Diadorim, Hermógenes, and the ancients: men of lineage in the backlands

This essay seeks to develop the dialogue of Guimarães Rosa’s warriors with the epic tradition. In order to do so, this text discusses how the characterization of some of his characters, especially Hermógenes and Diadorim, could not only transpose Homer into the backlands but also the men of the Iron Lineage of Works and days by Hesiod exploring a way by which the tradition is kept alive. We aim to explore such a dialogue, through a textual analysis of The devil to pay in the backlands (1956) as well as of the ancient poem.

Keywords:
Iron Lineage; backlands; justice; war; death