Will the real Fernando please stand up? - Ilan Stavans

Get to know the life of enigmatic poet and writer Fernando Pessoa, who wrote not as himself but as other people he invented.
--
On November 30th, 1935, dozens of writers passed away. They came from different backgrounds, espoused divergent beliefs, and wrote in a variety of styles. Yet almost 30,000 pages of their work was stashed in a trunk in an apartment in Lisbon, Portugal. So, what mysterious string tied all these writers together? Ilan Stavans explores the enigmatic life of Fernando Pessoa and his many identities.
Lesson by Ilan Stavans, directed by Héloïse Dorsan-Rachet.
Support Our Non-Profit Mission
----------------------------------------------
Support us on Patreon: bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon
Check out our merch: bit.ly/TEDEDShop
----------------------------------------------
Connect With Us
----------------------------------------------
Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter
Follow us on Facebook: bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook
Find us on Twitter: bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter
Peep us on Instagram: bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram
----------------------------------------------
Keep Learning
----------------------------------------------
View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/these-70-w...
Dig deeper with additional resources: ed.ted.com/lessons/these-70-w...
Animator's website: helo.dr?hl=fr
Music: / aim-music
----------------------------------------------
Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Niccolò Frassetto, Mana, I'm here because of Knowledge Fight Facebook group., Linda Freedman, Edgardo Cuellar, Jaspar Carmichael-Jack, Michael Burton, VIVIANA A GARCIA BESNE, The Vernon's, Olha Bahatiuk, Jesús Bíquez Talayero, Chels Raknrl, Sai Pranavi Jonnalagadda, Stuart Rice, Jing Chen, Vector-Dopamine math, Jasper Song, Giorgio Bugnatelli, Chardon, Eddy Trochez, OnlineBookClub.org, Eric Shear, Leith Salem, Omar Hicham, Adrian Rotaru, Brad Sullivan, Karen Ho, Niklas Frimberger, Hunter Manhart, Nathan Nguyen, Igor Stavchanskiy, James R DeVries, Grace Huo, Diana Huang, Chau Hong Diem, Orlellys Torre, Corheu, Thomas Mee, Maryann H McCrory, Blas Borde, John Hellmann, Poompak Meephian, Chuck Wofford, Adam Pagan, Wes Winn, Conder Shou, ntiger, Noname, Hansan Hu and David D.

[@LeoAngora]

The fact that "pessoa" in Portuguese means "person" reflects how perfectly genius Pessoa's plan was.

[@gofai274]

Pesoe quesoa chessoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[@pedrosabino6441]

Not really, it was his father’s name. So he had no choosing it…

[@sandygod]

The animations on TedED just keep getting better 10/10

[@boy638]

They almost always hire a different animator/studio for each video and they credit them in the description!

[@satvik142]

I was hoping someone would make a video about him, this did not disappoint.

[@heristyono4755]

When did Ted-Ed ever disappoint?

[@WhereIsAlice_]

I feel like he respects the concept of people, he respects and appreciates the differences of others even if he agrees, disagrees, or is neutral about their ideologies and perspectives in life. Wearing their shoes and experience that person's life.

[@joaomartins3367]

It wasnt always that intellectual and pure, in some of his letters he says that character X is basically him trying to write as Y when he is too tired, for example. He also used the characters to consciously play with literary techniques. I find it even more interesting to understand the practical and real aspects of how it all came to be.

[@gameplays2676]

The last quote is so beautiful

[@Phattadon02]

Now imagine 300 and more of that beautiful quote in the same book. He’s just an unbelievable writer.

[@SuperSylar]

Literature teacher here, and I'm sure using this in my class when talking about Modernism and Pessoa 😁

[@strawberrydome]

Aww I wish I was your student!

[@duarteconchinhas]

As a portuguese I might be biased, but Fernando Pessoa is easily one of the top 5 writers ever.

[@no_mnom]

All top 5 to some

[@TheArtsyAviary.]

One of the most writers ever

[@duarteconchinhas]

@@no_mnom Touchê ahah

[@badassbillyb]

Who would the other 4 be?

[@duarteconchinhas]

@@badassbillyb tough question, but in no particular order I would say: -Jose Saramago; -William Shakespeare ; -George Orwell; -Ernest Hemingway. These is my top without looking from a historical perspective. If this latter parameter is accounted for, I would exchange Saramago with Luís Vaz de Camões, Orwell with homero, and Hemingway with liev Tolstoy

[@Personna96]

As a Pessoa myself, I get asked a lot if I'm related to him but unfortunately he didn't have close relatives or kids. However, he left to the world a rich and intricate literary work. Such an honor to share the surname and speak the same language as he did.

[@daimaraca1968]

as a Portuguese, as soon as I saw the title I knew this was about Fernando Pessoa

[@IdiotChannell]

As a Brazilian, me too!

[@mimistone2309]

Same here! Who else?

[@setsu-chon]

Same here!

[@m--e]

Me too

[@mariamendes8343]

The art style of the video perfectly depicts the multitude of Pessoa's being and writing

[@tomaspedro4233]

As a Portuguese, I can assure you that he is one of the most brilliant poets I know. Unique, different, direct, he produced incredible work, helped by alcohol and drugs. However, if you like poetry, want to learn Portuguese or more about our culture, Fernando Pessoa is undoubtedly a must-read.

[@renatoafonsomaiacarneiro950]

This man is singled handedly responsible for half of my Portuguese and literature assignments here in Brazil, loved the books regardless 😅

[@Arbiterjim]

And here I can't find just my own literary voice. And this guy had 50

[@johntr5964]

Pessoa's "Mensagem" popularized the concept of the "Fifth Empire", a Portuguese global realm of the mind that was going to bring world peace. This is today linked with various mystical and esoteric philosophies and teachings. The only book of his that I have read is "The Anarchist Banker" a very interesting little philosophical work structured as an ancient Greek Socratic dialogue. I'd definately recommend it.

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

One of the things about him, in a very Pessoa fashion, is that the works he signed as his Heteronyms are much better than the works he signed as Pessoa. I really recommend you to read all his poems by Caeiro and Alvaro de Campos (specially the "Tabacco shop" or "Tabacaría", one of the greatest poems ever written). Together with his book of disquiet (Libro do Desassossego).

[@filipesilva5063]

​​@@saidtoshimaru1832I mean, yeah some of his heteronyms may have been better than him, but Pessoa was a really good poet, specially in Mensagem (Mar Português, Mostrengo, Ulisses, Nevoeiro, D.Sebastião Rei de Portugal ,etc). I'd like to recomend "Quando Vier a Primavera(When spring comes)" and "A Realidade é uma Descoberta Permanente(Reality is a permanent discovery)" from Alberto Caeiro, "Para ser grande, se todo(To be big, be whole)"[bad translation, but it's the best I can] a really cute, small poem by Ricardo Reis, and "Aniversário (Birthday)", "Lisbon revisitated" and "poema em linha reta(poem in a straight line)" by Álvaro de Campos, my personal favorite

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

@@filipesilva5063 Of course que was a good poet, but it seems that as Alvaro de Campos que was more free to express himself and experiment with the form. With his own persona, que was constrained to the poet he thought he had to be.

[@Equ1n0x88]

If one can write letters as someone else, in a language other than their native one, at 6 years old, regardless of how well off their family is, I doubt you can deny there is genius at work there

[@luisfilipe2023]

Possibly the greatest poet ever

[@onal12345]

OMG, this is one of my favorite Ted-Ed videos yet. The topic is fantastic, the narrator is amazing and the animation is just breathtaking. Thank you so much Ted-Ed!❤

[@rollintweeds234]

Wonderful revelation of the breadth of Pessoa's prodigious talent. Love his ego-less descriptions of his 'real' self.

[@okapijohn4351]

I'm portuguese and immediately after reading the title of the video Pessoa came to my mind. And it was correct! He was an amazing writer!

[@claudiacouto5615]

Thank you so much for this wonderful video about our great writer Fernando Pessoa! It's really special to see him recognized for his work and his peculiar personality.

[@sayanchakraborty2619]

Thanks ted Ed for beautiful narration and animation. You made my day ❤

[@pr5pr]

whoever created those visuals deserve a Nobel Prize, for real!

[@emilychidziwo]

This was magical. The narrator, animation and content ❤

[@smallspace7]

you never run out of new animation styles amazing this is the first time I hear about the author

[@ambarrose]

I'm Portuguese so when the video popped up I just had to come over. We study him throughout our school years. Sometimes it's a huge nightmare exactly because he's so many people at the same time, with consistency in the writing.

[@Wyattinous]

This came out right around the time I found out about Pessoa and started reading his Book of Disquiet. I first read his long Poem Antinous on the Gutenberg website and fell in love. The fact he also knew and spoke of my other favorite poet, Constantine Cavafy, gives me goosebumps. I found out about him after the pandemic and his poetry really changed my life. The timing couldn't be more perfect ❤ Thanks TED for a wonderful video!

[@felizitash3661]

I first learned about Pessoa from a boardgame with the same name, in which you play as his different personas. Fascinating guy.

[@pedroclaussen2254]

Glad to see one of the greatest writers of my language in the TedEd, cheers from Brazil.

[@Naryonedraws]

Great video as always and I love this animators work!

[@Alfablue227]

To have shared Lisbon as city of birth with Fernando Pessoa (albeit 40 years after his death) is simply a great hono, but to read Pessoa is more so! What brilliant, fascinating soul he was! Thank you for showcasing Fernando in all of his fascinating personas. He would of course, I question the worthiness of it all! ❤FP❤

[@wren_.]

I wonder if he had some form of dissociative identity disorder. according to him, all of his personas felt like distinct and separate people living inside his head. he also seemed to have little to no control over how they acted. some of them even claimed that they were the “real pessoa” instead of him. his “heteronyms” appear to have started at a very early age, which is very common in DID. makes me wonder what modern medicine would think of the guy

[@unoriginaluid]

Once a friend visited him only to have one heteronym ask him to visit later as Fernando was not home at the moment. I would be surprised if it wasn't DID or an adjacent condition.

[@justamanfromtaured6790]

Dear TedEd please make more videos about books and authors of why you should read thank you

[@sophienoele3365]

Amazing content and amazing animation , I will forever love ted-ed videos

[@MrsJudithWright]

Fascinating, thanks TED Ed.

[@tomsmeida]

Thank you Ted-Ed for this video about Pessoa! Undoubtedly one of if not the most important and remarkable Portuguese poet of all time! For the curious, go and read the "Carta a Adolfo Casais Monteiro", a letter in which he reveals the genesis of his 3 main heteronyms to a friend.

[@Sara-ti7he]

How can one produce such incredibly intricate animation? I'm in awe!

[@josephvaz5238]

I adore these literary videos!! More please, TedEd!

[@henril.19]

These animations are amazing

[@betterchapter]

Good explanation... but the animation is what really takes the cake. Very very cute

[@mecahhannah]

❤Awesome as always thanks

[@When_will_I_find_love]

I love the animation so much!!! You've earned a follower Heloise!!

[@hellolou9]

Wow, thank you so much! 😊

[@ifz5680]

Beautiful video, amazing animation!

[@magalyolivera5162]

Thank you for reminding me how much I used to love his work 💖

[@otherDante2]

This guy is proof that you are not stuck with who are. Great Video!

[@derkaiser420]

That was really good animation. I have not heard about this author in a long time.

[@user-ps9te6bw6f]

Thank you!!

[@loljoker127]

INCREDIBLE animation, my mind is blown!

[@anonoumos]

very interesting, thanks.

[@user-ws5tu2ys9r]

Did he have DID? (dissociative identity disorder) Because I'm confused about whether he was really good at making characters or he really did have it; but in this case, not a disorder but all of them him? I'm confused.

[@almahperditae]

There are maybe hundreds of very smart people trying to understand him for almost 100 years. No one really understand him yet. Probably not (all his characters are very racional and everything appear to be very intellectually made), but at the same time his intelligence was very chaotic. He could have some disorder, but is intelligence deal with it perfectly, or was everything perfectly created. Everything could be true. Everything we know about him was the things he left in the trunk, but he constantly change his mind about everything, so we may never know. What we know, it's that he have a mind unique. One of the great minds and genius of all time. He's one of the great minds of Humanity. But understand him could be tricky.

[@user-ws5tu2ys9r]

@@almahperditaeWell, nonetheless, DID or not, an intriguing individual in history.

[@luroluroluro]

The art of this video is very beautiful and inspired ❤

[@yasmingrava4602]

English teacher here (and a completely passionated person about Pessoa also) and FOR SURE I'll use this in my lessons!!!!!!

[@YashikaPapil]

The last quote, it was awesome 😻💟

[@goncalomba]

Certainly one of the most creative and disciplined writers in global literature. A prominent figure of Modernism 🎩

[@misterx1342]

There’s a memorial of him at his old high school in South Africa. I saw it there when I went for an interview. The school’s name is Durban High School.

[@MohdSaif-no2dx]

....I know myself only as a symphony ❤️❤️ what a great self description

[@eddsworldlover]

The animation is beautiful ngl

[@tomasgomes]

Very cool and all, but having Portuguese exams with his poems in highschool was no fun 😭😭 Some exams would ask you to figure out which of his heteronyms wrote a given text.

[@TheBlackRock-]

The animaton in this one was simply astonishing!

[@user-gj8wb7ho7i]

More book recommendation videos 💕

[@jeaneth120]

My favorite writer ever 🤍 and this animation is so beautiful

[@earleebyrd]

so he had a lot of OC's

[@crazzzyakash]

WOW... Just WOW.... Love this.... ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@angelc286]

Every writer has their own journey. This one is amazing and haunting.

[@jcharlescarroll]

I just picked up the Book of Disquiet from the library less than 24 hours ago. Weird

[@rk.r2439]

same!!! crazy 🤣

[@m.ehsaan.]

Great video! I'm surprised, TedEd hasn't done a video on the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov. A literal masterpiece!

[@katherineknapp4370]

So cool.

[@chaitanyachugh4913]

Such a genius move !

[@iampingthepenguin]

I don't think I have ever felt as deep a connection to an auther as when I read through The Book of Disquiet. I still feel it in every fibre of my being.

[@nizirascorner5883]

I want to be able to write in 70 different ways. This is so cool

[@Cpt_Natalia]

I remember in AP Lit, we had to do a massive project based on a poet of our choice and I chose Fernando Pessoa because I wanted to get closer to my heritage. Wished this video was posted earlier though… 😔

[@csiebertarq]

I'm Brazilian, and my favourite Pessoa's heteronym is Alberto Caiero. From O Guardador de rebanhos: "Eu nunca guardei rebanhos, Mas é como se os guardasse. Minha alma é como um pastor, Conhece o vento e o sol E anda pela mão das Estacões A seguir e a olhar" FP/AC

[@july_fish]

"I only know myself as a symphony." wow

[@battafyuwi6760]

Truly one of the writers ever

[@franciscol3510]

Could this be a case of... I know it's not called that but I don't remember the actual name, so, Is this a case of multiple personality disorder??

[@SP-df1nm]

I own this book. Maybe I need to finally read it

[@chicobicalho5621]

Speaking Portuguese makes me feel fortunate because I can read Fernando Pessoa and Machado de Assis (along witth so many other great authors) in the original. One poem from Alvaro de Campos that stays with me always is the incredible, sixteen page long, "Ode Marítima" that feels totally different every time it is read.

[@ariyanbiswas5644]

I miss these book recommendation

[@umang3227]

I really want to learn the Portuguese language and its wonderful culture. Lots of love from India.

[@Personna96]

My great grandfather, lived in Daman and in Diu when he was a kid, and I would love to visit and get to know more about India and those cities in particular.

[@VaibhavShewale]

ooh man i have heard abut this

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Fascinating...Makes me wonder how Fernando earned from his works if he has so many names.

[@-N0PE-]

Fernando Pessoa is simply the best writer of all time. I've never read a work that resonated with me on such a deep level as his did. ❤️

[@joelfree-ri4th]

average alt account experience

[@somarushinde1704]

No offence but he feels like he both a great writer and a insane person.

[@OsCorsariosCarmesins]

The same thing occurs to me; I have many OCs, and I write numerous poems, histories, and other texts through these OCs. Each OC has a name, personality, appearance, and autobiography totally divergent from one another, and sometimes these OCs converse with each other and with me too. Like Pessoa, I don't have control over them. ~ Vinicius

[@alainamacmillan516]

I suspect he could have had disocitive identity disorder, from his behavoirs, the complexity of the alternate personas and with how young this behavoir started.

[@nanachichi1044]

When they/them pronoun are the most applicable

[@filipatavares2196]

I'm studying biochemistry in uni, but in high school when we were studying him that was one of my favorite parts of Portuguese cause you'd read a bit and know which heterónimo (idk in english) it was by the way he wrote

[@thatfamiiiarnight3665]

I’m not a psychologist, but that sounds a lot like Dissociative Identity Disorder to me

[@huzaifhuzaiff5138]

As u mentioned the character that don't exist ,for me it's my biography cause I'm an bookkeeper also and what he writes about him is almost all related to my life and thinking when he said the legder on my table and the calm view from my window actually it's happens to in reality when I was sitting in bookstore and the same scenario happens while reading the same paragraph then i realised it's not anyone who don't exist in his entire book it's me here a bookkeeper from Kashmir India i hve alot to say about this book but i can't express into words it's actually my current read ad I'm reading it slowly i don't wanna finish this treasure

[@AnaVitoria-wg8hs]

Ai que vídeo lindo

[@faaa999]

I usually love these videos but the background sound is just a little bit louder than it should be for me to listen clearly to the narrator. Otherwise this was fascinating

[@QuintenWhyte]

🎼🎶Now I'm forced to look behind I'm forced to look at you You wear a thousand faces Tell me, tell which is you Broken mirrors paint the floor Why can't you see the truth You wear a thousand faces Tell me, tell me which is you Tell me which is you🎶-Creed (2009)

[@kevingruenofficial]

Wow, an inspiring story of a life well lived truly!

[@afiya813]

can you do an praetorian guard of rome video

[@aaryanprem1434]

Fernando Pessoa has got to be my all time favourite.

[@r.s.9239]

2 faced? No, I am 70 faced

[@gcn7491]

If you are doing a video on fernando pessoa i plea to make a video on Machado de Assis, PLS!

[@crazysasha1374]

I have very little medical or pysochological knowledge, would this be a unique expression of multiple personnalities?

[@angelnicolev.iniego4253]

Awesome!

[@LuqmanHakim-bj6ge]

And here i thought i have a problem with my self being like this and some famous literature figure also experience this, guess im not alone.