Três contos fantásticos de Machado de Assis

Abstract

This dissertation we propose an analysis of the short stories “A vida eterna” (1870), “O Capitão Mendonça” (1870) and “A chinela turca” (1875) by Machado de Assis. First, we present the general aspects of fantastic literature, understood here as part of a literary manifestation that took place between the end of the 18th century and the 19th century, which circumscribes issues pertaining to that period, and then we go into the particularities of the Machadian fantastic which presents peculiar contours that dilute the more traditional approach to the genre, making use of humor and rational solutions, such as the dream, to subvert the enigmatic character of the narratives, making the published texts more palatable to the readers, especially, from Jornal das Famílias, a newspaper with amenities to wich Machado de Assis was a collaborator.