Recently while driving home, I heard John Estacio’s piece, “Saudades” on the radio. I was mesmerized.
What is saudades? Quoting Wikipedia,”Saudade is a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for something or someone that one cares for and/or loves. Moreover, it often carries a repressed knowledge that the object of longing might never be had again.”
A medieval love story gets the ball rolling. Published in 1554, we are plunged into the days of wandering knights and fair maidens. The story begins when a fair maiden hears the plaintive song of the nightingale, then it falls dead from its song. In her grief, she tells of her sadness to an older lady.
That lady tells how difficult it is for women to bear the longing for the past, even worse, they bear it even more on behalf of their men folk. A common refrain, “Weep much and curse the day I was born.” p. 159
Sounds bleak but a good story ensues.
A Maiden’s Tale. Once upon a time a wandering knight is travelling with his wife and her sister in far off lands. His name is Lamentor, a suitable name; his wife is Belisa and Aónia, her sister. They meet a squire guarding the bridge. He has pledged his love to the lady of the nearby castle.
Hell no, they cannot cross the bridge. A fight ensues. A word of caution: one must never fight a knight on a horse on a bridge. The man dies. They take his body to the castle. Eight days of mourning begin. His sister curses the knight.
Belisa is pregnant and goes into labour, but sadly she dies but the baby girl is saved. Lamentor blames this on killing the squire. They are besides themselves with grief.
Along comes Binmarder, a local. His aim in life is to take care of his head of cattle. Not the same cut one might say! Binmarder is immediately smitten with love for Aónia. He does he best to sneak into her room and is only prevented by her most protective maid servant. Best to marry off Aónia before trouble comes! Aónia is not happy but the maid servant gives her good advice, learn to live with it. Saudade!
Meanwhile, Lamentor and Belisa’s daughter Arima grows up to be a beautiful young woman and asked to serve in the royal court. She too will have a good husband but along comes Avalor. They fall in love but as it happens, he is sent away to sea.
Using these water motifs, like the disaster of the bridge, the sea also becomes a disaster. The ending is quite the surprise (oh, that bridge incident). Dear reader you must find a copy.
Resolution. Saudades, remembrance of things in the past (Proust where are you?), loves to remember, laments to forget, um grande magoar, with a great deal of “lagrimas, choras, e muito pranto,” especially in the Portuguese tales of old.
What a treat. Amén.