on of two nations: the personification of Antônio Vieira by Varnhagen

Abstract

Character of historiographical and literary narratives, Antônio Vieira was a Jesuit priest who lived from 1608 to 1697. In the 19th century, the priest became the subject of intense debates and a necessary figure of the IHGB for the formation of the national narrative. A field of disputes was formed around the figure of Vieira, from which several readings emerged. The reading that Francisco Adolfo Varnhagen made about the priest stands out. Characterized by nationalist praise, the historian’s view was that Vieira was an individual born in Portugal, but that he had Brazil as his homeland of duty. In order to understand the production of the historical character, it is essential to understand the creation of Vieira in the midst of the symbolic investments of 19th century Brazilian historiography. In this sense, our study will use a historiographical approach to the Jesuit in the 19th century, with which it is possible to infer a web of adjacent relations, especially those established with the IHGB and Portuguese historiography.