Fernando Pessoa

Lore & Background

Pessoa was born in Lisbon on 13 June 1888. When he was five, his father died of tuberculosis, and less than seven months later his younger brother also died. After his mother remarried, Pessoa sailed with her for South Africa in early 1896 to join his stepfather, a military officer appointed Portuguese consul in Durban. He received his early education at St. Joseph Convent School and later moved to Durban High School in April 1899, becoming fluent in English and developing an appreciation for English literature. In November 1903, he was awarded the Queen Victoria Memorial Prize for best paper in English. He started writing short stories in English, some under the name of David Merrick, and published satirical poems and sonnets in The Natal Mercury under names such as C. R. Anon. He left Durban for good at age seventeen, sailing for Lisbon by East through the Suez Canal.

Returning to Lisbon in 1905, Pessoa studied literature and philosophy but left after a student strike. He became an autodidact and worked at an American mercantile information agency. A small inheritance from his grandmother allowed him to set up his own publishing house, Empreza Ibis, which closed in 1910. In 1912, he entered the literary world with a critical essay in the journal A Águia, triggering a debate about a 'super-Camões.' In 1915, he helped create the literary magazine Orpheu, which introduced modernist literature to Portugal. He also founded the art journal Athena (1924–25), publishing verses under the heteronyms Alberto Caeiro and Ricardo Reis.

Reader's Guide

Fernando Pessoa's significance lies in his invention of the heteronym—a term he coined for imaginary figures with independent intellectual lives, distinct from pseudonyms. He wrote prolifically under approximately seventy-five names, with three standing out: Alberto Caeiro, Álvaro de Campos, and Ricardo Reis. These heteronyms sometimes held unpopular or extreme views, allowing Pessoa to explore diverse perspectives. His work, including writings in English and French, contributed to modernist literature in Portugal through publications like Orpheu. Pessoa's legacy endures as a central figure in 20th-century literature, noted for his innovative approach to authorship and identity. His self-described 'English education' in South Africa shaped his literary development, and his critical essays sparked important debates in Portuguese intellectual circles.

Did You Know?

• Pessoa invented the term 'heteronym' to describe his imaginary figures, which he felt had independent intellectual lives distinct from pseudonyms.
• He was awarded the Queen Victoria Memorial Prize for best paper in English during the Matriculation Examination in November 1903.
• Pessoa's first published work was a satirical poem in The Natal Mercury on 6 July 1904, under the name C. R. Anon.
• He founded the publishing house Empreza Ibis with an inheritance from his grandmother, but it closed in 1910.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Descobri que a leitura é uma forma servil de sonhar. Se tenho de sonhar, porque não sonhar os meus próprios sonhos?" — Fernando Pessoa "I have found out that reading is a slavish sort of dreaming. If I must dream, why not my own dreams?" — Fernando Pessoa "Contradiction is the essence of the universe." — Fernando Pessoa "Todo o homem que merece ser célebre sabe que não vale a pena sê-lo." — Fernando Pessoa