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Pessoa and The Masters
This text, and others like it, by Fernando Pessoa - for many the greatest Portuguese-language writer of all time - have allowed us to imagine this book: a dialoguing anthology of four of the most remarkable Portuguese poets, these three acknowledged masters and Pessoa himself. In this way, essential poems from the same poetic tradition, which reached its golden age in the 20th century and had a decisive influence on later poetry, have been brought into dialogue in a bilingual edition that also makes them accessible to a wide English-speaking readership.
367 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2024
About the author
Fernando Pessoa
1,253 books6,662 followersFernando António Nogueira Pessoa was a poet and writer.
It is sometimes said that the four greatest Portuguese poets of modern times are Fernando Pessoa. The statement is possible since Pessoa, whose name means ‘person’ in Portuguese, had three alter egos who wrote in styles completely different from his own. In fact Pessoa wrote under dozens of names, but Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campos were – their creator claimed – full-fledged individuals who wrote things that he himself would never or could never write. He dubbed them ‘heteronyms’ rather than pseudonyms, since they were not false names but “other names”, belonging to distinct literary personalities. Not only were their styles different; they thought differently, they had different religious and political views, different aesthetic sensibilities, different social temperaments. And each produced a large body of poetry. Álvaro de Campos and Ricardo Reis also signed dozens of pages of prose.
The critic Harold Bloom referred to him in the book The Western Canon as the most representative poet of the twentieth century, along with Pablo Neruda.
It is sometimes said that the four greatest Portuguese poets of modern times are Fernando Pessoa. The statement is possible since Pessoa, whose name means ‘person’ in Portuguese, had three alter egos who wrote in styles completely different from his own. In fact Pessoa wrote under dozens of names, but Alberto Caeiro, Ricardo Reis and Álvaro de Campos were – their creator claimed – full-fledged individuals who wrote things that he himself would never or could never write. He dubbed them ‘heteronyms’ rather than pseudonyms, since they were not false names but “other names”, belonging to distinct literary personalities. Not only were their styles different; they thought differently, they had different religious and political views, different aesthetic sensibilities, different social temperaments. And each produced a large body of poetry. Álvaro de Campos and Ricardo Reis also signed dozens of pages of prose.
The critic Harold Bloom referred to him in the book The Western Canon as the most representative poet of the twentieth century, along with Pablo Neruda.
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February 13, 2026
while reading, we were practically buzzing with excitement, feeding off each other the whole time. it’s one of the best things i’ve ever read. even now, just thinking about it makes me feel light, like i’m overflowing with happiness. i need to have this book in my hands i’ll find it and get it no matter where it is. even if it’s on the other side of the world.. i’m coming for you
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review