Philosophical Analysis of the Poem “The Beast,” by Manuel Bandeira

Abstract

This article proposes a philosophical analysis of the poem “The Beast,” by Manuel Bandeira, in light of ethical, existential, and social reflections. The literary text is taken as a starting point for a discussion about the human condition, dignity, and the dehumanization caused by social inequalities. It seeks to understand how Bandeira's poetry transcends the aesthetic field, transforming itself into a denunciation and philosophical reflection on the human being in their precariousness and vulnerability. From a philosophical perspective, this poem invites us to reflect on the boundary between the human and the inhuman, on the ethics of the gaze, and on the role of society in the face of poverty and exclusion. Authors such as Hannah Arendt, Emmanuel Levinas, and Jean-Paul Sartre offer contributions to understanding the existential and moral dimension of the scene described. Bandeira not only describes a reality but also provokes an experience of otherness—a call to awareness and responsibility in the face of the suffering of others.