Manuel Antônio de Almeida
Encyclopedia
Manuel Antônio de Almeida (November 17, 1831 — November 28, 1861) was a Brazil
ian writer, medician and teacher. He is famous for the book Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
, written under the pen name
Um Brasileiro (A Brazilian). He is the patron of the 28th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters
.
, to lieutenant
Antônio de Almeida and Josefina Maria de Almeida. Few things are known about his years of primary studies — although he entered at the Medicine course in 1849, graduating in 1855. Financial difficulties inspired him to dedicate himself to literature and journalism. His magnum opus
, Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
, was initially published in feuilleton
form during the years 1852-1853, in the journal Correio Mercantil.
In 1858, he became the administrator of Tipografia Nacional, where he met Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
. Trying to enter in the political career, he would go to the city of Campos dos Goytacazes
, embarking in the ship Hermes, in order to start his political research. However, the ship wrecked off
near the shores of Macaé
, and he died in the disaster.
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 writer, medician and teacher. He is famous for the book Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
Memoirs of a Police Sergeant is a novel written by the Brazilian author Manuel Antônio de Almeida. It was first published in 1852. It tells the colorful story of a problem child that grows up into an immoral, reckless young man until he is arrested by the police and given the chance of becoming an...
, written under the pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Um Brasileiro (A Brazilian). He is the patron of the 28th 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...
.
Biography
Almeida was born in Rio de JaneiroRio 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...
, to lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Antônio de Almeida and Josefina Maria de Almeida. Few things are known about his years of primary studies — although he entered at the Medicine course in 1849, graduating in 1855. Financial difficulties inspired him to dedicate himself to literature and journalism. His magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
Memoirs of a Police Sergeant
Memoirs of a Police Sergeant is a novel written by the Brazilian author Manuel Antônio de Almeida. It was first published in 1852. It tells the colorful story of a problem child that grows up into an immoral, reckless young man until he is arrested by the police and given the chance of becoming an...
, was initially published in feuilleton
Feuilleton
Feuilleton was originally a kind of supplement attached to the political portion of French newspapers, consisting chiefly of non-political news and gossip, literature and art criticism, a chronicle of the latest fashions, and epigrams, charades and other literary trifles...
form during the years 1852-1853, in the journal Correio Mercantil.
In 1858, he became the administrator of Tipografia Nacional, where he met Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis , often known as Machado de Assis, Machado, or Bruxo do Cosme Velho , was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short story writer. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer of Brazilian literature, but he did not gain widespread popularity outside Brazil in...
. Trying to enter in the political career, he would go to the city of Campos dos Goytacazes
Campos dos Goytacazes
Campos dos Goytacazes is a municipality and city located in the northern area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with a population of 463,545 inhabitants. Its area is 4,031.910 km², which makes it the largest municipality in the state and its elevation is 14 m...
, embarking in the ship Hermes, in order to start his political research. However, the ship wrecked off
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
near the shores of Macaé
Macaé
Macaé is a city located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, 180 km northeast of the state capital. Its population was recorded as 206,748 in 2010 and the municipal covers an area of 1,216 km²....
, and he died in the disaster.
Works
- Memoirs of a Police SergeantMemoirs of a Police SergeantMemoirs of a Police Sergeant is a novel written by the Brazilian author Manuel Antônio de Almeida. It was first published in 1852. It tells the colorful story of a problem child that grows up into an immoral, reckless young man until he is arrested by the police and given the chance of becoming an...
(18521852 in literatureThe year 1852 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Manuel Antônio de Almeida - Memoirs of a Police Sergeant*Wilkie Collins - Basil: A Story of Modern Life...
) - Dois Amores (theater playPlay (theatre)A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
— 18611861 in literatureThe year 1861 in literature involved some significant new books.-Events:*October 20 - Poet and dramatist Apollo Korzeniowski is arrested for his political activities and placed in the infamous Tenth Pavilion of the Warsaw Citadel....
)