Portuguese Studies

Abstract:

We aim to analyse the book Requiem para o Navegador Solitário (2007) by Luís Cardoso considering the maritime elements that emerge in the novel and combining Indian Ocean Studies with Gender Studies. Pointing to the East Timorese imagery and the perspective of the female protagonist, we will focus on the elements related to the coast of the island, such as the shore, the sea, the ships, the sailors, and the interconnection with other islands and territories during the colonial period. We will analyse the link between the existential trajectory of Catarina, the female protagonist of the novel, the history of East Timor and Indian Ocean crossings. This text, written in Portuguese by a Timorese author, portrays the complex history of this territory during World War II and offers a unique perspective on Timorese history.