SILENCED VOICES: ISAURA, CAPITU, AND MACABÉA THROUGH A LAW AND LITERATURE LENS IN THE STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This article analyzes the relationship between Literature and Law through the works A escrava Isaura, by Bernardo Guimarães, Dom Casmurro, by Machado de Assis, and The Hour of the Star, by Clarice Lispector, aiming to understand how literature reveals the historical forms of silencing and exclusion experienced by women in Brazilian society. Through the analysis of the characters Isaura, Capitu and Macabéa, the study establishes a dialogue between the social contexts portrayed in the literary works and the evolution of the Brazilian legal system, especially regarding the recognition of women's rights. The research shows that, although Brazilian legislation has progressed in promoting gender equality, historically constructed patriarchal structures still produce symbolic and structural forms of violence and invisibility against women. It is concluded that literature constitutes an important tool for critical reflection on social and legal reality, enabling a deeper understanding of the persistence of gender inequality and the need for the effective protection of women's fundamental rights.