The Old Man of Restelo
Fictional character in Camões's epic who warns against overseas expansion.
The Old Man of Restelo, also called the Old Man of Bélem, is a fictional character from Luís de Camões's epic poem Os Lusíadas. He appears in Canto IV at the departure of the first expedition to India, delivering warnings about the voyage. The figure is variously interpreted as a symbol of pessimism or as representing those who doubted the success of the Portuguese Discoveries.
Quick Facts
- Work
- Os Lusíadas
- Poet
- Luís de Camões
- Expedition
- First expedition to India (1497)
- Commander
- Vasco da Gama
Facts from the source article.
The Old Man's speech
At the start of Vasco da Gama's voyage across unknown oceans, an old man goes down to denounce the ships and their occupants. He argues that the reckless navigators, driven by greed for fame, glory, and riches, are courting disaster for themselves and the Portuguese people. The speech appears in Os Lusíadas, Canto IV, stanzas 94-97.
The position of Camões
It is uncertain how far the Old Man's monologue reflects Camões's own views. A contradiction exists between the epic's enthusiasm for maritime expeditions and the fear, apprehension, and pessimism in this speech and other passages. Historian Sanjay Subrahmanyam lists interpretations: that Camões criticized the degenerated moral state of the Portuguese empire in the East; that he used a theme of nostalgia for agrarian life; or that he acknowledged historical opposition to overseas expansion.
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