Algumas perspectivas sobre a história na ficção de Machado de Assis

Abstract

In this article, we investigate some perspectives on history - both ontological and scientific - that appears in Machado de Assis's fiction. Our intention is to use the work of the Brazilian novelist to know how history was conceived in 19th century Brazil. To this end, we sought out in the fictional production of Machado de Assis passages in which the characters or narrators expressed their views on the subject. The result was the meeting of four main optics. Then, we sought in other documents and research from other authors the origin of each view and the role it assumed within the context of the Machadian works - that is, the 19th century Brazil. Finally, we can be concluded that Machado de Assis wrote so that posterity knew Brazilian society at the time; by expressing four visions of history, his intention was to give posterity a glimpse of that society.