Published in 1890, O Cortiço is considered one of the most relevant naturalist novels in Brazilian literature. The work was written by Aluísio Azevedo (1857-1913) and explores life in 19th-century Rio de Janeiro society, detailing the daily life of a housing complex where the lives of the residents intertwine in a complex scenario of passions, ambitions, and tragedies.
The narrative presents various stories and relationships between its characters, as illustrated in specific scenes:
Love Goes Mad
Jerônimo and his companion, Piedade, lived in room 35. His character and strength guaranteed him respect at the quarry adjacent to the tenement. However, his life took a turn after witnessing Rita Baiana dancing. Passionate, he began consuming cachaça, spending excessively, and finally abandoned his wife and daughter to dedicate himself to Rita.
Vocation for Mother-in-Law
Dona Isabel, a resident of house 15, dedicated herself entirely to educating Pombinha, aiming to marry her to João da Costa, a merchant, with the goal of restoring her former social status. The mother only permitted the marriage after the young woman's first menstruation. However, the union was brief because Pombinha betrayed her husband, was expelled, and ended up becoming a prostitute.
Painted Dirt
In number 12, where Marciana lived, another dramatic situation occurred. She was extremely meticulous about cleaning the house, but went mad when her daughter, Florinda, only 15 years old, became pregnant by an employee of the shop, João Romão. Since he did not assume paternity, the girl ran away after being assaulted by her mother. Consequently, Marciana was evicted from the tenement.
What Does the Baiana Have?
Rita Baiana lived in number 9. Beautiful and skilled at samba, she was the lover of the capoeirista Firmo, but also attracted the interest of the neighbor, Jerônimo, who was Portuguese. During the dispute over Rita's affection, Firmo wounded the Lusitanian with a razor. Later, Jerônimo recovered and eliminated his rival in an ambush.
Neighbors and Rivals
Miranda acted as an antagonist to João Romão. He lived in the townhouse next to the store and watched his property gradually surrounded by the growth of the tenement. The merchant valued status above all else; he married Dona Estela because of the dowry and harbored doubts about whether he was truly the father of his daughter, Zulmirinha. This generated envy in him regarding how Romão prospered and his relationship with Bertoleza.
The Witch's Bonfire
Paula, known as the Witch, possessed striking physical characteristics, such as being ugly, corpulent, having bulging eyes, and threatening teeth. Furthermore, she was capable of treating skin problems and fevers through prayers and blessings. She wished to burn down the tenement and succeeded in doing so on the second attempt. After the fire, João Romão had to rebuild the place, transforming it into a grand and aristocratic space.
The Owner of the Place
João Romão started his venture by inheriting the tavern where he had worked for twelve years. Later, he bought land behind the tavern at an auction and built three small houses, marking the beginning of the tenement. He used Bertoleza's money to expand the business (in addition to owning a quarry in the back). Although he liked to delay payments, he was effective at collecting debts, which made him even richer. In his pursuit of social ascent, he distanced himself from Bertoleza to try to marry Zulmirinha.
Eternally Slave
To achieve her freedom, the slave Bertoleza gathered twenty thousand reis. However, she was tricked by her lover, João Romão: the Portuguese provided her with a false freedom document and used the money to increase sales. This happened because Bertoleza did everything for him, working from early morning until late at night, taking care of the shop and the residence they shared.