THE MYTHICAL-RELIGIOUS IN AMAZONIAN TALES: ANALYZING THE SHORT STORY “A FEITICEIRA” BY HERCULANO MARCOS INGLÊS DE SOUSA

Abstract

“Contos Amazônicos”, the last work of Herculano Marcos Inglês de Sousa, published in 1893, marks the author's transition to paths beyond literature. In the short story “A Feiticeira”, Sousa explores the mystical and religious perceptions of the forest and river peoples, reflecting the complexity of local beliefs and myths. The narrative reveals how these elements intertwine, offering a rich view of the identity and traditions of Amazonian communities. This article aims to analyze the dimensions of the magical-religious in the short story “A Feiticeira” by Inglês de Sousa, to understand how the beliefs and religious practices of the riverside dwellers are represented and interact within the context of Amazonian literature. Methodologically, it was a bibliographic study, qualitative and exploratory in nature, through Bardin's (2016) Content Analysis, discussing the conflicts of the popular imagination of the Amazon. Thus, the short story “A Feiticeira” offers a valuable perspective on cultural and religious manifestations in the Amazon, enriching literature with fantastical elements that engage with reality, highlighting the interaction between the sacred and the profane, common in the imagetic identity of riverside traditions, illuminated from the ambivalent perspective of the witch Maria Mucoim and the delegate Antônio de Sousa.