Entre a literatura e a história: personagens de Mayombe e Noites de Vigília nas cenas de Angola

Between literature and history: characters from Mayombe and Noites de Vigília in the scenes of Angola

Abstract

Based on theoretical assumptions of Literary Criticism and New Cultural History, the objective of this work was to analyze characters from the novels Mayombe and Noites de VigíliaVigil, by Angolan authors Pepetela and Boaventura Cardoso, respectively, not only as milestones of the authors’ fictional imagination, but above all, as representations of the recent historical plot of Angola, that the authors were at the same time witnesses and protagonists, in the sense that they experienced (and experience!) their reflections in the daily life of the Angolan people. The analysis of the novels made it possible to conclude that many images represented by literary art are not simply reflections of history but, above all, demonstrate forms of relationships and thoughts of historical subjects with their own histories. In this conception, the imaginary subjects of Mayombe (the guerrillas' own agents) were related to the characters of Noites de Vigília (actors who help to recount fragmented parts of Angolan history) so that one can see a dimension not only of the fictitious  elements that cover the political and cultural history of that country, as well as the possibility of recognizing subjects in their most varied historical dimensions.

Keywords: Mayombe. Noites de Vigília. Characters. Guerrilla.  Angola.