The Deidealization of the Female Romantic Character in Camilo Castelo Branco and José de Alencar

Abstract

This paper aims to present points of contact between the works A neta do arcediago, published by Camilo Castelo Branco in 1860, and Lucíola, published by José de Alencar in 1862, verifying the way in which strong female characters were constructed that were outside the norm of romanticism and 19th century society. Liberata, by Camilo Castelo Branco, and Lúcia, by José de Alencar, are presented as prostitutes set in Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro, respectively. Both go against the romantic idealization of femininity, being described as masters of their own will and, despite the marginalization suffered by their social position, establishing their own principles and morals of life. For this comparative reading, we took as theoretical basis: a) studies on comparative literature, such as A literatura comparativa, by Tânia Carvalhal; b) critical texts about the authors and their places in the literary history of Brazil and Portugal, based on the Concise History of Brazilian Literature, by Alfredo Bosi (2006) and the History of Portuguese Literature, by António Saraiva and Óscar Lopes (1982); c) readings that allow us to reflect on the construction of female characters, such as The Character of the Romance, by Antonio Candido (2007) and The Second Sex, by Simone de Beauvoir (2012).