the cousin basil is one of the most emblematic works of the Portuguese realist writer Eça de Queirós.
Published in 1878, the novel is a faithful portrait of Portuguese society at the time with an emphasis on the hypocrisy of the bourgeois class.
Characters of the work
- Jorge: Luisa's husband.
- Luisa: wife of Jorge.
- basil: cousin of Luísa.
- julian: relative of Jorge.
- Mr Paula: Jorge's neighbor.
- Juliana: Luísa and Jorge's housekeeper.
- Acácio Board Member: friend of Luísa and Jorge.
- happiness lady: friend of the couple and interested in Acácio.
- Sebastian: best friend of Jorge.
- Leopoldine: Luisa's friend.
Work summary
The work portrays the story of the couple Jorge and Luísa, belonging to the Portuguese bourgeoisie in the 19th century. The plot takes place in Lisbon, in the Portuguese capital.
Jorge, Luísa's husband, is traveling for work and she receives a visit from her cousin Basilio. In the meantime, they, who have had a previous relationship, end up consummating the latent desire.
It is worth noting that Jorge and Luísa's relationship was more based on interest, since, in fact, they did not live a happy life together.
Jorge was an excellent husband who was always concerned with pleasing his beautiful wife. He gave her various gifts and was always willing to offer her comfort.
Luísa was an avid reader of novels and with the arrival of her youthful love, she begins to nurture and envision a love story between them.
Juliana, the ruler of Luísa's house, notices the love involved between them and starts blackmailing her employer. That's because she finds some letters that reveal the young couple's passion.
Afraid of society, lovers decide to meet sporadically in a place they call “paradise”.
Even though it was a very simple room, located on the outskirts of Lisbon, it was there that several scenes of their passion were consummated.
However, as time went by, Luísa began to feel that Basilio's passion began to wane. Even so, he tries to convince his cousin to keep her. However, he decides to return to Paris.
With her husband's return, Luísa begins to suffer from her maid Juliana's blackmail. She seizes the letters between the lovers and asks for a large amount of money so that her secret is not revealed.
Thus, Juliana starts to have a more affluent life with gifts that are offered by Luísa.
In addition, due to the exchange of roles, since Luísa starts doing some housework. All this always happened behind the back of her husband Jorge.
Over time, Jorge ends up noticing a difference in the work done by Juliana and decides to send the maid away. But Juliana continues to blackmail Luísa with her secret.
Feeling coerced, Luísa decides to tell Sebastião the whole story of the adultery and the blackmail that was being carried out by Juliana. Even shocked by the story, he decides to help her.
So he goes to Luisa's house while Juliana is alone and threatens her. She decides to return the letters to her friend, but dies shortly thereafter of grief. After all, his dream of enrichment ended at that moment.
Finally, Luísa falls ill and one day Jorge finds a letter from Basilio that reveals some moments between the lovers. When he showed his wife, who was still sick, he died a few days later.
Check the entire work by downloading the PDF here: the cousin basil.
Analysis of the work
At the cousin basil, Eça de Queirós provides an overview of Portuguese society at the time.
Their social criticisms of the bourgeoisie and human acts are exposed, for example, in the psychological analysis of their characters, stereotypes and their behavior.
The work is divided into 16 chapters. Themes such as adultery, hypocrisy, character, mediocrity and moral values are the main characteristics of the Portuguese naturalist-realist novel.
Through various descriptions, he analyzes the environment and its characters from their anxieties, pleasures, fears, desires, etc.
Read too:
- realism in Portugal
- realism and naturalism
- Characteristics of Realism
Excerpts from the work
“Basilio, standing next to Luísa, was silent. "What a horror of a city!" he thought. -"What a sadness!" And it reminded him of Paris, of summer; he climbed, at night, in his phaeton, the Champs Elysees slowly; hundreds of victories descend, rise quickly, with a discreet and cheerful trot; and the lanterns make a youthful movement of points of light throughout the avenue; white, cuddly figures of women recline on cushions, swayed on soft springs; the air around has a velvety sweetness, and the chestnut trees spread a subtle aroma.”
“After dinner, at the living room window, he reread Jorge's letter. He purposely began to remember everything that delighted her about him, his body and her qualities. And he added arguments at random, some of honor, others of feeling, to love him, to respect him. It was all because he was away in the province! If he were there next to her! But so far, and taking so long! And at the same time, against his will, the certainty of that absence gave him a feeling of freedom; the idea of being able to move at will in desires, in curiosities, filled his chest with a broad contentment, like a breath of independence.”
“Luisa, seeing him at times following Juliana with a spiteful look in his eyes, trembled! But what tortured her was Jorge's way of speaking of her with ironic veneration; she called him "the illustrious D. Juliana, my mistress and mistress! "If a napkin or a glass was missing, he pretended to be amazed:" How! to D. Juliana forgot! Such a perfect person!” She had jokes that chilled Luisa.
"What did the filter she gave you know?" It was good?
Luiza now, in front of him, no longer dared speak to Juliana in a natural way; she feared the evil smiles, the asides: "Come on, blow him a kiss, you know on the face that you want to throw him!" AND, fearing his suspicions, wanting to show herself independent, she began in her presence, speaking to Juliana with an abrupt harshness, very affected. Asking him for water, a knife, he gave the voice inflections of false rancor.”
Read too:
- Eça de Queirós
- Realistic Prose
Film and Miniseries
As one of the most important works of Portuguese realism, "O Primo Basílio" was transformed into a film and miniseries in Brazil.
The miniseries "O Primo Basílio" was produced by Rede Globo in 1988 and directed by Daniel Filho. The film, released in 2007, was also directed by Daniel Filho.
Test your knowledge with Questions about realism and naturalism.