FS24 MW 2:00 – 3:20 p.m., 3cr

In this course, Prof. Saulo Gouveia will guide you through aspects of the Belle Époque in Brazil, one of the most decisive moments in the country’s history. You will get to know the historical context of the late 1800s and early 1900s through the short fiction of three major authors of the time. The first is Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839-1908), widely considered the most important and influential writer in the history of Brazilian literature. Then you will meet (Afonso Henriques de) Lima Barreto (1880-1920), who was a prolific and original writer during his lifetime, though full recognition of his stature only came in the mid-1900s. João do Rio (1881-1921) is the main pseudonym of João Paulo Emílio Cristóvão dos Santos Coelho Barreto. João do Rio was not only a fiction writer but is currently recognized as the most innovative journalist of his time.

Together, these three authors paint a very lively picture of the Rio de Janeiro of the era and, by extension, touch on issues that affected Brazilian society at large. Though they did not know one another, they share significant biographical traits. Perhaps most significantly, through their complicated identity as mixed-raced intellectuals they are credited with forging a path for Afro-Brazilian identities that elude stereotypes.

This course aims to develop students’ knowledge of Brazilian literature and history through the reading of these authors’ selected short fiction and journalism. The material also includes video and other significant media about these authors and their work.

You will work in groups on presentations about authors’ biographies and also on other research projects.

For more information on the course, contact Prof. Gouveia (gouveias@msu.edu ). For help enrolling, get in touch with Jennifer Gansler (gansler@msu.edu).