Aluísio Azevedo
Encyclopedia
Aluísio Tancredo Gonçalves de Azevedo (April 14, 1857 — January 21, 1913) was a Brazil
ian novelist, caricaturist, diplomat, playwright and short story writer. Initially a Romantic
writer, he would later adhere to the Naturalist
movement. He wrote the first Brazilian Naturalist novel, O Mulato
, in 1881.
He founded and occupied the 4th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
from 1897 until his death in 1913.
, to David Gonçalves de Azevedo (the Portuguese vice-consul in Brazil) and Emília Amália Pinto de Magalhães. He was the younger brother of the famous playwright Artur Azevedo
.
As a child, Aluísio would work as a traveling salesman
. Since then, he loved painting and drawing, and would move to Rio de Janeiro
in 1876 (where his brother Artur was living already), to study at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes
. After graduating, he drew caricature
s for journal
s such as O Fígaro, O Mequetrefe, Zig-Zag and A Semana Ilustrada.
His father's death, in 1878, made him return to São Luís, in order to take care of his family. He then initiated his writer career, publishing in 1880 a typical Romantic
novel, Uma Lágrima de Mulher. He helps on the creation of an anticlerical journal named O Pensador, where he wrote Abolitionist
articles. In 1881 he publishes the first Brazilian Naturalist
novel ever: O Mulato
, that deals with the racism. Consolidating his career as a writer, he could return to Rio.
He would write endlessly during the period of 1882-1895. Dating from this period are his also famous novels Casa de Pensão (1884) and O Cortiço
(1890), and many other works written in partnership with his brother, or with Émile Rouède.
In 1895 he became a diplomat. He served as a minister in Spain, Japan, England, Italy
and Argentina
, where he died.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian novelist, caricaturist, diplomat, playwright and short story writer. Initially a Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
writer, he would later adhere to the Naturalist
Naturalism (literature)
Naturalism was a literary movement taking place from the 1880s to 1940s that used detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had inescapable force in shaping human character...
movement. He wrote the first Brazilian Naturalist novel, O Mulato
O Mulato
O Mulato is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Aluísio de Azevedo. It was first published in 1881....
, in 1881.
He founded and occupied the 4th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
Academia Brasileira de Letras
Academia Brasileira de Letras is a Brazilian literary non-profit society established at the end of the 19th century by a group of 40 writers and poets inspired by the Académie Française. The first president, Machado de Assis, declared its foundation on December 15, 1896, with the statutes being...
from 1897 until his death in 1913.
Biography
Azevedo was born in São LuísSão Luís, Maranhão
São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...
, to David Gonçalves de Azevedo (the Portuguese vice-consul in Brazil) and Emília Amália Pinto de Magalhães. He was the younger brother of the famous playwright Artur Azevedo
Artur Azevedo
Artur Nabantino Gonçalves de Azevedo was a Brazilian playwright, short story writer, chronicler, journalist and Parnassian poet...
.
As a child, Aluísio would work as a traveling salesman
Vendor (supply chain)
A vendor, or a supplier, is a supply chain management term meaning anyone who provides goods or services to a company. A vendor often manufactures inventoriable items, and sells those items to a customer.- History :...
. Since then, he loved painting and drawing, and would move to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
in 1876 (where his brother Artur was living already), to study at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes
Escola Nacional de Belas Artes
Escola de Belas Artes is one of the centers of the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and dates back to colonial times....
. After graduating, he drew caricature
Caricature
A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
s for journal
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s such as O Fígaro, O Mequetrefe, Zig-Zag and A Semana Ilustrada.
His father's death, in 1878, made him return to São Luís, in order to take care of his family. He then initiated his writer career, publishing in 1880 a typical Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
novel, Uma Lágrima de Mulher. He helps on the creation of an anticlerical journal named O Pensador, where he wrote Abolitionist
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
articles. In 1881 he publishes the first Brazilian Naturalist
Naturalism (literature)
Naturalism was a literary movement taking place from the 1880s to 1940s that used detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and environment had inescapable force in shaping human character...
novel ever: O Mulato
O Mulato
O Mulato is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Aluísio de Azevedo. It was first published in 1881....
, that deals with the racism. Consolidating his career as a writer, he could return to Rio.
He would write endlessly during the period of 1882-1895. Dating from this period are his also famous novels Casa de Pensão (1884) and O Cortiço
O Cortiço
O Cortiço is an influential Brazilian novel written in 1890 by Aluísio Azevedo. The novel depicts a part of Brazil's culture in the late Nineteenth century, represented by a variety of colorful characters living in a single Rio de Janeiro slum.Azevedo's The Slum tells the stories of Portuguese and...
(1890), and many other works written in partnership with his brother, or with Émile Rouède.
In 1895 he became a diplomat. He served as a minister in Spain, Japan, England, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, where he died.
Novels
- Uma Lágrima de Mulher (1880)
- O MulatoO MulatoO Mulato is a novel written by the Brazilian writer Aluísio de Azevedo. It was first published in 1881....
(1881) - Mistérios da Tijuca, ou Girândola de Amores (1882)
- Memórias de um Condenado, ou A Condessa Vésper (1882)
- Casa de Pensão (1884)
- Filomena Borges (1884)
- O Homem (1887)
- O CortiçoO CortiçoO Cortiço is an influential Brazilian novel written in 1890 by Aluísio Azevedo. The novel depicts a part of Brazil's culture in the late Nineteenth century, represented by a variety of colorful characters living in a single Rio de Janeiro slum.Azevedo's The Slum tells the stories of Portuguese and...
(1890) - O Coruja (1890)
- A Mortalha de Alzira (1894)
- O Livro de uma Sogra (1895)
Theatre plays
- Os Doidos (1879)
- Flor-de-lis (1882)
- Casa de Orates (1882)
- O Caboclo (1886)
- Fritzmack (1889 — in partnership with Artur AzevedoArtur AzevedoArtur Nabantino Gonçalves de Azevedo was a Brazilian playwright, short story writer, chronicler, journalist and Parnassian poet...
) - A República (1890)
- O Adultério (1891)
- Em Flagrante (1891)