Félix and Bento: Two Cases of A-relational Masculinity in Ressurreição and Dom Casmurro

Authors

  • Miquel Bota California State University, Sacramento

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/abriu2019.8.8

Keywords:

19th-century Brazilian literature, Machado de Assis, gender studies, Rainer Maria Rilke, masculinity, a-relational man

Abstract

This article presents a new reading of two works by Brazilian author Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis, his first novel Ressurreição (1872) and the later Dom Casmurro (1899). It reflects on two male protagonists, Félix and Bento, and the relationships they develop with their female partners, Capitu and Lívia. Through an exploration of the psychological abuse these two men inflict on their partners and how these men conform the concept of “a-relational man” by Rainer Maria Rilke, it highlights the relevance of gender violence criticism in Machado’s works.

Abriu 8

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How to Cite

Bota, M. (2019). Félix and Bento: Two Cases of A-relational Masculinity in Ressurreição and Dom Casmurro. Abriu: Estudos De Textualidade Do Brasil, Galicia E Portugal, (8), 153–164. https://doi.org/10.1344/abriu2019.8.8

Issue

No. 8 (2019): Rounds Around Magellan

Section

MISCELLANY

License

The Author retains ownership of the copyright of the article, unless the contrary is stated, and all rights not expressly granted in this agreement, including the non-exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, perform, and display the article in print or electronic form, and grants to Abriu: estudos de textualidade do Brasil, Galicia e Portugal the exclusive rights to first publication of the Article. The work will be available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works license, by which the article must be credited to the Author and the Journal must be credited as first place of publication.