DRAMA OF HONOR: ANALYSIS OF CASA DE PENSÃO BY ALUÍSIO AZEVEDO AND THE CAPISTRANO QUESTION

Abstract

The study examines the novel Casa de Pensão (Boarding House), by Aluísio Azevedo, published in 1883, which was inspired by a highly publicized crime that occurred in Rio de Janeiro in 1876: the murder of João Capistrano da Cunha by Alexandre Pereira. The crime, widely covered by the press at the time, involved issues such as honor, seduction, and deflowering. The aim of the article is to understand the relationship between Azevedo's work and the real-life case, analyzing both the novel and the journalistic narrative of the "Capistrano Question," based on newspapers and magazines from Rio de Janeiro published between 1876 and 1884. Additionally, the study incorporates essential contributions from scholars such as Lillian Fessler Vaz and Ana Gomes Porto. The research also highlights the discussions surrounding female honor, student involvement, and the legitimacy of the murder in the late 19th-century press, while portraying the housing and social crisis experienced by Rio de Janeiro during that period.