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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.
In 2017, after 120 years, BAL honored Júlia Lopes, in the Chair 21 conference cycle, and recognized the injustice she suffered.
Portrait of society at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century
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.
The situation of women in the literature of her time
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.
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.
Contemporary literary schools by Julia Lopes
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 of the author
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 sentimentality.
Anthropocentrism – appreciation of reason.
Criticism of Brazilian society.
Appreciation of the present moment.
Presence of the theme of adultery.
Scientism – exaggerated use of scientific theories in character analysis.
Determinism – influence of the environment, race, and historical moment on the characters.
Biologism – the characters’ behavior 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.
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