The Poetics of Empire in the Indies

James Nicolopulos provides a scholarly examination of sixteenth-century Iberian colonialism in The Poetics of Empire in the Indies, Volume 1. This work of literary criticism analyzes how Alonso de Ercilla's narrative poem, La Araucana, and Luis de Camoens's epic, Os Lusíadas, represent the Spanish and Portuguese conquests. By investigating the epic traditions of the Classical, Medieval, and Renaissance periods, the author explores the complex practices of imitation used within these foundational colonial texts.

The Poetics of Empire in the Indies, Volume 1, highlights the poetic, political, and commercial rivalries between Spain and Portugal during their era of maritime expansion. Through a detailed study of La Araucana, Nicolopulos demonstrates how the publication of Os Lusíadas influenced the content and presentation of Ercilla's work. This volume serves as a significant contribution to Spanish and Portuguese poetry studies and European literary collections, offering deep insights into the representation of empire.