads toan ontological theological and if dilemma; thedevilexists, exists. God In a seeming contradiction, Riobaldotransposes terms suggest the to a playful twist thesubject; on God exists thedeviltranscends but existence: "Deusexiste mesmo quando hI. Maso dem6nio precisa existir n-o n-o de parahaver-a gente sabendoque ele nio existe, 6 que ele tomaconta ai 79
  • 6. de tudo"(56).What is Riobaldo really is seeking consent, permission, the right to possess and to be whathe is: "Se nao temDeus, entdo, gente a de nao temlicenga coisanenhuma" (56). Thusthenarrator playsa cat- and-mouse gamewith reader-interlocutor2 the concerning existence and non-existence, verysame game thatGod seemsto play withhis the creatures thedevil:"E preciso Deus existir gente, and de a mais6 do a diabodivertirgente comsuadelenenhuma existencia" (292).Riobaldo who by temperament clearlyleans towardsGod's existence, posits, in however, middleground an attempt place himself a to outside the ontological-theological dilemma: "Nao soudo demoe nao soude Deus" (461).Throughout maximsthe God and thedevil, absolute goodandits contrary absoluteevil are depictedin anthropomorphic termsand metaphorical imagery. devilmanifests The himself mostly through very descriptive harsh emotional attitudes in theform Herm6genes's and of rugged projectionwhile God's presenceis evidenced by genteel emotional states moreakinto Diadorim's mannerisms. demonic The is physical the prowess, God-like affective angelic. as thejagungo and Just incarnates the characteristics the sertdio, also visually all of he and physically reflects devil's the harshness his by brute force domination: and "Quemvence,6 custoso nao ficar com a cara de dem6nio" (333). But very often while devil brutal, canbetray: diabo,6 as brutas; the is God "O mas Deus 6 traigoeiro!" Of all thesensations (22). associated withthe demonic, sight, voyeuristic thefurtive singled for the and are out special consideration: diabo vige,diabo quer 6 ver" (510). "O diabo vige "O dentro homem, crespos homem-ou 6 o homem do os do arruinado, ou o homem avessos"(10). Butwhatprecisely thefeatures the dos are of devil's visage? "Maisfeiono dem6nio o nariz os beigos" 6 e (535).God's physical are in features neveralludedto directly favorof a positive description certain of traits personality dealing with strong character and demeanor-aboveall joyand patience: "Deus 6 paciencia. contrario, O 6 o diabo," (16) or "Deus 6 alegriae coragem-que Ele 6 bondade adiante"(292). God is alwaysdefinitive whilethedevilis illusive and evasive: "Deus 6definitivamente; o demo6 o contririo Dele" (39).Ifthe devilis "doido sem cura"(219),he is no less boorish especially with regards hiseating to habits: "Deus come escondido, o diabo sai por e todapartelambendo prato" o (52). Falsehoods thedevilform and one in their reproduction-"retorce que os falsissimos demo se repro- do duzem"(346)-but thebountifulnesstheearth's of harvests a reflec- are tion whoandwhat of A God is:"Deuse umaplantaCgo. gente-6 areias" as (318).The concept knowledge general therelationship man of in and of to God in particular requires a habitof memory: "At6para a gente se lembrar Deus, carecede se teralgumcostume" de (144). AndifGod inhisinfinite wisdom knows whathe knows-"O que Deus sabe,Deus sabe" (133)-what we can knowof God can onlybe through interme- diaries: "Deus escritura os livros-mestres" Therefore can s6 (326). God in be interpreted diverse waysevenin man'svariedand contradictory beliefsbecause he is in everything: "Deus esti em tudo-conforme a crena" (291).Man'sfeewillis simply illusion inthefinal an for analysis it is God who callsall theshots: "Deus 6 que deixaafinar vontade a o 80
  • 7. instrumento, que cheguea hora de se dangar"(289). Riobaldo's at6 concluding on remarks thedevilfittingly correspond theconclusion to ofthenarrative hismoral and ordeal. The devilas a distinct realityand absolute outside man's consciousness notexist. does Likeman,thedevil is a passage-"travessia": "0 Diabo nao existe . . . se for . . . Existe 6 homem humano. Travessia" (568).AndwhatofGod? He exists only but inthegooddeedsandmisdeeds men.The cycleis complete Rosa of and simply poses thequestion anew:"Que Deus existe, sim,devagarinho, depressa. existe Ele mas quase s6 porinterm6dio ago das pessoas: da de bonse maus"(320). Of thefour major themes in treated themaxims, nonehasstirred moreinterest thanthe love-friendship dichotomy, and none explains morecogently whyGrandeSertdo: Veredasis uniquein thecanonof Brazilian literature. fact, other In the three themes intimately are con- necteddirectly indirectly Riobaldo's and with attraction Reinaldo- for the Diadorim, boy-man, man-woman, jagungo-beauty with duality allthe moral esthetic and of and implications androgyny bisexuality. Riobaldo's questif nothing is an attempt determine else to whether physical his attraction Reinaldo-Deadorima manifestationan allegedpact for is of withthedevil.The amorous dilemma be reduced thetwofaces can to of love,"amor" and "amizade." One is a foilfortheother: "Amor vem de amor"(23). ButRiobaldorefuses accepthisbisexual to orientation becauseitis diametrically opposedto therugged, super machocode of behaviorof the jagungo.The thirty (30) maxims treating love and friendship revealGuimaraes Rosa as a true heirofa rich Iberian lyrical tradition where medieval the cantiga amigofuses de with pastorela the in an emotional disguise. WhatRiobaldofeelsforDiadorim either has no namebecause"Muitacoisa importante nome"(102);or else it falta daresnotspeakitsname,foritis something morethanfriendship and closer passionate to love:"Ah,a flor amortemmuitos do nomes" (178). At leastone critic, notably Paulo HeckerFilhoposits "homosexuality" as themaintheme thenovelbutconsiders workflawed of the because theauthor chooses circumvent realsubject opting a toofacile to the by for denouement In revealing (5). Diadorim be a woman, to HeckerFilho believes that narrative distorted lacksverisimilitude, one the is and but is reminded "O amors6 mente that paradizermaior verdade"(455).It is intheclassical definition "amigo" "amante" one perceives of and that two paralleldevelopments. first theGreekconceptof a virile, The is fraternitycombat-"Amigo o bragoe o ago" (168)--contrasting of era witha more genteeland pastoraldisquietude love disguisedas of friendship: "Amizade dada 6 amor" (146-147).The unlikely locus amoenus thesertdo of gives rise only a budding not to romance between jagungos a specialrelationship equals,soulmates: but of "Amigo, para mim, so isto: a pessoacomquema gente 6 6 de do gosta conversar, igual o igual, desarmado" (168). The characteristics "amor"and "amizade"get confused of as Riobaldocrosses threshold platonic the of love to passionate love.Just as the boy Reinaldo and the jagunco Diadorim introduceRiobaldo to beauty as reflectedin the waterways,floraand fauna of the sertio, so 81
  • 8. too does the"amigo"developintothe"amante." The thought the of belovedevokesan instantaneous of outpouring emotion: "Mas,pensar a na pessoa que se ama, 6 como quererficar beirad'agua,esperando que o riacho, alguma hora, pousoso esbarre correr" de (337).IfRiobaldo has recourse metaphor describing passionforDiadorim, is to in his it becauseall love demands comparison: "Todo amornao 6 uma especie de comparago?"(147). Suffering thesinequa nonof love because is although love is a little of healthand a respite bit frommadness- "Qualquer amorji 6 umpouquinho sauide, descanso loucura" de um na (291)-it is no lessa little ofgrief pain:"Porqued6 de amizade bit and 6 numsofrezinho simples" in (203).Often themaxims Riobaldoalludes to animals contrast natural to the inclination physical of love withthe socially acceptable constraints conjugal of bonding: amor?Pissaro "O que poe ovosde ferro" Loveproduces unforeseen uncovers (56). the and thehidden: "Amizade amorsurpreende senais almada gente, de uns da a qual 6 arraial escondido detrisde seteserras?" por (437).The homo- eroticnatureof the love-friendship themeis suggested double by entendre couchedin animal of metaphors expansion: 6 "Amor assim- 6 o rato saidumburaquinho:umratazao, umtigre que 6 leao! (399).Love transforms thelover thebeloved, both and often encompassing contrary emotions and abilities: "que se temepor amor;mas que, por amor, tambe6m, a coragem faz"(426).Lovekeepsoneyoung-"O amor e6que se geral a conserva mocidade" in (491)-but alsoitsproximity theold may sidetrack and delay: "Amorem perto"s vezes sossega,em muitos adiamentos-aohomem brancabarba"(435).Love can be destruc- da tiveinspite itself: amor6 isso:o que bem quere mal faz" (514). of "E While loveturns backonallreprobation-"O its amor as costas toda da a reprovaCgo" (437)-yet theloverremains alwaysa disobedient slave: "Quem ama 6 sempre muito escravomas nao obedece nuncade ver- dade" (516). Love callsus inquiet, hushed tones: "Quieto, muito quietoe que a gente chamao amor; comoemquieto coisaschamam gente" as a (433). Butoncelost, lovealways leavesanindelible in mark theform anopen of wound-"D6i sempre gente, na algumavez, todo amorachivel,que algumdia se desprezou" (488)-for thejoysof love are invariably ac- companied remorse: amor, de si,6 algum by "O ji arrependimento" (38). Love turns thoughts all speechto itsowngalloping all and imperatives: "Quandose viaja varadoavante, sentado quente, no acaba o coximda sela falade amores" (489).Finally, crystallizationlovecausesthe the of for loverto overlook flaws character, "S6 se pode viver all of pertode outro, conhecer e outra pessoa, semperigo odio,se a gente amor" de tem (291). The "amigo-amante" in relationship facthas no definitive terms and defies explanation justification liketheother and just three themes under discussion: "Amigo-6que a gente seja,massemprecisar saber de o porque 6 que 6" (168). Inconclusion, didactic the scopeofGuimaraes Rosa'smasterpiece hasbeenseento focus four on mainthemes revealed themaxims. as in More specifically, Riobaldo'spersonal moralquestis seen to revolve around sexualattraction Reinaldo-Diadorim hissubsequent his for and 82
  • 9. failure consummating love bond:"Quemvai em caga,perdeo in that que nao acha" (258).On another level,Riobaldo's longnarrative repre- sents verbalattempt restore a to Diadorim lifeifonlyvicariously to in hisinjured memory andthereby together contrary ofsexual join the ends identity fulfillment: and "Comose,tudorevendo, eu refazendo, pudesse receber outra o que naotenha vez tido, repor Diadorim vida?"(561). em "Viver"joins"contar" as "cantar" just form and "non-entendivel" the unifying threads Riobaldo's of lovesong. The maxims not crystallize just the narrator's moraldilemmabut man's fate;on the one hand,his obsessive desire differentiate from andonthe to good evil, other, futile his attempt uncover fixed to any moral guidelines: carego que o bom "Eu de seja bome o ruim ruim. Queroos todospostos demarcados" (206).The reader must imagine as of and Riobaldo a sort Sisyphus Orpheus, forever his recounting lyrical in adventure an attempt recoupa lostlove and to fathom complex weighty the and enigmatic modesof human behavior and memory. Narration becomesa passage, thus "travessia." to Finally, paraphrase Riobaldosententiously: 6 muito contar moral. StateUniversity Plattsburgh College, NOTES 1. I haveidentified hundred sixty-one four and (461)statements couldbe that considered in a maxims thebroadsenseoftheword,treating great variety of themes. between narrator the analysis therelationship 2. For an excellent of the and reader, Luiz Fernando see Valente. WORKSCITED Filho,Paulo Hecker, "GrandeRomance:Frustraq6es." Estado de Sao Paulo, Supplemento 29 Literario April 1973:5. Galvio,Walnice Nogueira. Formas Falso. Sio Paulo:Perspectiva, As do 1969. Garbuglio, JoseCarlos.O MundoMoventede Guimaraies Rosa. Sao Paulo: 1972. Atica, Nunes, Benedito. Dorso do Tigre. Paulo:Perspectiva, O Sao 1969. Rosa,JoioGuimaraes. Grande Sertio:Veredas. 16th Rio de Janeiro: ed. Nova Fronteira,1984. Valente,Luiz Fernando."Affective Responsein GrandeSertao:Veredas." Luso-BrazilianReview23 (Summer 1986):77-88. Vincent, Guimaraies Jon. Rosa. Boston:Twayne, 1978. 83