Paper short abstract:

Drawing on recent ideological readings of Lusiadas de Luis de Camoens; comentadas por Manuel de Faria i Sousa this paper analyses firstly, the graphic and poetic images, and then, allegorical significance of Neptune in Faria e Sousa’s seminal statement of Portuguese cultural and political identity.

Paper long abstract:

The aim of this paper is to analyse the artistic and critical response to the representation of Neptune in "Lusiadas de Luis de Camoens...; comentadas por Manuel de Faria i Sousa" (Madrid: Juan Sanchez, 1639). The point of departure is an analysis of the print that opens the commentary of Canto VI depicting Neptune, his palace, attendants and the sea storms he can invoke. A survey will then be undertaken of Camoes' poetic images of Neptune in conjunction with consideration of Faria e Sousa's theoretical discussion of Camoes' poetic "pintura". Attention will then be turned to an analysis of the literary and allegorical significance of Neptune as set out in Faria e Sousa's commentary. Drawing on recent ideological readings of Faria e Sousa's work by Bass, Fouto and Weiss, a series of examples will be examined; including Faria e Sousa's discussion of St. Peter as "representación de Neptuno" (I: v, 456B) in the combined critique of Islam and praise of the pious purpose of Portugal's imperial ambitions presented in the commentary on Canto V. Thereby, the visual, both graphic and poetic, as well as allegorical significance of Neptune will be considered in Faria e Sousa's commentary on the Lusiadas, a work that is a seminal statement of Portuguese cultural and political identity during the final years of the union of the two crowns.