Iracema

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For other uses, see Iracema (disambiguation).

Iracema, the honey lips: a legend of Brasil
Author	José de Alencar
Original title	Iracema
Translator	Lady Isabel Burton
Country	Brazil
Language	Portuguese
Series	Alencar's indigenist novels
Genre(s)	Romance novel
Publisher	Bickers & Son
Publication date	1865
Published in English	1866
Preceded by	O Guarany
Followed by	Ubirajara

Iracema is one of the three indigenous novels by José de Alencar. It was first published in 1865.

1 Plot introduction
- 1.1 Explanation of the novel's title
2 Characters in Iracema
3 Iracema and the Indianist Novels
4 Awards and nominations
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Plot introduction

The story revolves around the relationship between the Tabajara indigenous woman, Iracema; and the Portuguese colonist, Martim, who was allied with the Tabajara nation's enemies, the Pitiguaras. Through the novel Alencar tries to remake the history of the Brazilian colonial state of Ceará's origins, with Moacir, the son of Iracema and Martim, as the first true Brazilian in Ceará. This pure Brazilian is born from the love of the natural, innocence (Iracema) and culture and knowledge (Martim).

[edit] Explanation of the novel's title

Its name is Guarani language for honey-lips, from ira - honey, and tembe - lips. Tembe changed to ceme, as in the word ceme iba, according to the author.

[edit] Characters in Iracema

Andira: Araquém's brother. Old warrior and hero of his people.
Araquém: Iracema's father. Spiritual leader of the Tabajara's nation.
Batuireté: Poti's grandfather
Caubi: Iracema's brother
Iracema: Araquém's daughter. She is the beautiful Tabajara woman with honey-lips and dark hair.
Irapuã: The warrior leader of the Tabajara nation.
Jacaúna: Poti's brother.
Jatobá: Poti's father. He is an important veteran warrior of the Pitiguara's nation.
Martim: Portuguese colonist. Named in honor of Mars, who was the Roman god of war.
Moacir: The child of Martim and Iracema.
Poti: Martim's friend and the Pitiguara warrior who is brother of Pitiguara leader.

[edit] Iracema and the Indianist Novels

Iracema, alongside with the other novels O Guarani and Ubirajara portrays one of the stages of the formation of the Brazilian ethnical and cultural heritage. Iracema symbolizes the initial meeting between the white man (Europeans) and the natives. Iracema is an anagram which means "America", this is believed to be the author's reference to how Martim (the European) conquered Iracema (or America). "Moacir" means "Son of Pain", what is related to his birth, alone with his mother, who was abandoned by Martim for some time as he had to go and help the Potiguaras in a tribal war against the Tabajaras.

[edit] Awards and nominations

There is a Brazilian stamp in honor of Iracema's centennial (1865/1965) and its author.
There is a Brazilian painting by Antônio Parreiras.
Iracema is cited in Manifesto Antropófago (Cannibal Manifesto), which is published in 1928 by Oswald de Andrade

"Iracema", painting by Antônio Parreiras

[edit] References

Alencar, José de. Iracema, the honey lips: a legend of Brasil (1886) by Lady Isabel Burton. London: Bickers & Son.
Alencar, José de. Iracema (2000) by Clifford Landers. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-1951-1547-3
Burns, E. Bradford. A Working Bibliography for the Study of Brazilian History The Americas, Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jul., 1965), pp. 54-88