Readings of Luís de Camões’ Os Lusíadas as a Political Instrument

The political-ideological applications of one of the greatest literary works of all time are the subject of this research. We discuss the displacement of Camões’ majestic epic poem as the main basis for various political positions. Prominent figures in Brazilian society in the 19th and 20th centuries read Os Lusíadas and saw it as the foundation for their propositions, reducing the epic to support for their ideas. We examine some of these uses in order to discuss the importance and influence of literature in the formation of ties between Portugal and Brazil.