O espelho, by Machado de Assis: summary and on a publication
O conto "O espelho", by the greatest Brazilian fictionist, Machado de Assis, was originally published in the Gazeta de Notícias newspaper on September 8, 1882. A short narrative had a pompous proposition as a subtitle: Sketch of a new theory of the human soul.
O counted expiration to perenniality of two daily days having been gathered in an anthology Papéis Avulsos, published not the same year.
I summarize
Or protagonist, Jacobina, meets with four friends in a house not near Santa Teresa. It was a night and the men discussed philosophical questions. Tinham, who were all close to forty and fifty years old, debated effusively while Jacobina attended the discussion by intervening only pontifically.
I attached that, a meio da noite, or protagonist asked for a word to tell a case that happened with him. It is used in personal history to illustrate and defend that human being has two souls.
Each human creature traces two souls with him: one that olha from within to outside, another that olha from outside to inside... Espantem-se à vontade, be able to open-mouthed, give shoulders, all; I do not admit a reply.
Assim, she said that when he was twenty five years old he was a poor raptor who managed to turn the National Guard. A radiant family sees Jacobina growing in life and dying of pride in conquering the raptor. When you receive news of the success of the niece, Tia Marcolina invites you to visit or visit him.
Chegando la, a tia, who lived in a humble construction, remove the most valuable object from the house - a historical spell that ficava na sala - e or dispense no quarto onde ficaria or alferes. O espelho tinha um passado nobre, ainda tinha resquícios de ouro e madrepérola e veio para o Brasil em 1808, as a court of D. João VI.
Jacobina spent more of a month being lowered by her aunt and because of her scars I realized that, due to an unhappy destiny, she needed to travel. Uma das filhas de Marcolina, married as a washing machine, was severely doente. Concerned with her health, Marcelina has a bad face and leaves to help.
Or nephew fica at home as you escravos I attached that, na manhã follow, the fogem lifted I attached the cães, and left or alferes completely sozinho no place. Disturbed with solidão, Jacobina has not managed to forget it. An image that or object returns is "a vague, blurred, diffuse figure, shadow of shadow".
I tied that he feared the idea of dressing a pack of alferes and finally he sat whole another time. Jacobina attributed a sensation to the fact that she had found her outer soul, which she supposedly had lost. And so it was, dressing and dismissing a pack of alferes from the National Guard, which she managed to survive for six consecutive days of solidão.
Finally, at the end of the narration of the story, Jacobina gets up and goes leaving the four immersed friends in a mysterious silence at the house of Santa Teresa.
Personagens principais
However, there are other figures present at the moment, they end up becoming mere interlocutors (quase) silent. Just Jacobina and her aunt assume some highlight and complexity:
Jacobin
Or protagonist and described as provincial, of humble origins, about forty-five years old, capitalist, intelligent, educated, knowledgeable and caustic. Twenty-five years ago she became the National Guard, an event of great importance.
Aunt marcolina
Dona from a rather humble place, Aunt Marcolina nurtures deep pride with her nephew Jacobin hair, who reaches or concurred in charge of alferes. O young man I will spend more of a month at aunt's house, where he is daily down. Knowing that the raptor has been checked, he dislodges aunt or the most valuable object of the house - a historical spell - for the room that he would shelter or nephew.
Analysis and Interpretation of the Machadian Conto
As usual he tells us about Machado de Assis, we are watching a short narrative that draws a portrait Critical of society and must be carefully analyzed, since it hides intelligent metaphors and timeless.
Tempo, space and narration do not count
O cenário do conto é a house located no hill of Santa Teresa, Bairro do Rio de Janeiro. A atmosfera provides a philosophical conversation between five friends who fear the duration of a night, this being either time or space of the present.
Jacobina, one of two participants, decides to tell a past episode, a new entanglement within the entanglement, which occurred twenty years earlier. Those lembranças are past no site of tia Marcolina, a rural space and distant from all.
During the story of the protagonist, a narração e feita na first pessoa, through a long monologue. Já nas remaining passagens do conto exist um unconscious narrator who observes and discovers everything or what is happening naquela tertúlia between friends.
These two souls and their implications
Refletindo on a human identity In the ways in which it is formed through contact with others, a narrative of a philosophical nature shows that it is possible for external factors to alter our nature.
Na tese of Jacobina, we all had two souls: an internal (who we really are) and an external (or what others think of us). This premise makes it evident that, living in society, there is a constant tension between or what we are or what we look like.
Second, or the way in which you enxergam can influence our nature and modify it permanently. To exemplify theory, he tells the story of a moment that defined his path and his personality: at the time when he lived, gaining power and status.
Ainda young Jacobina reached the title and gave the whole proud family, mainly to aunt with whom he was to spend a season. From day on, you will start to be seen alone bundle that he wore, His outer soul that was dominating the true identity: "o alferes eliminou o homem".
Through your memories, we realize that it is leading to a process of gradual transformation. This respected image, of authority, surpassed his inner soul, his nature. In this way, in view of two others modified vision that he has of himself.
Contudo, when everyone disappears every year, Jacobina suffers a huge crisis of identity, I don't know how to recognize myself, but I don't know how to burn:
The realities of the physical leis do not allow denying that I am reproduced verbatim, as the same contours and feições; so it must have been. But such was not a minha sensation. Então tive medo; I attributed the phenomenon to nervous excitement in which he was walking; receei ficar more tempo, and enlouquecer.
Satire and criticism of contemporary society
At the same time assuming a deep and philosophical tom, or story of Machado de Assis and crossed by passages full of irony. Marked with realism, he confronts society as his own reflection and illustrates a world that moves in function of power.
He noticed a feeling of sadness and disappointment pertaining to people who think about it in this way, placing the outer soul on top of all things. Jacobina is appointed as a capitalist: a false narrative about o attachment aos bens materiais that, in some way, we determine or identify others.
OR spelho, which gives me history, is an object that can assume various symbols. This counted the most valuable object of the house that was attributed to Jacobina due to her profissão “respeitável”. Through him, the protagonist begins to stand in another way, like a kind of Narcissus in love himself.
Assim, he goes to nursery to please and be validated hairs outros, losing to noção de quem é really. It is only when he turns to dress the show that he will be reconciled and be comfortable in his own skin:
He olhava para o espelho, ia on one side for outro, recova, gesticulava, sorria e o vidro exprimia tudo. He was not more autômato, he was animated. Daí em diante, I was outro.
We can also see that this absolute need for approval is perpetuated for the long term. As long as Jacobina remains a mere discussion, I will never express what he thinks.
The same when he decides to face it and explain to his vision of him about the world and the human soul, the vai embora assim that ends with narration, sem allow friends to discord or question your ideas.
About a publication of the anthology Papéis Avulsos
Papéis Avulsos It was launched in 1882, being or third light in the realistic phase of Machado de Assis.
“O espelho” was the tenth text published na coletânea. Before they saw them: “O alienista”, “Teoria do medalhão”, “A chinela turca”, “Na arca”, ”D. Benedicta ”,“ O segredo do Bonzo, or anel de Polycrates ”,“ O loan ”and“ A sereníssima republica ”.
Após o conto em analise is just “A visit from Alcibiades” and “Verba testamentaria”.
Logo na apresentação de Papéis avulsos, Machado states:
This title of Papéis avulsos seems to deny to or livro a certain unit; face to believe that the author colligiu several writings of diverse order for the purpose of os not to lose. A verdade essa, sem ser bem essa. Avulsos são eles, but do not see here as passageiros, who managed to enter the same host. São people of a single family, who to obrigação do pai fez sit at the same table.
Read or conto na in full
Or spelho It is available for free download in PDF format through the Public Domain.
Do you prefer ouvir or livro?
Or I also find it available in an audiobook.
Conheça also
- Conto Missa do Galo, by Machado de Assis
- Conto A cartomante, by Machado de Assis
- You are told by Machado de Assis that you need to know
- Livro Felicidade Clandestina, by Clarice Lispector
- Machado de Assis: life, work and characteristics
