''O Cortiço'' (titled in en, The Slum) is an influential
Brazilian novel written in 1890 by
Aluísio Azevedo. The novel depicts a part of Brazil's culture in the late 19th century, represented by a variety of colorful characters living in a single
Rio de Janeiro tenement.
It is written with the intention of belonging to the
Realism movement leaning towards
Naturalism, much like
Flaubert's ''
Madame Bovary''.
Azevedo's ''The Slum'' tells the stories of
Portuguese and other European immigrants,
mulatto
(, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese is ...
s, and former
African slaves
Slavery has historically been widespread in Africa. Systems of servitude and slavery were common in parts of Africa in ancient times, as they were in much of the rest of the ancient world. When the trans-Saharan slave trade, Indian Ocean sl ...
living and working together in a single community. It explores the author's intensely
naturalistic beliefs, having various characters being defined and changed by their environment, race and social position.
Examples are: the division between the lackadaisical, yet passionate, mulattos and the hard-working, driven Portuguese immigrants, how the climate and culture of Brazil can slowly transform these immigrants' behavior in atavistic ways. In addition, the role of women is a key theme, with all female characters in one way or another revealing their purpose in the slum.
In 2013 the book became a musical on Brazilian Broadway starring Gabriel Boni Rodrigues and Rafael Morelli. Today the play is with Daniel Tupauan and Christian Coronel.
References
External links
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1890 Brazilian novels
Naturalist novels
{{1890s-novel-stub