Os Eslavos na obra de Gilberto Freyre entre a Rússia Americana eos Poloneses no Brasil
The Slavs in the Work of Gilberto Freyre: Between American Russia and Poles in Brazil

Summary/Abstract: Gilberto Freyre (1900–1987) is considered one of the main interpreters of Brazilian society and has emphasized the role of the Portuguese in the formation of Brazil. In this article, I examine how Slavic peoples are depicted in Freyre’s work, highlighting two main elements: a) the idea that Brazil could be an “American Russia”; b) the inclusion of Poles in Brazilian society. The comparison with Russia is motivated by the fact that Freyre perceives it as a country situated, like Spain and Portugal, in a geographical and cultural transition area between two continents, and that, like Brazil, it has consolidated as a mixed nation in a vast territory. On the other hand, the presence of Poles in Brazilian society would have twofold outcomes, as, on the one hand, they underwent acculturation, becoming more Brazilian, and on the other, they contributed to the national culture of Brazil, modifying it, and bringing new elements.

• Details
• Contents