Iracema (in Portuguese: Iracema - A Lenda do Ceará) is one of the three indigenous novels by José de Alencar. It was first published in 1865. The novel has been adapted into several films.
Through the novel, Alencar tries to remake the history of the Brazilian colonial state of Ceará, 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), culture and knowledge (Martim), and also represents the mixture (miscegenation) of the native race with the European race to produce a new caboclo race.
Explanation of the novel's title
Iracema 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.
"Iracema" is also an anagram of "America", noted by critics as befitting the allegorization of colonization of America, the novel's main theme.
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, the Roman god of war.
Moacir: The child of Martim and Iracema.
Poti: Martim's friend and the Pitiguara warrior who is brother of the Pitiguara leader.
Iracema and the Indianist novels
Iracema, along with the novels O Guarani and Ubirajara, portrays one of the stages of the formation of the Brazilian ethnic and cultural heritage. Iracema symbolizes the initial meeting between the white man (Europeans) and the natives.
"Moacir" means "Son of Pain", which is related to his birth, alone with his mother, who was abandoned by Martim for some time when he had to go and help the Potiguaras in a tribal war against the Tabajaras.
Awards and nominations
"Iracema", painting by Antônio Parreiras1965 stamp commemorating the centenary of the book
There is a Brazilian stamp in honor of Iracema's centennial (1865/1965) and its author.
There are two statues representing Iracema at the Avenida Beira Mar [pt] in Fortaleza. One is at Coordinates 3°43'22.99"S, 38°29'3.60"W and the other is at Iracema Beach at Coordinates 3°43'14.04"S, 38°30'34.43"W. This second statue was made by Zenon Barreto [pt] and was idealized in 1960. It was constructed on 1996 for the 100th anniversary of the publication, but fell down on 3 May 2022 for unknown reasons.[1]
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