A figuração da mulher em Senhora e Lucíola, de José de Alencar

Abstract

This final undergraduate project aims to analyze two female characters from the novels Senhora (1875) and Lucíola (1862), by José de Alencar (1829–1877). Although the works are distinct, a similarity can be observed in how the author portrays 19th-century women. Alencar presentes us with Lúcia (Maria da Glória), who, in Lucíola, faces the dilemma between prostitution and the search for redemption, and Aurélia, in Senhora, who, after becoming wealthy, finds herself torn between surrendering to love or seeking revenge. Alencar constructs his protagonists using figuration, a concept that refers to the transformation of a person into a character, that is, the construction of a fictional being based on the human characteristics of an individual, such as feelings, thoughts and positions. In this way, he presents them as figures ahead of their time, with thoughts and attitudes that challenge social norms. However, both ultimately succumb to patriarchy and romantic conformism to meet the expectations and customs of the prevailing bourgeois society. Through the analysis of these characters, this study seeks to demonstrate how Alencar uses narrative and these female figures to expose the social and moral tensions of his time. Finally, to support our analysis, we reference the studies of Reis (2015), Cristina Costa Vieira (2014), Brandão (2006), and D’Incao (1997).