The main authors of the Realism literary movement in Brazil were Machado de Assis (1839-1908), Raul Pompeia (1863-1895) and Aluisio Azevedo (1857-1913). The last two and their works are also framed in the Naturalism movement.
Machado de Assis
Machado de Assis influences is considered one of the most important writers in Brazilian literature.
His work marks the novel's innovation and presents refined short story and chronicle techniques. Born in Rio de Janeiro, a mulatto of humble origins, he served as a civil servant.
He also worked as a typographer and proofreader at a publishing house and began to publish his writings in the Correio Mercantil periodical.
In 1869 he married Carolina Xavier de Novais, a Portuguese who inspired the work. Aires Memorial.
He has acted as a journalist, literary critic, theater critic, poet, playwright, chronicler, novelist and short story writer.
It was his work, Posthumous Memory of Brás Cubas, published in 1881, which marks the beginning of Realism in Brazil.
He was also the author of Quincas Borba, Dom Casmurro, Besides Esau and Jacob.
Complete your research by reading also:
- Machado de Assis
- Realistic Prose
- Characteristics of Realism
- Origin of Brazilian Literature
Aluisio Azevedo
Born in São Luís do Maranhão, Aluísio de Azevedo his hobby was painting while working in the trade. As an employee of Itamaraty, he worked in Spain, England, Argentina and Japan.
His work, the mulatto, published in 1881 is considered the brand of the Naturalism in Brazil, although the novel is also framed in the Realism movement.
It also published the tenement, in 1890, a work that, in the same way, is also considered realistic.
Raul Pompeia
Born in Angra dos Reis, in Rio de Janeiro, Raul Pompeia he studied law and acted in abolitionist and republican movements.
He worked at the newspaper Gazeta de Notícias where he published the telenovela The Crown Jewels. Still published A Tragedy in the Amazon (1880) and Songs without Metro (1881).
His most important work is, however, the athenaeum, published in 1888. Narrated in the first person, the autobiographical novel consecrates him as a writer. Raul Pompeia commits suicide on Christmas Eve, 1895.
Read further:
- Realism in Brazil
- realism in Portugal
- realism and naturalism
