Memoirs of a militia sergeantis an urban romance Brazilian romanticism. Published for the first time in 1854, it tells the story of Leonardo, a national anti-hero. The protagonist, therefore, is not perfect. Since he was a child, he has been devoted to mischief and, in his youth, to vagrancy.
Despite the time of its production, the work has realistic elements, as it does not resort to typical romantic idealization. It also features lower-class protagonists, is ironic and has comedic parts. In this way, Manuel Antônio de Almeida was an innovative author in the context of Brazilian romanticism.
Read too: The guarani — analysis of one of the main works of Brazilian romanticism
Topics in this article
- 1 - Summary of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- 2 - Video lesson on the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
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3 - Analysis of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Characters from the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Time of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Space for the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Plot of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Narrator of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
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4 - Characteristics of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Structure of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- → Literary style of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- 5 - Historical context of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
- 6 - Who was Manuel Antônio de Almeida, author of Memórias de um sergeant de militias?
Summary about the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Memoirs of a militia sergeant is a work by Manuel Antônio de Almeida.
The story of this urban romance takes place in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
It presents the adventures of the anti-hero Leonardo.
It shows his trajectory from birth until he became a militia sergeant.
The novel, published in 1854, is associated with Brazilian romanticism.
It presents realistic traits by not idealizing the hero, his loved ones and love.
Video lesson about the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Analysis of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
→ Characters of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Chico-Juca: acquaintance of Leonardo-Pataca
Chiquinha: godmother's daughter
Gipsy: Leonardo-Pataca's lover
Bedpan: midwife, and godmother of the protagonist
Compadre: barber, and godfather of the protagonist
D. Maria: barber's friend
José Manuel: known to d. Maria
Leonardo: protagonist
Leonardo-Pataca: protagonist's father
Luisinha: d.'s niece Maria
Maria da vegetable: protagonist's mother
Maria-Regalada: passion of Vidigal
Teotonio: banker of a gambling wheel
Thomas: Leonardo's friend
Vidigal: major
Little life: Tomás's cousin
→ Work time Memoirs of a militia sergeant
The narrative presents chronological time and takes place between 1808 and 1821, period referring to the government of d. João VI (1767-1826).
→ Work space Memoirs of a militia sergeant
The story takes place in city of Rio de Janeiro.
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→ Plot of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Leonardo-Pataca is a Portuguese man who meets Maria da Hortaça on the ship heading to Brazil. Arriving here, they decide to live together. From the relationship between Leonardo-Pataca and Maria da Hortaça, the hero of the story is born — Leonardo. Little Leonardo is not a flower to be smelled: “he tormented the neighborhood with his crying, always in a high octave; he was choleric; [...], and he was strange until he couldn't anymore”.|1|
He is spoiled by his godfather, who protects him when the boy commits something mischievous. Finally, the mother leaves the home; Then the father also leaves. The child, aged seven, is in the care of his godfather.
When Leonardo is nine years old, his godfather decides to teach him to read and write; although The boy has a lot of difficulty learning. Despite laughing at all his antics, the godfather is saddened by the fact that he
[…] he has a decided aversion to prayer, and in general to everything that concerns religion; he is not able to make the sign from left to right, he always does it from right to left, and it was not possible for the godfather, despite all his patience and good will, to make him repeat it by heart without making at least half the mistake. Our Father; Instead of saying “your kingdom come” he always says “our bread come”.|2|
Finally, the godfather places the godson in a school. On the first day of school, the boy receives physical punishment, so he declares war on the school. However, at the cost of “a lot of work, a lot of effort, and above all a lot of patience, he achieved the compadre that the boy attended school for two years and that he learned to read and write very badly even worst".|3|
Some day, the godfather is surprised when Leonardo says he wants to work as a sacristan. Thus, the boy finally manages to leave school. As a sacristan, the child also does his tricks; but little Leonardo is lucky, because, in addition to his barber godfather, he gets the protection of d. Maria.
After meeting Luisinha, niece of D. Maria, Leonardo falls in love with the girl, thus having his first love. Godfather and godson meet José Manuel, who frequents D.'s house. Maria, and “neither of them really wanted well, and this not wanting well grew day by day, especially on Leonardo's part”.|4|
The reason for this is that, Instinctively, Leonardo realizes that José Manuel is a threat that could take Luisinha away from him.. José Manuel has his eye on the inheritance that his niece will receive when her aunt dies. In this way, Leonardo, with his godfather and godmother, strives to defeat the enemy.
At the same time, Leonardo-Pataca, living in peace with Chiquinha, the godmother's daughter, becomes the father of a girl. A day or two later, the city witnesses a scandal, a young woman from a rich family runs away with a man. The bedpan goes to D's house. Maria and lies saying he is José Manuel. Thus, d. Maria breaks off relations with José Manuel.
Leonardo's godfather falls ill and dies. Thus, young Leonardo, his godmother, Leonardo-Pataca and Chiquinha start to live together. Soon the stepmother and stepson begin to disagree. Finally, a fight, involving his father, makes Leonardo leave the house.
He meets Tomás, a childhood companion, and meets Vidinha, his friend's cousin. He soon falls in love with her. Leonardo starts living in Tomás' family house, where Vidinha also lives. Meanwhile, d. Maria discovers that José Manuel is innocent of the accusations made by Leonardo's godmother. José Manuel then marries Luisinha.
Leonardo is arrested for vagrancy, but manages to escape from Major Vidigal. This only intensifies Vidigal's fury, who now wants revenge. After falling out with Vidinha, Leonardo is captured again and forced to pursue a military career.
However, he continues to do something wrong in the barracks and is arrested again. Meanwhile, Luisinha lives in aShe is therefore unhappy, since her husband is quick to act according to his true intention. This Pallows rapprochement between d. Maria is Leonardo's godmother. D. Maria has known Maria-Regalada, the major's passion, for some time.
Thus, the three go to ask Vidigal for Leonardo to be released, and the request is granted due to Vidigal's affection for Maria-Regalada. Finally, José Manuel has an apoplectic attack and dies. In turn, Leonardo is promoted to militia sergeant and ends up marrying the widow Luisinha.
→ Narrator of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
The narrative presents omniscient narrator, knowledgeable about all the details regarding the characters, knowing even their most intimate thoughts.
Features of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
→ Structure of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
The novel is divided into 48 chapters.
→ Literary style of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Memoirs of a militia sergeant, published for the first time in 1854, It's an urban romance inserted in Brazilian romanticism, but which presents realistic traits. This is because it does not idealize love or women, in addition to not presenting a protagonist from the bourgeois elite. His hero has imperfections and lives with Rio's lower class. It is also an ironic work, marked by humor.
See too: The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas — the main realistic work of Brazilian literature
Historical context of the work Memoirs of a militia sergeant
Due to the mental health problems of Queen Mary I (1734-1816), her son d. João VI assumed regency of Portugal in 1792. Years later, in 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), French emperor, decreed the Continental Blockade, in order to prevent trade between European countries and England.
The following year, Portugal was pressured to join the Blockade. Fearing the French invasion, the Portuguese Court embarked for Brazil at the end of that year. Thus, at the beginning of 1808, the Portuguese fleet arrived in Brazil, an event that began the Johannine period.
In the Joanine Period, the prince regent opened Brazilian ports to trade with England. There was also an incentive for national production and the creation of a Faculty of Medicine in Salvador and another in Rio de Janeiro. Furthermore, theaters and libraries were built in Brazil. With the development of the country, there was a significant increase in the number of inhabitants in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Who was Manuel Antônio de Almeida, author of Memoirs of a militia sergeant?
Manuel Antônio de Almeida was born on November 17, 1831, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. He was the son of Portuguese parents and was fatherless when he was still a child. Later, in 1849, he started the Faculty of Medicine, completed in 1855. Furthermore, he made his living as a translator and never practiced medicine.
He directed the Imperial Academy of Music and National Opera and was administrator of the National Tipography. He also served as second officer of the Treasury Department. The novelist died on November 28, 1861, during the sinking of the ship Hermes. To find out more details about Manuel Antônio de Almeida, click here.
Grades
|1|, |2|, |3| It is |4| ALMEIDA, Manuel Antônio de. Memoirs of a militia sergeant. 4. ed. São Paulo: Moderna, 2004.
Image credit
[1]Modern Publisher (reproduction)
Sources
ABAURRE, Maria Luiza M.; PONTARA, Marcela. Literature: times, readers and readings. 3. ed. São Paulo: Moderna, 2015.
BRAZILIAN ACADEMY OF LETTERS. Manuel Antônio de Almeida: biography. Available in: https://www.academia.org.br/academicos/manuel-antonio-de-almeida/biografia.
ALMEIDA, Manuel Antônio de. Memoirs of a militia sergeant. 4. ed. São Paulo: Moderna, 2004.
ALMEIDA, Manuel Antônio de. Dispersed work. Rio de Janeiro: Graphia, 1991.
BARBARÁ, Maria Lúcia de Azambuja. Memoirs of a militia sergeant, by Manuel Antônio de Almeida: from stranding to reissue. 1996. Dissertation (Master of Arts) – Institute of Letters and Arts, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 1996.
NATIONAL LIBRARY. Chronology: Johannine period. Available in: https://bndigital.bn.br/projetos/expo/djoaovi/cronologia.html.
SILVA, Daniel Neves. What was the Johannine Period? Brazil School, c2023. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/o-que-e/historia/o-que-foi-periodo-joanino.htm.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SOUZA, Warley. "Memoirs of a militia sergeant"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/literatura/memorias-de-um-sargento-de-milicias.htm. Accessed on November 23, 2023.
