Trova is a traditional form of poem in four verses, composed by seven syllables, common in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
, being a staple of popular literature.
According to the poet
Luiz Otávio, a "trova" isː
Fernando Pessoa
Fernando António Nogueira Pessoa (; 13 June 1888 – 30 November 1935) was a Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publisher, and philosopher, described as one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century and ...
considers "trova is the flower vase that people puts in the window of their soul."
Example of trova by Luiz Otávio:
Structure
Trova is a
poem
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...
composed by four
verses, each containing seven syllables, without a title, self-enclosed in its own verses. The Trova are usually related to popular culture, and figured heavily on the popularization of literature in Brazil, being recognized as a popular art form, and is subject to several contests in Brazil.
History
Although the Trova is currently a
lusophone
Lusophones ( pt, Lusófonos) are ethnic group, peoples that speak Portuguese language, Portuguese as a native language, native or as common second language and nations where Portuguese features prominently in society. Comprising an estimated 270 m ...
form of literature, it has its origins in the
Medieval Era
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...
, where it was used to refer to any form of popular music or verse. From the south of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the Trova expanded, reaching Portugal, and, eventually, Brazil, where it became a popular form of poetry.
References
* CAMPOS, GEIR. ''Pequeno dicionário de arte poética''. Rio de Janeiro: Edições de Ouro, 1960.
* ''
Dicionário Houaiss da Língua Portuguesa
The ''Dicionário Houaiss da Língua Portuguesa'' (''Houaiss Dictionary of the Portuguese Language'') is a major reference dictionary for the Portuguese language, edited by Brazilian writer Antônio Houaiss.
The dictionary was composed by a team ...
''
External links
Falando de trova ''(in portuguese)''Poesia em trovas ''(in portuguese)''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trova (Poetry)
Stanzaic form
Poetic forms
pt:Trova