Bertoleza no espelho do cortiço : interseccionalidade e circulação do romance no século XIX

Abstract

This dissertation aims to investigate the circulation of the novel O Cortiço in nineteenth-century newspapers and to analyze the character Bertoleza from an intersectional perspective, considering the markers of race, class, and gender. To achieve these objectives, two methodological approaches were adopted: documentary research, based on the collection and analysis of primary sources from the Brazilian Digital Newspaper Library, and bibliographical research, dedicated to the theoretical foundation of the intersectional approach. The analysis draws upon the works of Barbosa (2007), Azevedo (2015; 2019), Mendes (2019), Collins (2022), Crenshaw (2002), and Akotirene (2019). The results indicate an ambivalent circulation of the novel at the time of its publication: although the author’s talent was widely recognized — with O Cortiço often considered his most accomplished work — several critics expressed discomfort with the rawness of the narrative and with its depiction of aspects deemed degrading in tenement life. From an intersectional perspective, these reviews expose not only aesthetic preferences but also the reproduction of social and symbolic hierarchies. The focus on white, male, European characters such as João Romão and Jerônimo contrasts sharply with the near silence surrounding Bertoleza and other racialized and female figures, revealing how nineteenth-century literary criticism reinforced the power structures embedded in society itself. Regarding the analysis of Bertoleza, the intersectional framework enables a deep and decolonizing reinterpretation, repositioning her from the margins to the center of O Cortiço. From this viewpoint, the character is understood not as secondary, but as a site where structural oppressions intersect — race, gender, and class — shaping both her trajectory and the broader social and literary dynamics of the nineteenth century. Thus, this dissertation seeks not only to contribute to the critical scholarship on Azevedo’s work but also to propose a reading that bridges literature and social critique, recovering silenced voices from the canon and highlighting the analytical power of intersectionality in rereading marginalized characters. By incorporating the novel’s circulation in nineteenth-century newspapers, the research also contributes to Brazilian literary historiography, shedding light on how the dissemination and reception of works in the press influenced the construction of meaning and the consolidation of the national literary field.