Andresen, Sophia de Mello Breyner (1919—)
Andresen, Sophia de Mello Breyner (1919—)
Portuguese author of poetry, children's books, and short stories. Born in 1919 in Oporto, Portugal; educated at the University of Lisbon; children: five.
Selected works:
Poesia (1944); Dia do Mar (Day of the Sea, 1947); Coral (1950); Mar Nova (New Sea, 1958); Contos Exemplares (Exemplary Tales, 1962); Histórias da Terra e do Mar (Stories of the Earth and the Sea, 1984).
Sophia Andresen was a student of philosophy at the University of Lisbon before she became one of Portugal's most respected poets. She arrived on the literary scene at age 25, with her collection Poesia. Over the next 50 years, Andresen produced 11 more volumes of verse, as well as short stories and children's books. In addition to her own writing, she is known for her translations, including works of Shakespeare. Andresen's preoccupations greatly influenced her poetry; she wrote frequently about religion, social injustice, inhumanity, and nature, especially the sea. An intensely private figure, sometimes referred to as hermetic, Andresen has five children.