bankruptcy is the most famous book by the writer Júlia Lopes de Almeida. It tells the story of Camila, a bourgeois woman, married to Francisco Teodoro (a wealthy businessman) and lover of Doctor Gervásio. However, with her husband's bankruptcy and subsequent suicide, she has to start over.
A narrative is located in the last decade of the 19th century, in Rio de Janeiro, and shows the first years after the Proclamation of the Republic. Like this, with an objective and anti-romantic language, presents a realistic view of society at the time and also naturalistic traits, such as determinism.
See too: The Athenaeum – naturalist novel by Raul Pompeia
Summary of the work bankruptcy
bankruptcy is a realist-naturalist novel by Júlia Lopes de Almeida.
The work deals with themes such as adultery, financial crisis and female autonomy.
The narrative takes place in Rio de Janeiro, in the last decade of the 19th century.
Set during the Republic of the Sword, the book highlights the values of the time.
Its main characteristics are: objectivity, anti-romanticism and determinism.
Analysis of the work bankruptcy
→ Characters of the work bankruptcy
Baroness of Lage
Camilla: Teodoro's wife
Carlotinha: daughter of Inacia
Catherine: Rino's sister
d. Emília: mother of Camila and Sofia
Dionysus: servant of the family
Francisco Teodoro: Camila's husband
Range Towers
Gervasio: family doctor
Inacia Gomes
Inocêncio Braga
Isidoro
Itelvina: Camila's aunt
Joana: Camila's aunt
Joachim: clerk
Joca: Camila's brother
Judith: daughter of Ignatia
Lélio Braga: conductor
We read: Commander
Lia: daughter of Camila and Teodoro
Luiza: Mario's lover
Mário: son of Camila and Teodoro
Meireles: father of Paquita
Mota: assistant bookkeeper
slave traders
Nina: bastard daughter of Joca
Noca: “old mulata in the family”
Paquita: sister of the baroness
Raquel: daughter of Camila and Teodoro
ribs
rhino: captain
Ruth: daughter of Camila and Teodoro
Sancha: “the orphan black girl that d. Itelvina explored the arrangements of the house”.
Sofia: Camilla's sister
→ Work time bankruptcy
The story begins in the year 1891. Thus, it is narrated chronologically, despite also presenting memories of Teodoro's past.
→ work space bankruptcy
The narrative takes place in the city of Rio de Janeiro, but also mentions the state of sergipe, where Camila's parents live.
See too: Anguish: novel by Graciliano Ramos
→ Plot of the work bankruptcy
![Cover of the book “The bankruptcy”, by Júlia Lopes de Almeida, published by Companhia das Letras. [1]](/f/ee00957537833222e663d6e1d6f4d77a.jpg)
In 1891, Francisco Teodoro owns a warehouse that stocks coffee. He is married to Camilla. They are part of a 19th century bourgeois family. However, the narrator shows that there is a certain intimacy between Camila and doctor Gervásio. When the doctor brings Camila a book and says that it is about “a love a little like ours”, she reacts like this:
“Then I don't read. I know it is full of injustices and perverse lies. Gentlemen novelists do not forgive women; they make us responsible for everything — as if we didn't pay dearly for the happiness we enjoy! In these books I am always afraid of the end; I revolt against the punishments they inflict on our faults, and I despair at not being able to cry out to them: hypocrites! hypocrites! Take your book; don't bring me back from those novels. Ours is enough for me to be afraid of the end.”
At this point, we perceive a more “feminist” posture by Camila, who seeks equality in relationships:
“— Remorse... regrets for what? Do you think, Gervásio, that since the first year of marriage my husband hasn't cheated on me too? What woman, however stupid or indifferent, does not guess that she does not feel her husband's adultery on the very day it is committed? There is always a trace of the other, which is shown in a gesture, in a perfume, in a word, in a caress... They betray themselves with the compensation they bring us...”
Teodoro wants his son Mário, aged 19, to start working, and thinks of marrying Nina to Captain Rino, “despite the origin”, since Rino's mother was murdered by her husband, for committing adultery. It is important to say that Nina is the illegitimate daughter of Joca, Camila's brother..
In conversation with Dona Joana, Camila's extremely Catholic aunt, Gervásio discovers that she knows about the affair between him and her niece. According to the old woman, the “only blind person there is her poor husband” and “everybody knows, unfortunately”. Camila, on the other hand, when asking her son to leave his lover, realizes that Mário also knows about her affair with Gervásio..
The son then says that the mother needs to choose between the doctor and him. As she cries, he regrets what he said, despite hating Dr. Gervásio. Like this, this family goes on living, apparently happily, while Francisco Teodoro gets richer and richer, because the price of coffee is on the rise.
Annoyed by the fact that Mário stays out late, his father orders Noca, Dionísio and “all the servants” not to let the boy in. However, when Mário arrives, under a storm, his cousin Nina disobeys her uncle and opens the door for the boy. She loves her cousin, but he doesn't think of making any serious commitments to her.
The boy's parents arrange a marriage between Mário and Paquita. They get married, much to Nina's dismay. Then, Gervásio informs Camila that Teodoro went bankrupt. The husband cannot bear the humiliation and kills himself. Thus, Camila's family becomes poor, dismisses the servants and moves to a simple house.
In the face of events, Nina takes center stage as she takes care of all the practicalities, while Camila is lost. When Camila finds a solution, that is, to marry Gervásio, she discovers that the doctor is already married. However, this serves to make Camila react and find the will to start a new life.
→ narrator of the work bankruptcy
O storyteller is omniscient and therefore has full knowledge of the story and characters.
→ Characteristics of the work bankruptcy
The book, which has 25 chapters, it's a work realist, but with dashes naturalists. Thus, it has an objective writing, that is, without sentimentality. Presents criticism of bourgeoisie carioca of the 19th century, because, in addition to the theme of adultery, visibly anti-romantic, it also shows the decadence of a bourgeois family.
It's possible to realize elements determinists, as in this passage, referring to the “mulata” Noca: “The fault was in blood, in her race, which esteems the less superiors the more they caress her. That's why she fell in love with Mário, a daring young man, with an authoritarian temper and harsh words”.
the work too shows traces of zoomorphization, that is, attributing animal characteristics to human beings: “Her face lengthened, took on an animal expression” or “Nina tried to the company of servants, preferably that of the family, accustomed to rude services and crude words, with their dog-like air beaten”.
Finally, the novel shows the role of female characters, described as strong women capable of being independent. This autonomy is shown right after the bankruptcy and impoverishment of the family. However, there is no understanding of a deepening around the issue.
See too: The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas - inaugural novel of Brazilian realism
Julia Lopes de Almeida
Julia Lopes de Almeida was born on September 24, 1862, in Rio de Janeiro. However, she was raised in Campinas. Later, when she showed an interest in literature, she received support from her father, a wealthy and cultured Portuguese man. In 1886, she went to live in the city of Lisbon, in Portugal, where she published, in co-authorship with her sister, the book Children's stories.
In that country she she married the Portuguese poet Filinto de Almeida (1857-1945), in addition to publishing the book Traces and illuminations. He returned to Brazil in 1888 and published his most famous book — bankruptcy — in 1901. Later, he lived again in Portugal, from 1913 to 1918, in addition to living in Paris from 1925 to 1931. He died on May 30, 1934, in Rio de Janeiro. To learn more about the life and work of this important Brazilian author, read the text: Julia Lopes de Almeida.
Video lesson on Júlia Lopes de Almeida
Historical context
The Proclamation of the Republic, in 1889, ended the monarchical period in Brazil. Thus, what became known as the Republic of the Sword began under the command of the military Deodoro da Fonseca (1827-1892), the first president of Brazil. His government ended at the end of 1891, and his vice president, another military man, came to power. His name was Floriano Peixoto (1839-1895).
This president, despite being a dictator, won the support of civilians in favor of the republic and undertook a fight against the monarchist movement, which still had hopes in the return of the old regime. Furthermore, during his government, which lasted until 1894, Floriano Peixoto had to resist the Revolt of the Navy (1893-1894) and to Federalist Revolution (1893-1895).
image credit
[1] Companhia das Letras (reproduction)
By Warley Souza
Literature Teacher
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/literatura/a-falencia-julia-lopes-de-almeida.htm
