History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil (Latin American Literature and Culture)

by Jean de Léry, Janet Whatley (Translator)

When the famous anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss arrived in Rio de Janeiro, he had one book in his Jean de Léry's History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil . Léry had undertaken his fascinating and arduous voyage in 1556, as a youthful member of the first Protestant mission to the New World. Janet Whatley presents the first complete English translation of one of the most vivid early European accounts of life in the New World.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, France, Travel, French Literature, Classics, Read For School

340 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1578

About the author

Voyageur et écrivain français.

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funnier than what I expected from a sixteenth-century Calvinist.

[evaporée · Rating 1 out of 5]

j’ai rien contre les dyslexiques mais là les fautes de français gênent vraiment la lecture. l’ens est tombé bien bas…

[Faustine · Rating 1 out of 5]

IM FREEEEEE!!! WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY FUCKING LIFE

[Zacharie · Rating 3 out of 5]

J’relate pck moi non plus jsp écrire fr

[lux’ · Rating 2 out of 5]

ouais non

[Kuszma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ezek a retro útirajzok tagadhatatlanul objektív értékkel bírnak: emléket állítanak egy olyan természeti vagy társadalmi közegnek, aminek azóta már híre-hamva sincs. Ugyanakkor talán még ennél is tanulságosabb, hogy emléket állítanak egy látásmódnak is – mégpedig a szerző (és kora) látásmódjának. Az, amit és ahogy ő fontosnak érez bemutatni a tapasztaltakból, gyakran olyan különbségekre mutat rá az akkori és a modern gondolkodás viszonylatában, ami minimum bájos. Ebben a könyvben leginkább az bűvölt el, hogy a XVI. századi ember számára a világ a csodák micsoda kimeríthetetlen tárháza volt – amíg ma az ember Harry Pottert kell olvasson, ha valami varázslatra vágyik, addig akkor elég volt kimenni az erdőbe, és jó szétnézni. Ha meg sikerült egy hajón a trópusokra utaznunk, hát az maga volt az újdonság-orgazmus*! Szinte látom de Léry-t ahogy extatikus állapotban hadonászik: „Oda nézz! Egy hal, ami repül! Az az indián meg mit eszik ott? Vazze! Egy emberi lábat! Felposztolom mindjárt a facebook-ra!” Na meg, a gyermeki ártatlanság jegyében: „Unatkozom, srácok. Belezzünk ki elevenen egy cápát! Váááááá, mekkora poén!”

Jean de Léry amúgy a XVI. század második felében érkezett néhány kálvinista hitsorsosával a mai Rio de Janeiro vidékére, ahol akkoriban egy francia gyarmatosító-project (mint utóbb kiderült: rövid) kísérlete zajlott. A mi nagy szerencsénkre hamar összekülönbözött a kormányzóval, aki éppen akkor jött rá, hogy mégiscsak katolikus**, úgyhogy elbeszélőnk kénytelen volt tőle biztonságos távolban, a tupinambó indiánok között kibekkelni, amíg elindul a menetrend szerinti járat haza. A mi másik nagy szerencsénk, hogy de Léry valami elképesztően nyitott gondolkodású ürge. Még az olyan eseményeket is eszement tárgyilagossággal írja le, mint amilyen az antropofágia – olyan helyi jelentőségű ügyként kezeli a hadifoglyok roston megsütését és elfogyasztását, mint mondjuk azt, hogy a skótok meg birkaszemet esznek. Persze, ocsmány dolog, mondja, én nem kóstolnám meg, de azért érdekes. Tulajdonképpen a modern kultúrantropológiát előlegzi meg, amikor a bennszülöttek szokásait kvázi egyenértékűként (sőt, helyenként magasabb értékűként) kezeli a francia szokásokkal – ehhez azonban hozzá kell tenni, hogy hugenottaként alighanem nagyon ki lehetett akadva saját „legkeresztényibb” államára a reformátusok üldözése miatt. Természetesen térítő szándék az van benne, de nem veszi a szívére, hogy a kuncsaftokról leperegnek a jézusi tanok – ő átadta az evangéliumot, a többi már nem az ő felelőssége***. Érdekes volt ezt a könyvet Clastres Az erőszak archeológiája c. tanulmánya után olvasni, nagyon sok mindenben rímelt ugyanis rá: a szomszédos törzsekkel szemben viselt folyamatos háborús állapot**** éppúgy megjelenik benne, mint a bennszülöttek hierarchiát nélkülöző társadalmisága. Amúgy meg kifejezetten szeretetreméltó olvasmány: az embernek kedve volna beállni tupinambónak tőle. Vakáció az örökkévalóságig, plusz a kannibalizmus. Rulez!

* Köztük az egyik legbaróbb újdonsággal, a trópusi viharral. Szívás.
** Ne feledjük, ez a korszak a Szent-Bertalan éj előestéje volt.
*** Harmadik nagy szerencsénk, hogy de Léry nem egy fegyveres kontingenssel a háta mögött látogatott az indiánokhoz, hanem csak néhányadmagával. Ha komoly erőre támaszkodott volna, talán felülkerekedik benne az erőszakos térítő.
**** Paradox módon viszont a tőlük totálisan különböző franciákkal elképesztő barátságosan viselkednek. Talán pont azért, mert nem embernek, inkább félistennek tekintik őket. Vagy mert értékes szövetségest látnak bennük, akit kényeztetni kell. Vagy másért.

[Juliettelabaguette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I won't say i hated it, I'll say i wanted to rip my skin off while reading it.
Not to sound dramatic, but i cannot consider that book as literature. it's down to earth, too detailed and realistic, boring asf, hard to read and not even CLOSE to be fictitious.

[Am' · Rating 3 out of 5]

On se demande bien pourquoi je l'ai lu... mais franchement, je ne me suis pas ennuyée ! C'est une lecture anthropologique intéressante qui, comme elle est racontée de manière très personnelle, tire sur le merveilleux et le fantastique bien que les anecdotes soient réelles. Une lecture plutôt agréable que je ne recommande pas particulièrement, sauf pour les personnes qui sont motivées par une lecture en moyen français 😂

[Anastasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

que tortura

[Math · Rating 3 out of 5]

F I N I

[Ele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Si c’était pas de l’ancien frc ça pourrait être vrm cool

[Lili Erre · Rating 2 out of 5]

war is over. bon à part faire un inventaire de toutes les choses qu’on peut découvrir au brésil je vois pas trop l’intérêt littéraire. genre merci je sais ce qu’est une énumération pas besoin d’en faire un livre de 600 pages. bref ce fut long et douloureux

[Pol-Edern LARZUL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il aurait mieux fait de partir à Audierne au lieu d'inventer comme Thevet des animaux et de manger ce pauvre perroquet

[χλόαξ · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINI
lecture super intéressante alors que je partais vraiment défaitiste. Je l’aurais jamais lu sans la khâgne mais je suis vraiment agréablement surprise

[Josépha VAGUERESSE · Rating 3 out of 5]

war is over.

[Gradiva Cotta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fui em busca de prata e econtrei OURO rsrs. Para um pastor do século XVI, não acho que fique melhor que isso.

Rico demais no sentido descritivo e informativo, fiquei pintando vários quadros na cabeça, uma versão dele com algumas ilustrações científicas da época seria maravilhoso.

Sobre os animais: 1)as notas de rodapé foram uma salvação, 2)adorei que todo animal que ele citava logo depois vinha junto a descrição do gosto da carne, 3)a crueldade animar era doidera né.

Sobre os tupinambás e o tempo dele vivendo com os indígenas: bom DEMAIS, decidi ler o livro por causa do trecho que descreve a conversa entre ele e um indígena mais velho sobre o por quê deles precisarem de levar tanto pau-brasil e valeu cada segundo. Fiquei lembrando de um tanto de coisa da escola e é realmente gritante o quanto a gente não é ensinado sobre a nossa própria história e cultura integralmente de fato. Dito isso achei o livro muito valioso nesse sentido, o capítulo que ele descreve a guerra é maravihoso.

Achei muito divertido, também, ver o quão desconhecido o mundo era pra eles e o medo que isso causava, e eu fico feliz que, apesar da religião como escape, ele não esconda isso.

Agora, passar aquele aperto na viagem de ida e depois decidir ir embora foi coragem, eu teria facilmente decidido ficar e me embrenhado pro mato, ele tava vivendo bem demais. Sair do be bom pra comer rato, papagaio e passar fome enquanto o navio enche d'água? insalubre DEMAIS.

Sobre a volta chega até a dar dó deles voltando todos fudidos e com uma carta do Villegagnon mandando queimar pq eram todos hereges, mas dó passa rápido quando você lembra que são colonizadores.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't hate it. It was...informative. It was very easy to read, and I appreciated Lery's writing style. I was very interested in the personal and political issues that surrounded Lery when he wrote this, and I would like to read more about that, actually. I also appreciated his tone throughout the text. Lery is very sassy!

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Très drôle ! « Une grosse huître »

[John]

Not on Libby

[Scoobidette · Rating 4 out of 5]

C'est intéressant de voir la vision des voyageurs occidentaux dans la découverte du Brésil mais c'était très long

[chaïm · Rating 2 out of 5]

c’était un supplice j’ai envie de crever le seul truc que j’ai compris c’est les listes de poissons

// j’edit ma review en vrai c’est pas si mauvais que ça c’est juste long quoi (rapport qualité/longueur pas ouf)

[Camomille · Rating 2 out of 5]

carrément j'ai cliqué sur "did not finish" sans faire exprès tellement mon corps le rejette... mais franchement on a fait la paix i guess

[sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

had a BLAST. ok i almost put 4 stars but de léry talks TOO much and i have no time reading about all that. i did read it all but i got not time.

i love how my annotated version called out the author when he was lying, especially against thevet. these guys had beef like no other, i know they just wanted to be besties.

what’s crazy about this book is how immersed we are in the tououpinambaoults’ lives and how when you close the book, you can almost see them, hear their oh so mentioned laugh and almost forget that they do feed on human flesh. even though it’s talked about a LOT, it’s pratically excused at times. gotta give it to de léry that he almost doesnt shit talk his friendly neighborhood savages, or so they’re called, except for when he needs to make a point about how diabolical their practices are compared to his saintly morals. we get it, you’re a man of God. jeez

all in all, way better than i had expected of a huguenot from the 16th century. but why did i expect any less? men from the 16th century, beside the blatant misogyny and racism, are so. much. fun.

[Alison Zoccola · Rating 2 out of 5]

I took off a star because it was torturing me while I had to use it to write a paper, but I still wanted to review and spout off about it outside of class. An interesting departure from the conquistador narrative typical of fifteenth-century European descriptions of native Amerindian peoples, this inevitably falls into European sensationalism and histrionics regarding the presence of cannibals and female warriors in native lands (which Europeans expected to find in the lands beyond Europe). This isn't due to any bias or shortcomings on the part of de Lery (and his Spanish contemporaries such as Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca), but rather the linguistic impossibility of European language being able to accurately describe the native societies they encountered. A fascinating but far from essential document forming the larger tale of Europeans encounters' with native Amerindian peoples.

[Eden P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting proto-ethnological perspective on the Tupi, an indigenous population in Brazil. Definitely worth a read if you're interested in travel literature, Huguenots, or a (slightly) more abstract look at a native culture.

[valentina · Rating 1 out of 5]

ruim pq o alberganti mandou ler pt 2

[Lorie Hm · Rating 3 out of 5]

ENFIN FINI

[Sara Su]

Lu pour les cours

[Constance Tessier · Rating 1 out of 5]

ce mec a inventé le yapping ou quoi frr c'est trop
et les fautes j'en parle même pas

[Neal Spadafora]

"But what I have said about these savages is to show that, while we condemn them so austerely for going about shamelessly with their bodies entirely uncovered, we ourselves, in the sumptuous display, superfluity, and excess of our own costume, are hardly more laudable."

A truly fascinating piece of colonial history, one that should be read alongside other "discovery" narratives, or those who ridicule those stories, such as Montaigne. I wrote a reflection on the text for a class, here it is:

When de Léry explains that the Brazilwood will make a European merchant immensely rich, the Tupinambá man first responds with confusion, quipping "tu me contes merveilles" (311). Then the native asks a decisive question: "Mais cest homme tant riche dont tu me parles, ne meurt-il point ?" (311). Still perplexed, he only begins to understand when De Léry informs him that this mortal merchant's wealth will pass to his children and next of kin. The Tupinambá speaker reframes the conversation:
"À ceste foys cognois-je que vous autres… estes de grands fols… car vous faut-il tant travailler… pour amasser des richesses ou à vos enfans ou à ceux qui survivent apres vous?" (311)

What confounds the Tupinambá man is not only the unnecessarily difficult labor, but labor oriented towards a future beyond one's life. He thus offers de Léry a different way of relating to time, kin, and the earth:
“La terre qui vous a nourris n’est-elle pas aussi suffisante pour les nourrir?… nous nous asseurons qu’après nostre mort la terre qui nous a nourris les nourrira.” (311–12)

Instead of traversing the globe and hauling heavy woods from one corner of the world to the other all so that the provisions of future generations might be secured, the natives rest easy, confident in the earth's generativity and their kin's generosity and care. The passage thus stages two ways of relating to the earth and the future, with each grounded in competing models of kinship. One is extractive and anticipatory, structured around inheritance and deferred benefit. The other is cyclical and detached from the future, rooted in a peaceful confidence that the earth, and the people who care for it and another, are sufficient today and tomorrow.

For de Léry, wealth, and the earth that made it, operate along a near linear timeline, with scarcity, risk, and the management of death through material inheritance structuring that linearity. The merchant works now to guarantee a desirable future they will never inhabit. For the Tupinambá speaker, by contrast, the future is not an abstract horizon whose perils and contingencies are to be mitigated and hedged. Instead, "La terre qui vous a nourris… les nourrira" indicates a relation with time that embraces the present, trusting that nature and its rhythms will yield the necessities.

This scene prompts reflection on the family's role in what Patel and Moore call the Capitalocene. Although familial relations and care networks remain crucial sites of social reproduction in the Capitalocene, they are, pace Patel and Moore, subordinate to this broader logic of cheapness. According to the Marxian tradition they develop, Europe’s turn to the state and the market relegated the family from a primary organizing force to a secondary one. In pre-capitalist contexts, kinship determined an individual’s social position; under capitalism, class and capital displace kin as the central analytic categories.

We should note, as other scholars have, that 19th century European social theorists, often with more than a tinge of racism, broadly contrasted “kin-based” non-European societies, which allegedly lacked the state and market, with modern, class-structured European societies. Non-European politics was thus reduced to kinship, while European modernity, emerging around the early 16th century, was said to subordinate domestic relations to class and to the abstract logics of capital and history that create classes.

Yet, in Léry’s account, the family appears central to the merchant’s _modus operandi_, suggesting that Europe had not simply “moved beyond” kinship but continued to organize economic life through it. This differs from claiming that families merely obey abstract laws of capital that perpetuate themselves beyond human intention. Thus, instead of employing the speculative reason we've inherited from the Germans so that we can allegedly demonstrate the abstract laws of capital that are hidden behind money's obscuration of reality, one might simply turn their attention to the lineages and inheritances that transmit wealth and property, maintain power, and enable the often arbitrary and egotistical endeavors that characterize family life.

The difference between the French and the Tupinambá man is not that France is governed by an impersonal logic of accumulation or cheapness, but that the French relate to children, friends, and posterity so differently than the Tupinambá that de Lery's speaker could only make sense of the merchant’s behavior by imagining him immortal.