The Nation’s books: Literary Prizes in Brazil during Getúlio Vargas’s dictatorship (1937-1945)

Abstract

During the Brazilian Estado Novo (1937-1945), literature was an instrument in the construction of the regime and served as a key tool in the process of nationalization of Brazilian culture. Through the literary prizes, Getúlio Vargas’s dictatorship sought to establish new literary canons within his "nationalizing" project. But, on the other hand, the private prizes also had great importance, projecting themselves as a more plural intellectual reference. In this sense, the aim of this paper is to study the most important official and private literary prizes of this period: the National Literary Prize, the Machado de Assis Prize, the Graça Aranha Foundation Prize and the Felipe d'Oliveira Society Prize. From sources researched in the public archives of the State of Rio de Janeiro (APERJ) and the Center for Research and Documentation of Contemporary History of Brazil of Getúlio Vargas Foundation (CPDOC/FGV), this article describes and analyzes the authors and their works awarded, emphasizing the importance of the "world of letters" in a dictatorial period.