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Papers by Alexander Martins Vianna

The post-revisionist English Reformation Studies have currently paid attention to new possibiliti... more The post-revisionist English Reformation Studies have currently paid attention to new possibilities of interpretations of social, political and cultural loci to religious negotiations in post-Reformation English History and Literature, avoiding Whiggist and revisionist polarized approaches to the Literary History of English Reformations. This article approaches The Merchant of Venice (Q1, 1600) as an event that localizes, in its textual materiality, cultural and political negotiations, and expectations, about religion conformity in Elizabethan England. This article especially intends to analyze the rhetorical motives used in Q1 to represent menaces to sacred kingship and to figure its opposites (namely ‘puritans’ and ‘papists’), also including a study of propositions about iconoclasm of merits, melancholy, amiticia and caritas on the ways of fashioning the main characters’ manners.

The studies about 16th and 17th Century Political Thought have currently paid attention of new po... more The studies about 16th and 17th Century Political Thought have currently paid attention of new possibilities of interpretations of classical references without emphasizing teleological approaches as “political modernity” or “secularization”. Such a mainstream explains the new interests of studying classical references of 16th and 17th Century Political Thought, but relating them to the background and breakdown of religious and political authorities in Early Modern Europe. So, this article intends to analyse the rhetorical motives used by James I in Basilikon Doron (1599) to represent sacred kingship and to figure its opposites (namely “puritans” and “papists”), also including a study of king’s propositions and advices to his son on the ways of fashioning princely manners.

This essay intends to criticize some constructs which determinate approaches that focus the maki... more This essay intends to criticize some constructs which determinate approaches that focus the making of State in the Early Modern Europe on teleological interpretative keys of institutional modernity. At the end, I show a short critical approach that demonstrates how ‘political economy of gratia’ becomes utterly unnecessary to an historical understanding of the functions of sovereignty, authority, public administration and social relations in the Ancient Regime.

From Norbert Elias’ approach, this essay intends to show how the Q2 textual materiality of “Romeo... more From Norbert Elias’ approach, this essay intends to show how the Q2 textual materiality of “Romeo and Juliet” expresses, as moral thesis, that the traditional public order security would rise if Capulet’s, Montecchio’s and Prince Scalus’ household patriarchal authorities were simultaneously strengthened. Moreover, another chain of things would be necessary as well: the springing of the ethos of courtesy (on the individual level), the ideal of discretion, and the general recognition of public justice as a central valor and condition of social peace.

This essay intends to show how the Q1(1597) textual materiality of the play “Richard the Third” e... more This essay intends to show how the Q1(1597) textual materiality of the play “Richard the Third” expresses, as moral thesis, that the traditional public order security would rise if kingdom’s and kingship’s household patriarchal authorities were simultaneously strengthened. However, another chain of things would be necessary as well: the nobility must to put an end to the customs of private revenges and factional infightings, to give recognition to kingship as institutional incarnation of sovereign justice and civil laws, and to accept the duty of playing a fashionable role according to the necessities of the social and institutional dignities which give right form to Politic Body’s internal links of hierarchical reciprocity.

A forma romance é uma inovação na tradição narrativa da prosa que toma corpo na Inglaterra desde ... more A forma romance é uma inovação na tradição narrativa da prosa que toma corpo na Inglaterra desde começos do século XVIII. Considerando o magistral trabalho de Ian Watt sobre o nascimento da forma romance de narrativa, não será necessário aqui que eu me estenda sobre o quanto que isso se inscreve no embate literário e filosófico "clássico vs. anticlássico" desde finais do século XVII e o quanto que, no caso específico da Inglaterra, deve-se considerar também a importante influência da progressiva secularização dos exercícios e fórmulas morais protestantes, que eram exigentes de uma periódica introspecção espiritual, do auto-exame permanente da consciência e de uma linguagem simples e vernacular.(WATT, 1990: 68-116) Das considerações de Ian Watt sobre a forma romance de narrativa, interessa-me aqui, especificamente, a sua constatação de que houve uma transformação na concepção literária do corpo feminino, que sai da condição de ser ativo e ameaçador para aquela de ser passivo, simultaneamente ameaçado e redentor de um corpo masculino intrinsecamente concupiscente.(Idem, Ibidem: 121-186) Desde Samuel Richardson (1689-1761) até o final da Era Vitoriana, a heroína exemplar dos romances é muito jovem, inexperiente e de constituição física e mental tão delicada que desmaia diante de qualquer investida sexual. Tal fragilidade atestaria um passado delicadamente protegido, doméstico e descarnalizado, apontando preferencialmente para um futuro similar. Tratam-se, pois, de mentes e corpos essencialmente passivos que, antes do casamento -ou da ação de um "agente externo corruptor" (geralmente da nobreza) -, não sentem nada por seu admirador. Ora, tal imagem é o oposto de uma Julieta que, embora jovem (quase 14 anos), é arguta, é dissimulada, é virgem (mas não sexualmente inocente) e demonstra plena ciência dos códigos de galantaria para resistir-lhes com astúcia. Portanto, o ideal romântico de feminino está em completa oposição à visão patriarcal e à tradição clássica do amor na literatura inglesa, assim como em oposição à atitude inicial do próprio protestantismo, pois todas essas perspectivas enfatizavam mais a concupiscência das mulheres do que dos homens.(Idem, Ibidem: 141-186) * Originalmente publicado em: Revista Espaço Acadêmico, n. 80, 2008.

This essay intends to show why, at the end of 18th century, Shakespearean plays were so useful to... more This essay intends to show why, at the end of 18th century, Shakespearean plays were so useful to the German romantic literary criticism, which was opposed to French classicism as a hegemonic regime of taste and rule of art. This cultural dispute must also be understood as a literary expression of social criticism against the German nobility’s values and its regime of social distinction. From this cultural dispute arose a new conception of Shakespeare’s works that is the object of my critical review.

This article intends to show how important is to understand the incidental aspect of the link bet... more This article intends to show how important is to understand the incidental aspect of the link between the name ‘Shakespeare’ and the plays monumentalized by the 1623 folio. This is a possible way of breaking the romantic expectation of understanding from the cultural movement Sturm und Drang, whose emphasis was the cultural fight against the French classicism of taste and rule of arts in German nobility. So, with this study, I think the forms of creating valour to the Shakespearean plays’ frontispiece, between 1594 and 1637, will cannot be understood as a preoccupation of preserving the intellectual individuality of Shakespeare, but as a collective process of creation.

Since 1980’s, the “linguistic turn” in social sciences and arts has brought critical issues about... more Since 1980’s, the “linguistic turn” in social sciences and arts has brought critical issues about the universal concepts as author, complete work, lectures, literature, book, manuscript, and writing. So the uses into Early Modern Age of 19th century criteria and canons of literature have been questioned. In this article, I think “Shakespeare” as a name related to texts made in 16th-17th publishing houses, whose original making locus was the stage company during his lifetime. Therefore, “his” plays would not have been made by a unique and isolated genius, and hence I can examine if Roger Chartier’s idea that Shakespeare’s first folio(1623) editorial presentation would have been influenced by the same valour or criteria of Ben Jonson’s folio (1616) one.

The post-revisionist English Reformation Studies have currently paid attention to new possibiliti... more The post-revisionist English Reformation Studies have currently paid attention to new possibilities of interpretations of social, political and cultural loci to religious negotiations in post-Reformation English History and Literature, avoiding Whiggist and revisionist polarized approaches to the Literary History of English Reformations. This article approaches The Merchant of Venice (Q1, 1600) as an event that localizes, in its textual materiality, cultural and political negotiations, and expectations, about religion conformity in Elizabethan England. This article especially intends to analyze the rhetorical motives used in Q1 to represent menaces to sacred kingship and to figure its opposites (namely ‘puritans’ and ‘papists’), also including a study of propositions about iconoclasm of merits, melancholy, amiticia and caritas on the ways of fashioning the main characters’ manners.

The studies about 16th and 17th Century Political Thought have currently paid attention of new po... more The studies about 16th and 17th Century Political Thought have currently paid attention of new possibilities of interpretations of classical references without emphasizing teleological approaches as “political modernity” or “secularization”. Such a mainstream explains the new interests of studying classical references of 16th and 17th Century Political Thought, but relating them to the background and breakdown of religious and political authorities in Early Modern Europe. So, this article intends to analyse the rhetorical motives used by James I in Basilikon Doron (1599) to represent sacred kingship and to figure its opposites (namely “puritans” and “papists”), also including a study of king’s propositions and advices to his son on the ways of fashioning princely manners.

This essay intends to criticize some constructs which determinate approaches that focus the maki... more This essay intends to criticize some constructs which determinate approaches that focus the making of State in the Early Modern Europe on teleological interpretative keys of institutional modernity. At the end, I show a short critical approach that demonstrates how ‘political economy of gratia’ becomes utterly unnecessary to an historical understanding of the functions of sovereignty, authority, public administration and social relations in the Ancient Regime.

From Norbert Elias’ approach, this essay intends to show how the Q2 textual materiality of “Romeo... more From Norbert Elias’ approach, this essay intends to show how the Q2 textual materiality of “Romeo and Juliet” expresses, as moral thesis, that the traditional public order security would rise if Capulet’s, Montecchio’s and Prince Scalus’ household patriarchal authorities were simultaneously strengthened. Moreover, another chain of things would be necessary as well: the springing of the ethos of courtesy (on the individual level), the ideal of discretion, and the general recognition of public justice as a central valor and condition of social peace.

This essay intends to show how the Q1(1597) textual materiality of the play “Richard the Third” e... more This essay intends to show how the Q1(1597) textual materiality of the play “Richard the Third” expresses, as moral thesis, that the traditional public order security would rise if kingdom’s and kingship’s household patriarchal authorities were simultaneously strengthened. However, another chain of things would be necessary as well: the nobility must to put an end to the customs of private revenges and factional infightings, to give recognition to kingship as institutional incarnation of sovereign justice and civil laws, and to accept the duty of playing a fashionable role according to the necessities of the social and institutional dignities which give right form to Politic Body’s internal links of hierarchical reciprocity.

A forma romance é uma inovação na tradição narrativa da prosa que toma corpo na Inglaterra desde ... more A forma romance é uma inovação na tradição narrativa da prosa que toma corpo na Inglaterra desde começos do século XVIII. Considerando o magistral trabalho de Ian Watt sobre o nascimento da forma romance de narrativa, não será necessário aqui que eu me estenda sobre o quanto que isso se inscreve no embate literário e filosófico "clássico vs. anticlássico" desde finais do século XVII e o quanto que, no caso específico da Inglaterra, deve-se considerar também a importante influência da progressiva secularização dos exercícios e fórmulas morais protestantes, que eram exigentes de uma periódica introspecção espiritual, do auto-exame permanente da consciência e de uma linguagem simples e vernacular.(WATT, 1990: 68-116) Das considerações de Ian Watt sobre a forma romance de narrativa, interessa-me aqui, especificamente, a sua constatação de que houve uma transformação na concepção literária do corpo feminino, que sai da condição de ser ativo e ameaçador para aquela de ser passivo, simultaneamente ameaçado e redentor de um corpo masculino intrinsecamente concupiscente.(Idem, Ibidem: 121-186) Desde Samuel Richardson (1689-1761) até o final da Era Vitoriana, a heroína exemplar dos romances é muito jovem, inexperiente e de constituição física e mental tão delicada que desmaia diante de qualquer investida sexual. Tal fragilidade atestaria um passado delicadamente protegido, doméstico e descarnalizado, apontando preferencialmente para um futuro similar. Tratam-se, pois, de mentes e corpos essencialmente passivos que, antes do casamento -ou da ação de um "agente externo corruptor" (geralmente da nobreza) -, não sentem nada por seu admirador. Ora, tal imagem é o oposto de uma Julieta que, embora jovem (quase 14 anos), é arguta, é dissimulada, é virgem (mas não sexualmente inocente) e demonstra plena ciência dos códigos de galantaria para resistir-lhes com astúcia. Portanto, o ideal romântico de feminino está em completa oposição à visão patriarcal e à tradição clássica do amor na literatura inglesa, assim como em oposição à atitude inicial do próprio protestantismo, pois todas essas perspectivas enfatizavam mais a concupiscência das mulheres do que dos homens.(Idem, Ibidem: 141-186) * Originalmente publicado em: Revista Espaço Acadêmico, n. 80, 2008.

This essay intends to show why, at the end of 18th century, Shakespearean plays were so useful to... more This essay intends to show why, at the end of 18th century, Shakespearean plays were so useful to the German romantic literary criticism, which was opposed to French classicism as a hegemonic regime of taste and rule of art. This cultural dispute must also be understood as a literary expression of social criticism against the German nobility’s values and its regime of social distinction. From this cultural dispute arose a new conception of Shakespeare’s works that is the object of my critical review.

This article intends to show how important is to understand the incidental aspect of the link bet... more This article intends to show how important is to understand the incidental aspect of the link between the name ‘Shakespeare’ and the plays monumentalized by the 1623 folio. This is a possible way of breaking the romantic expectation of understanding from the cultural movement Sturm und Drang, whose emphasis was the cultural fight against the French classicism of taste and rule of arts in German nobility. So, with this study, I think the forms of creating valour to the Shakespearean plays’ frontispiece, between 1594 and 1637, will cannot be understood as a preoccupation of preserving the intellectual individuality of Shakespeare, but as a collective process of creation.

Since 1980’s, the “linguistic turn” in social sciences and arts has brought critical issues about... more Since 1980’s, the “linguistic turn” in social sciences and arts has brought critical issues about the universal concepts as author, complete work, lectures, literature, book, manuscript, and writing. So the uses into Early Modern Age of 19th century criteria and canons of literature have been questioned. In this article, I think “Shakespeare” as a name related to texts made in 16th-17th publishing houses, whose original making locus was the stage company during his lifetime. Therefore, “his” plays would not have been made by a unique and isolated genius, and hence I can examine if Roger Chartier’s idea that Shakespeare’s first folio(1623) editorial presentation would have been influenced by the same valour or criteria of Ben Jonson’s folio (1616) one.