ALENCAR

O Guarani 4.2 · 4.2

An Indian in the flower of his youth

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Em pé, no meio do espaço que formava a grande abóbada de árvores, encostado a um velho tronco decepado pelo raio, via-se um índio na flor da idade.

Standing in the middle of the space formed by the great vault of trees, leaning against an old trunk lopped off by lightning, an Indian in the flower of his youth could be seen.

Word by word

EmeinOnpehfoot,nonooin themeioMAY-oomiddledodooof theespaçoesh-PA-soospacequekethatformavafor-MA-vaformedaathegrandeGRAN-jeegreatabóbadaa-BO-ba-davaultdejeeofárvoresAR-vo-reshtrees,encostadoen-kosh-TA-dooleaningaaagainstumoomavelhoVE-lyoooldtroncoTRON-kootrunkdecepadode-se-PA-doolopped offpeloPE-looby theraioHA-yoolightning,via-seVEE-a-secould be seenumoomaníndioEEN-jee-ooIndiannanain theflorflorflowerdadaofidadeee-DA-jeeage.

The setting

At the center of the clearing, against a lightning-blasted trunk, stands a young Indian — the hero Peri, though not yet named.

A note on this passage

Alencar frames Peri like a portrait — centered, upright, beneath a natural dome, against a tree the sky itself has marked. 'Na flor da idade,' in the flower of his age: the noblest of Brazilian Romanticism's noble savages is introduced as beauty before he is introduced as name.

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