Julia Lopes de Almeida - A female writer ahead of her time
- campusaraujo
- Dec 30, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 16
The Brazilian writer and abolitionist Júlia Lopes de Almeida was part of the group of writers and intellectuals who planned the creation of the Brazilian Academy of Letters (BAL) in 1897. Her name was on the first list of the 40 "immortals" who founded the institution, drawn up by the writer Lúcio de Mendonça (1854-1909).
The Academy's planning began shortly after the Proclamation of the Republic (1889), on the initiative of a group of intellectuals. Júlia Lopes was the only woman. In an article in the newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo, Lúcio de Mendonça considered it fair to offer a chair at the Academy to the women writer. This did not happen because, according to the intellectuals who opposed it, there were no women in the Académie Française de Lettres, which served as an inspiration for the Brazilian Academy. A poorly disguised male chauvinism.
Denying protagonism and female emancipation, the BAL granted a place in the group to the writer's husband, Filinto de Almeida, to occupy chair number 3, which would be hers. He was even called academic consort. Only in 1977, 80 years after its foundation, Rachel de Queiroz (1910-2003) was elected the first woman to the Academy.
"Why shouldn't I deceive in the same way? In conscience there are no men or women: there are beings with equal natural rights, equal weaknesses, and equal responsibilities... But there is no way for men to admit similarities truths. They have woven society with meshes of two sizes - large for them, so that their sins and faults would come and go without leaving any signs; and extremely small for us." Júlia Lopes de Almeida, in "Eles e elas". 2nd ed., Rio de Janeiro: Francisco Alves, 1922, p. 137. |
In 2017, after 120 years, BAL honored Júlia Lopes, in the Chair 21 conference cycle, and recognized the injustice she suffered.
Portrait of the society of her time
Critical of the social situation in Brazil, in her novels the author used to represent society from various perspectives through plots and intrigues in which she imprints political, ideological, and religious positions specific to the moment portrayed.
Differing from male writers of that period in relation to the prominent subjects in her work and the vision she applied to them, Júlia Lopes left a rich legacy in terms of portraying society from the abolition of slavery until the 1930s.
Situation of women in literature
Júlia Lopes was considered a writer with advanced ideas for her time. She defended the abolition of slavery, the republic, divorce, formal education for women, the emancipation of female bodies and civil rights. With the classic text and ahead of its time, she inserts different points of view into her works and represents women and the difference in treatment given to them by society.
... The strongest, most practical, most active, and happiest peoples are those where women are not merely objects of ornament; where they are guided through the vicissitudes of life with a profession that supports them in a day of struggle, with a good dose of solid notions and knowledge that improve their moral qualities. An educated, disciplined mother, aware of her duties, will deeply and indestructibly mark in her son's spirit the feeling of the order of study and work that we so lack. Júlia Lopes de Almeida, in A Mensageira, 1897 |
A diverse author, she wrote novels, short stories, chronicles, essays and plays during a time when women who aspired to any profession, besides taking care of the home, were explicitly ignored — or simply replaced by men.
Women, throughout history, have created, acted, written, and produced beautiful works in the most diverse areas of human knowledge. However, times were even more difficult and conservative. The leading role always ended up in the hands of their husbands or teachers.
According to the Darkside Editor website, the abolitionist gave numerous lectures throughout her life, to raise awareness among women about their emancipatory roles in the misogynistic society of the time. Júlia became one of the most published writers during the period of the First Republic (1889-1930). This success gave her visibility and the publication of several articles that addressed equal rights between genders.
Knowing the story of Júlia Lopes de Almeida is understanding and realizing that traces of sexism rooted in our society are still present in the journey of countless women who fight to conquer their spaces.
From the 1970s onwards, Júlia Lopes and other forgotten authors were rediscovered, in academia, in studies and research in the areas of literature and social sciences.
That is why I do not want to write merely; I do not think about delighting the reader by dripping the honey of feelings into his soul, nor about giving him emotions of astonishment and the unexpected. I care little about embellishing the sentence, making it melodious or rude, carving it with a chisel or striking it with an axe; what I want is to find a new setting in which to encase my ideas, sure and clear as diamonds: what I want is to create my entire book, thought and formula, to do it outside of this art of writing, already so banalized, where I embarrass myself with anger and not knowing anything better. (...) I want to write a new book, torn from my blood and my dreams, alive, throbbing, with all the details of heaven and hell that I feel inside me; a rebellious book without flattery, worthy of a man. Júlia Lopes de Almeida in Ânsia Eterna - 1903 |
Contemporary literary schools
Realism – originating in France, Realism is the literary school that analyzes the reality of the time experienced by the author. In Brazil, it appears after Romanticism and before Symbolism, covering the years from 1881 to 1893 – the same period in which Naturalism and Parnassianism also occurred. Marked by objectivism, truthfulness and social denunciation, Brazilian Realism begins with the work of Machado de Assis, Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas (The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas), published in 1881.
Parnassianism – literary movement that emerged at the same time as Realism and Naturalism, at the end of the 19th century. With classical influence and tradition, it originates in France. It is based on the cult of form, impassibility and impersonality, universalist poetry and rationalism. The innovative proposal was for poetry with elaborate, rational, and perfect language from a formal point of view. They believed that, if they were based on the classical model, they could counteract the exaggerations and fantasy typical of Romanticism.
Naturalism – also emerged in France, it was an artistic and cultural movement that manifested itself in literature, theater, and visual arts. Its main characteristics are objectivity, impersonality, and a faithful portrayal of reality. The movement was influenced by scientific and philosophical currents that emerged in Europe, such as determinism, darwinism, and scientism. For naturalist artists, everything was determined and had a logical explanation based on science. Thus, an art of social denunciation emerges, focused on the themes of poverty, inequalities, the struggle for power and social pathologies. In Brazil, the naturalist movement began in 1881 with the publication of the work O Mulato (The Mulatto), by Aluísio de Azevedo. In Portugal, the movement emerged in 1875 with the novel O crime do padre Amaro The priest Amaro's crime), by writer Eça de Queiroz.
Literary characteristics
Júlia Lopes de Almeida is associated with Realism and Naturalism. Therefore, her best-known work — A falência (Bankruptcy (1901) — is marked by objectivity, criticism of Brazilian society, themes of adultery and determinism. It is possible to find the following characteristics in her works:
֎ Objectivity - as opposed to sentimentalism.
֎ Anthropocentrism - valuing reason.
֎ Criticism of Brazilian society.
֎ Valuing the present moment.
֎ Presence of the theme of adultery.
֎ Scientism - excessive use of scientific theories in character analysis.
֎ Determinism - influence of environment, race, and historical moment on characters.
֎ Biologism - the behavior of characters is associated with biological causes.
֎ Zoomorphization - attribution of animal characteristics to human beings. |
Pioneering in children's literature
A pioneer of children's literature in Brazil, her first book, Contos Infantis (Children's stories) of 1886, was a collection of thirty-three texts in verse and twenty-seven in prose aimed at children, written in partnership with her sister, Adelina Lopes Vieira.
Published works
Novels
A Família Medeiros (1892) A Viúva Simões (1897) Memórias de Marta (1899) A Falência (1901) A Intrusa (1908) Cruel Amor (1911) A Silveirinha (1913) Correio da roça (1913) A Casa Verde Pássaro Tonto (1934) O Funil do Diabo 1934 |
Novels and short stories
Traços e Iluminuras (1887) Ânsia Eterna (1903) Era Uma Vez (1917) A Isca (1922) A Caolha |
Miscellaneous
O livro das Noivas (1896) Livros das Donas e Donzelas (1906) Jardim Florido (1922) Jornadas No Meu País (1920) Eles e Elas Oração a Santa Dorotéia (1923) Maternidade (pacifist work) Brasil (conference) |
Theater
A Herança (1909) O Caminho do Céu A Última Entrevista A Senhora Marquesa O Dinheiro dos Outros Vai Raiar o Sol |
School-age children
Histórias na nossa Terra (1907) Contos Infantis (with Adelina Lopes Vieira) A Árvore (with Afonso Lopes de Almeida) |
Biography
Júlia Lopes de Almeida was born on September 24, 1862, in Rio de Janeiro. The daughter of wealthy and educated Portuguese parents, when she was still a child, she and her family moved to a farm in Campinas, in the state of São Paulo. Júlia received a liberal education and, with the support of her father, at the age of 19, she was already writing for A Gazeta de Campinas, something quite unusual for women at the time, who were monopolized by men
In 1886, Júlia Lopes moved to Lisbon. Co-authored with her sister, the writer Adelina Lopes Vieira, she published the book Contos infantis. Because of this, she is considered one of the pioneers of Brazilian children's literature. In Portugal, she met and married the Portuguese poet Filinto de Almeida and published her first book for adults, Traços e Iluminuras, written when the author was 24 years old ֎
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Links used and suggested
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