Aluísio Azevedo


Aluísio Tancredo Gonçalves de Azevedo was a Brazilian novelist, caricaturist, diplomat, playwright and short story writer. Initially a Romantic writer, he would later adhere to the Naturalist movement. He introduced the Naturalist movement in Brazil with the 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.

Biography

Azevedo was born in São Luís, to David Gonçalves de Azevedo 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. Following this, due to his love of painting and drawing, he would move to Rio de Janeiro in 1876, to study at the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes. After graduating, he drew caricatures for journals such as O Fígaro, O Mequetrefe, Zig-Zag and A Semana Illustrada.
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 helped 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 themes of racism. Consolidating his career as a writer, he could return to Rio.
He would write endlessly during the period of 1882–1895. Also dating from this period are his famous novels Casa de Pensão and O Cortiço, as well as 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.

Works

Novels

Uma Lágrima de Mulher O Mulato Mistérios da Tijuca, ou Girândola de Amores Memórias de um Condenado, ou A Condessa Vésper Casa de Pensão Filomena Borges O Homem O Cortiço O Coruja A Mortalha de Alzira

Theatre plays

Os Doidos Flor-de-lis Casa de Orates O Caboclo Fritzmack A República O Adultério

Miscellaneous

O Japão
  • ''Demônios ''