Maria Teresa Horta

Poet

Maria Teresa Horta is a Portuguese poet and feminist known for her impactful literature that challenges gender norms and advocates for women's rights.

Born
April 1, 1937
Quotes
12
Rank
#5107

About Maria Teresa Horta

Maria Teresa Horta — Life and Legacy

Maria Teresa Horta is a prominent Portuguese poet and feminist whose work has significantly influenced contemporary literature and the feminist movement. Known for her bold and unapologetic exploration of women's rights, Horta's poetry often reflects her personal struggles and societal observations. In her notable work, 'The Book of the Woman,' she articulates the complexities of female identity and the quest for autonomy. Horta's core ideas revolve around the intersection of love, freedom, and identity. She famously stated, 'I am a woman and I am free,' a declaration that encapsulates her belief in the necessity of personal freedom for women. This quote reveals her conviction that true self-identity cannot be achieved without liberation from societal constraints. By challenging traditional gender roles, Horta's poetry invites readers to reconsider their perceptions of femininity and power. Today, her quotes resonate with those advocating for gender equality, as they continue to inspire discussions about women's rights and personal freedom. Horta's work remains a vital part of feminist literature, encouraging new generations to confront and dismantle oppressive structures.

Quote collection

Maria Teresa Horta quotes

12 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.

Maria Teresa Horta Poet
Popular

"I think that all my books are political, I think that I have a political body of work. I am essentially a political woman, but above all I am a poet. I am a poetess."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"I don't offend anyone, I don't use anyone, I don't exploit anyone."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"What do I think of Pussy Riot actions? The act can be extremely positive if it is an act to call attention to the fact that things in their country are really bad for women, otherwise it is purely a media event that only obfuscates women's struggle."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"My erotic poetry is not poetry that uses vernacular words. It is a very erotic poetry, but I never use anything, for example, that is not in the dictionary. I don't like to be ugly, I seek out what is beautiful, and if my great search is for freedom and beauty, I can't be vulgar, ordinary."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"Men use women sexually. They use them, mistreat them, even from the point of view of vocabulary, the use of words. It baffles me."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"I think the obligation of a poet is not to be in an ivory tower; it is not to be isolated but to be among people."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"As a journalist, I never isolated myself. I was a journalist at a daily newspaper and every day I went out on the street. Every day I had contact with people. I interviewed the most important writers of the twentieth century, and into the twenty-first century, from Simone de Beauvoir, Marguerite Duras, and Marguerite Yourcenar to Christa Wolf."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"People ask me almost every day, "Why? You are successful, you have kids, you have grandchildren, so why?" Feminist women are seen as unsatisfied. But all women in the world, if they are well aware of inequality, are unsatisfied women. They don't have the same rights as men, and there is no freedom until there is equality between men and women."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"Prizes aren't essential. What is essential is poetry itself, it's what is said, it is clarity, it's loyalty, those are the essential values, the literary values."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"I think that one of the tasks of feminist women - mainly women of culture - in our time is to seek out those women who were only forgotten because they were women."

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"People ask me why I am a feminist. Because I am a woman of freedom and equality and it is not possible to have freedom in the world when half of humanity has no rights. Because we are more than half of humanity. There are more women than men. This is not a fight of so-called "minorities.""

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Maria Teresa Horta Poet
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"I think that if poetry is not a personal act, it's a pamphlet."

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