Proto-National Consciousness and the Representation of the “Other” in The Lusiads by Luís de Camões and in The Journey from Bohemia to the Holy Land by Kryštof Harant

Resumen

This study provides a comparative analysis of Luís de Camões’ Os Lusíadas (1572) and Kryštof Harant’s Journey from Bohemia to the Holy Land (1608), examining the emergence of a proto-national consciousness in Portugal and the Lands of the Bohemian Crown. Although both works recount travels to foreign territories, they reflect distinct historical and sociocultural contexts that shape identity and the perception of the “Other”.

Camões’ epic celebrates Portuguese maritime expansion, linking it to divine providence and the crusading ideal, thereby promoting a robust collective identity centered on the figure of the King as both a political and religious symbol. In contrast, Harant prioritizes Christian faith, morality, and an intellectual interest in other cultures, expressing a Bohemian identity that is primarily elitist and cultural. Despite a shared Eurocentrism, the works diverge: Camões constructs a unifying national narrative, whereas Harant adopts a humanist perspective without asserting a cohesive national identity.