Rachel's Gown Mota in São Paulo enthusiastically lauded her literary debut. HELOÍSA BUARQUE DE HOLLANDA Rachel had at once become a public figure and national byword at the tender Translation by CHRISTOPHER PETERSON age of 20. Every day she received letters, telegrams, and requests for her books. To see her own picture in newspapers and Easy Fome magazines was no longer a surprise. When Rachers first writing was symptomatic and she travelled she had a constant troupe of definitive. Having moved from the coastal admirers among the local intellectuals. On capital of Ceará, , to thesertãoin one occasion, as proof of his admiration, January of '27 and already an avid reader Luiz da Câmara Cascudo recited poetry in of the daily papers, she read the news her honor on board. "It was as if I had been about lhe election of the new Student elected Queen of the Pageant," she later Queen, journalist Suzana de Alencar Gui- recalled of her first romance. marães. Irritated over lhe Queen's While Rachel was not surprised with this "feminino", pseudolyrical style (including breathtaking recognition, lhe same was the nom de plume "Marquise"), she took not true for her literary godfathers. In Uma pen in hand and wrote to the editor, Revelação - O Quinze, published in Novi- satirizing the contest and the winning dadesLiteráriasonAugust 18, 1930, Schmidt, candidate. The letter, signed with a whowascredited with having "discovered" pseudonym, was an Instant success and her, explains his enthusiasm over having set off a frantic search for this "Rita de unveiled a great, previously unknown Queluz". However, as always, she had left Brazilian writer. Yet he observes that in lhe a alue. The letter had been postmarked book he sees "nothing that even remotely Estação de Junco, lhe nome of herfather's reminds one of the pretentiousness, futility, ranch, and was found and falseness of our feminine literature," out and immediately invited to work at the and openly admits that Rachel de Queiroz newspaper0 Ceará. Rachel' s lot had been might be one name covering up for dast. another. At age 17, while already working at O expressed lhe same Ceará, she published História de Um Nome, doubt when he wrote about Caminho de a serial novel, wrote the play Minha prima Pedras some years !ater. "O Quinze Nazaré, participated in literaryjournals, and cropped up in lhe mid-thirties and caused tried her luck at poetry. In 1929 she wrote greater unease in readers' souls than José her first novel, O Quinze (years later Américo's novel, because it was a book translated into French by the Stock written by a woman, and what really publishing house - L'année de Ia grande troubled people was that it was by a young sécheresse; German - Das jahr '15; and woman at that. Could it really have been Japanese), which was a major success by a woman? I myself didn't believe it. even beyond the borders of her home Having read the title and seen lhe state, Ceará. Augusto Frederico Schmidt photograph in lhe newspaper, I shook my and in Rio and Artur head: There is no one with such a name. It's

YEAR 7 80 1" SEMESTER 99 all just a joke. A young girl like that writing a surrounded this event was because of novel! li must be a pen nome for some women's definitive victory in breaking into bearded fellow." one of the strictest bastions of Brazilian A self-possessed Rachel paid no heed to culture ar whether it was just one more of lhe anguish her work caused in mole hearts. Rachers"natural", offhandaccomplishments. Rather, she sent lhe novel to a list of a I think one can dare make some guesses as hundred critics and writers, including lhe to which version is correct. then controversial Graça Aranha, whowas Among lhe several fields of observation defending lhe new modernist winds then that emerge in lhe enigmatic crossroads of sweeping across lhe Brazilian arts in open Rachel' s singular professional career and defiance of lhe Brazilian Academy of lhe historical obstacles raised to women' s Letters. professional recognition, particularly in lhe In March 1931, the Graça Aranha Foundation first half of the century, I chose her triumph awarded prizes for the first time: Murilo over Article 2 of lhe founding Statutes of Mendes won the poetry class, Cícero Dias lhe Brazilian Academy of Letters, which painting, and Rachel de Queiroz the novel determined that "only native (bra- class. At the time of his sudden death, sileiros natos) can be members of lhe Graça Aranha was sitting reading O Quin- Academy." lhe orthodox interpretation of ze. Severa! years later in the Graça Aranha thissentence by members of the Academy Museum, th is scene was reconstructed: O defied even lhe most elementary rules of Quinze is open to page 32, resting on the grammar when it defined lhe plural brasi- arm of the chair where the writer died. leiros as not including the combination of After Rachel won this prize, lhe novel was female Brazilians (brasileiras) and male ones hotly disputed by publishers who wanted (brasileiros). to print the second edition. Rachel chose Editora Nacional. Today, O Quinze, written La grammaire a son mystere (a necessary when Rachel was 19, is in its 48th edition, digression) has been read by over 100,000 people, The controversy concerning the presence and is unanimously considered a classic in of women in lhe Brazilian Academy of lhe history of . Letters was nothing new, however. It is Rachel says of this instantaneous success: known that during lhe preparatory "lhe book just exploded on lhe scene. But meetings for the founding of lhe Academy, this was good, because I have always had Lucio de Mendonça, acknowledged to be my head in lhe right place, I never let myself the true founder, was in favor of having get carried away by ali that noise: I was a women in lhe membership, and he mede Communist, and deep down inside what I his position explicit in an article tolhe Esta- really wanted was to destroy that entire do de São Paulo. In addition, Júlio Lopes de society, including lhe Editora Nacional." Almeida, a well-known, respected novelist, Forty-eight years later, on November 4, was seriously considered for admittance 1977, Rachel de Queiroz, author of tive by lhe founders. Besides Júlio Lopes de novels, two plays, and eight books of short Almeida, another woman writer who was stories, with translations in English, French, considered for lhe Academy 's list of German, Polish, and Japanese, having founderswas Francisca Júlio. However, lhe collaborated regularly with the press for 50 idea was voted down by lhe conservative years and translated 47 books, was majority of participants in lhe preliminary admitted to the Brazilian Academy of meetings. Instead of Dona Júlio, then the Letters to take seat number five, founded first lady of our literature, lhe Academy by . admitted her husband Filinto, who wrote She was lhe first woman to be admitted to verses of debatable value and who was lhe Academy. The world will neverreally know not even a "nativa Brazilian", but who whether lhe huge national celebration that displayed a criticai senseof humor bytaking

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 81 s I /99 the self-ascribed title of consort member.' had been refused as a founding member They say that Dona J lia, likeher contemporary of lhe Academy, a woman of letters, poet women writers, declined to protest either Amélia Bevilacqua, wife of Academy due to her extreme modesty or because member and jurist Clóvis Bevilacqua, she preferred such an honor to go to her submitted a request to Academy President husband. A prudent stance, to say the Dr. Aloysio de Castro to be awarded Alfredo least. At the time, women were rarely Pujoi's seat (as attested in lhe acts of lhe aliowed to enterconcerts and other public May 29, 1930 meeting), a place with a events (and even then through lhe back lineage of lhe highest order, having had doar) as proven by lhe statutes of lhe as founder and José de Beethoven Club, where Machado de Assis Alencar as patron. was a member of lhe board of directors, Since this was lhe first time a woman had Women were ridiculed when they went se vied for a seat in the Academy, the far as to practice liberal professions, an President did not feel he was authorized to example of which can be read in the play interpret Article 2 of lhe Statutes, and he As Doutoras, by male Academician Fran- asked lhe plenary to manifest its opinion. ça Jr., presented in 1889. No doubt as a lhe time was certainly ripe for the debate way of acknowledging Dona Júlia's sparked by Amélia Bevilacqua's candidacy. "expertise" as lhe "shadow behind seat lnspite of disagreement trem conservative number 3", atter she died lhe Academy wings of society, women's participation went to great lengths to pay tribute to her was broadening considerably. Amélia "enormous literary merit". Special sessions Bevilacqua's noisy 1930 campaign for a in praise and memory of Dona Júlia's work seat in the Academy was unavoidably in were part of the Academy'syearly activities tune with an entire platform of struggles until Filinto himself died in 1945. II was as if and claims, lhe main banner of which was Dona Júlia's presence in seat number 3 women's suffrage. lhe Brazilian Feminist was considered visible and legitimate as Crusade was founded in to struggle long as it was occupied by lhe consort for such political rights, and it joined voices member. Such yearly homage included with lhe Brazilian Federation for Feminine sorrowful references to "the prejudice that Progress, founded by Berta Lutz in Rio de kept her out of the Academy" 2 and to the Janeiro in 1922. II was in this context that recitais by lhe Clube das Vitórias Régias Academy President Dr. Aloysio de Castro (an early 20th-century Brazilian women's requested that lhe Academy members literary guild) where "the most outstanding take a position as to lhe criteria for judging members of lhe feminine intellectual and Dona Amélia's admissibility. Those in favor artistic world" took the numbered seats at included Augusto de Lima, Adelmar lhe Academy and recited Dona Júlia's Tavares, Luis Carlos, Affonso Celso, Fernando writing, going se taras to raise a bust to her, Magalhães, João Ribeiro, Laudelino Freire, "our greatest woman novelist". A mourning Magalhães de Azeredo, Félix Pacheco Filinto, in turn, left 100 thousand cruzeiros in (who publicly declared his support for his will to establish a Júlio Lopes de Almeida female membership in the Academy), and Prize to be awarded by lhe Academy to of course Clóvis Bevilacqua, Amélia' s outstanding women novelists. Dona Júlio husband. In other words, a little over a thus ended up achieving inside-out quarter of the membership was in favor. immortality, playing back seat to chair The rest were against, and the stance taken number 3. by two members, Alberto Oliveira and Silva Thirty years after Júlia Lopes de Almeida Ramos, carried considerable weight. They pointed out that lhe issue had been ' MONTELLO. Josué. As Mulheres na Academia. In discussed during the founding of lhe Jornal do Brasil, August 5. 1976. Academy and that it had been decided 2 Jornal do Commercia May 31, 1934. that women were noite be admitted as

YEAR 7 82 1" SEMESTER 99 members. 3 Those who voted against were provocations had sparked in lhe Academy. Aloysio de Castro, , lhe book shows how Dona Amélia °legado Madona, Afrânio Peixoto, Alberto managed to mobilize educated public de Oliveira, Coelho Netto, Constância opinion in concerning lhe orthodox Alves, Dantas Barreto, Goulart de Andrade, and contradictory use of lhe word brasilei- Humberto de Campos, Luis Guimarães Fi- ros in Article 2 of lhe Academy's Statutes. lho, Ramiz Gaivão, Roquette-Pinto, and Considering that lhe Academy was lhe Silva Ramos. normativa institution for lhe national Laudelino Freire was not convinced, and language, she at the very least had during the July 24, 1930, session he accused succeeded in denouncing what was "an lhe Academy of "stubbornly resisting unpleasant mistake that cannot be allowed irrefutable arguments". He proposed that to prevail for long," as Felix Pacheco put it lhe issue be reconsidered, based on both ai lhe height of lhe debate. iis inherent importance and lhe irregular However, it was Constância Alves, radically way it had been dealt with during lhe against female membership, who was to preliminary discussion on May 29. Under lay bare lhe grammatical enigma that lhe statutes, a case like this required a vote had been raised by Dona Amélia's by ai least 21 members in a previously candidacy. He stated lhe following in announced session. He suggested that the justifying his vote: "Those who defend chairman send each and every Academy female candidates base their arguments member lhe following question along with on a modern (2!) interpretation of lhe a request for a written answer within 60 Constitution by which they demand days: "Does lhe word brasileiros in Article 2 suffrage and olhar political rights for of the Statutes include women Brazilian women." In another article in lhe Revista writers?" da Academia, lhe same author takes an lhe Brazilian Academy of Letters was thus even more radical position: "This same conducting the debate over women's sophism providas lhe underpinnings for admissibility to literary immortality as if it feminist political ambitions. lhe use of lhe were an essentially grammatical question. word brasileiros in lhe Constitution was not it was insensitive to Clóvis Bevilacqua as he lhe same as in our Statutes...: (in lhe invoked lhe Academy's responsibility as Constitution) they forgot to dot the is..... ultimate authority over lhe Dictionary of lhe debate that determined "The Ineligibility lhe . of Ladies to the Brazilian Academy" as In 1930, Otávio Mangabeira was given lhe published in lhe August 1930 issue of lhe seat Dona Amélia had vied for. Revista da Academia Brasileira de Letras Unlike Dona Júlio, Dona Amélia decided to was certainly a broad, unconstrained one, challenge lhe Academy to a broad public since it even referred to lhe jurisprudence debate, lhe final act of which was lhe used in lhe Academy of Letters founded by publication of lhe bookA Academia Brasi- Mussolini. II quoted lhe history of Catholicism, leira de Letras e Amélia Bevilacqua, which "an infinita parada of marvelous feminine the authordefined asa historical and literary figures who walk up tolhe altars but cannot document. lhe materiais presented in the celebrate mass ar give confession to book, including interviews, newspaper anyone, " and concluded with a gesture of articies, and papers by lhe author in extraordinary chivalry: "Our literary guild defense of her candidacy, give one an does not have enough seats to hold such idea of how hot a political and grammatical boundless merits." Beyond this, it oscillates debate Dona Amélia 's aspirations and between a visible misogyny - challenging "this odd feminism, which fails to counsel Speech by Magalhães Jr. upon receiving Dinah women in favor of such an initiative Silveira de Queiroz into the Brazilian Academy of (founding their own Academy), whereby Letters in 1980. instead of establishing a work of their own

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 83 S.1199 that would prove their autonomy and the rights is based on precisely the same term. efficacy of their efforts, they make an issue Those of us who defend women' s suffrage of dwelling in a house that they did not believe that lhe term brasileiros as used in build." - and a certain kind of panic, as our Magna Chada refers to ali individuais, suggested by Constãncio Alves' final regardless of their sex. Our most erudite speech: "Pay heed to these words, illustrious institution, which is preparing a dictionary, colleagues. What troubles might the future a complete philological guide, has taken not hold if you had to vote on female lhe opposite position. There is no doubt candidates? Defeated men are capable that this has been a terrible blow." of pardoning, and if they were not, little Although the debate over Amélia Bevilacqua' s would it matter. Yet can we be indifferent candidacy turned out to be explicitly to the dissatisfaction of a defeated political and anti-feminist, one detail calls woman? Not at ali. Thus I say to you: do not our attention: lhe Academy members' allow Discord to reign in this house as it has concern over a no less grammatical with Paris and ali that disgrace. Let it not, problem: how to conjugate the masculine making use of a cell in the Academy, repeat word fardao (robe) in the feminine? As we what it has achieved with damned Apple. shall see below, it was Rachel de Queiroz Let us be prudent like Rosny. As is fair, let us who solved this problem. admire ali women of letters, but let us not The idea of a feminine robe was of particu- vote for any of them. Ahl non, pas ça." lar concern to President Aloysio de Castro was less chivalrous and more and to poets and pragmatic when he argued some time °legado Mariano. The !atter wrote inDiário later, "We reallyshould let them in, because de Notícias about how dumbfounded he they bring their 'seats along with them." was over lhe possibility of a victory by Dona Still, lhe press was emphatically in favor of Amélia, and his fantasies were divided Amélia 's candidacy. In lhe article Resolu- between nuns and geishas: "What kind of ção Anacrônica published in lhe May 31, uniform will we Invent for her? A habit or a 1930, edition of Jornal do Brasil, J.H. de Sá Japanese kimono?" Leitão satirized lhe controversy like this: "Ali On April 29, 1976, Oswaldo Orico, moved manner of cerebral effort is useless in by Dinah Silveira de Queiroz's campaign in understanding such subtlety: 'mon ame a favor of female membership in lhe son secret, ma grammaire a son mystère.' Academy, presented a proposal for an I give you access to the greatest of ammendment to the Statutes. The main adventures, yet deny it for literary change referred to Article 17: "This proposal immortality. Such is not an elegant solution. intends to give ali Brazilians lhe some In addition to not being chivalrous, it gets opportunity, which has been denied by a bogged down in ingrained illogic. Let us conflicting measure In lhe Statutes, which call on lhe Academy's statutes to take a do not prevent women from enrolling in the breath of fresh air and face up to the issue election process for a chair in lhe of feminism, among other reasons for lhe Academy." A taboo that had stood for good its poets have said about women in eighty years had finally fallen. The doors of lhe chapter on charm and fancy." lhe Academy were now open to women Another article, published in Jornal do Bra- writers. Dinah, who stated that she was sil on June 5, 1930, reads like this: struggling for ali women (and notjust herself) "By ruling against the entry of women into to enterthe Academy, took up lhe defense the Petit Trianon, lhe Academy of Letters of Rachel de Queiroz's candidacy. has struck a terrible blow against feminism, including iIs major political intentions. It Rachel's gown unwiffingly provided important arguments for The following year, in July 1977, Rachel sent interpreting our basic law, the Constitution.... a letter to lhe Academy in which she "Indeed, lhe defense of women's political declared herself candidate for vacant seat

YEAR 7 84 SEMESTER 99 number 5. On August 5, she was elected in The press followed every last detail of this lhe first round of votes, with 23 in her favor. work. The Jornal da Bania wrote on Her competitor, Pontes Miranda, got 15 September 29, 1977: "lhe most picturesque votes. There was one blank vote, and event at the House of Machado de Assis among lhe 39 members, 13 sent their votes will certainly not be lhe arrival of a woman in through the mail. Those who voted openly to talk with the 'immortals' but the special for Rachel were , Francisco meeting that was held a few days ago at de Assis Barbosa, Herberto Sales, José Cân- lhe Academy to approve lhe blueprints for dido de Carvalho, Mauro Mota, Miguel lhe toilette" Reale, Odylo Costa Filho, Austregesilo de In lhe dozens of articles that appeared in Athayde, and Lyra Tavares, "who was lhe newspaperson lhe uniform that Rachel against women's membership, but who was expected to wear (including stacks of voted for Rachel". Those who voted against letters from readers), it was clear that the her were , Elmano Academy membershad ensured themselves Cardim, Pedro Calmon, and Viana Moog. lhe last word in this difficult decision. "During Once Rachel de Queiroz had been elected lhe last five o'clock tea, Pedro Calmon - and lhe grammatical controversy over who had been notoriously contrary to the women's membership in the Academyhad admittance of women into lhe House of apparently been settled, a pending issue Machado de Assis - raised a proposal that kept feeding certain basic anxieties in lhe was considered vindictive, that lhe Petit Trianon: What uniform could Rachel Academy produce several patternsso that use that would be compatible with the lhe members could choose lhe uniform heroic symbolism expressed by lhe men's Rachel was supposed to wear." (O Liberal, swords and lhe laurels on their robes? Belém, September 6, 1977) President Austregesilo de Athayde was Academy President Austregesilo de Athayde apparently unaware of lhe revolution was much more liberal in suggesting to promoted by Mary Quant, one of lhe Rachel herself that she come up with some spearheads of lhe behavioral protests of ideas for her robe. However, as he declared lhe previous decade, when he confirmed to lhe São Paulo newspaperDiário Popular tolhe press how relevant lhe issue was for on September 9, "in order to avoid stylish lhe Academy: "lhe presence of a woman fantasies, lhe Academy plenary itself will have in our sessions won't change anything. lhe lhe final vote on lhe uniform she isto wear." only thing that will change is lhe uniform," Meanwhile, Rachel was barraged with Thus it was that lhe "House of Machado de opinions: lhe list included a toreador' s Assis" played stcige to one of lhe most bolero, epaulets, braids, and even a curious debates of lhe late 1970s, with ali processional cape, proposed by members lhe slips of tongue that psychology in print of lhe Irmandade do Outeiro (Brotherhood allowed us. of lhe Knoll). it was a heyday for Freud and lhe traditional tive o' ciock tea became a Lacan. Embarrassed, Rachel de Queiroz fashion arena. In lhe search for lhe tried to ease her new colleagues' qualms: appropriate uniform for Rachel, heated "They're making a big deal out of this discussionsaccompanied fashion showings business of my uniform. My dresses are ali by Guilherme Guimarães of the Mônaco shifts. They' re ali cut out of lhe same pattern. Boutique and Silvia Souza Dantas, lhe I don't dress, 1 cover myself," she declared ultimate winner of this second, hotly- rather worriedly to O Globo on October 9, contested round. "In principie, ali attempts 1977. According to lhe press, lhe writer were made to imitate lhe male robe, and ended up deciding by herself and turning only the slacks were replaced with a skirt. deaf ears to lhe suggestions for boleros The writer washorrified by lhe idea of frilly lace (too impractical) and capes (too liturgical). and a tailleur with braids and epaulets,..," Her only demand was that lhe robe be according to Silvia Souza Dantas. sober. Preferring not to mention lhe nomes

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 85 S.I./99 of lhe illustrious academicians that had The investiture mode suggestions on such a nerve end, Finally, on November 4, 1977, safe and she explained her option for sobriety as a sound, Rachel de Queiroz, wearing a "natural" feminine one, since "females of discreet, elegant gown despite male ali animal species are less ornate than Academia toste, took her seat at lhe males. So I justfollowed the rule." (Jornal do Brazilian Academy of Letters. As Jornal do Brasil, November 4, 1977). Brasil reported, beginning at seven in the lhe final version approved by stylist Silvia morning Rachel was flooded with telephone Souza Dantas was in her words "a simple ca/is, visits, and curiosity seekers and had to gown, like Rachel, In Academic green, take refugo at her sister Maria Luiza's home. long, straight, with a V-shaped neckline lhe president of the Academy in turn and bell-bottom sleeves." (Jornal do ensured lhe press that "lhe investiture of Commercio, October 29, 1977) lhe only lhe first woman member of lhe Academy carry-over from the old male robe was lhe will take placa at nine PM today according gold oakleaf embroidery done by lhe tolhe 'standard, immutable ritual', and no Academy embroidererson Rua do Senado. laudatory speeches by women poets will lhe September 4 1977 issue of Correio be allowed." Braziliense informed lhe public that To this day, no immortal has been as warmly "Rachel's full-length gown consumed 13 welcomed as Rachel de Queiroz, and for meters of crepe and 3 meters of linen. Her lhe first time in 80 years the inaugural necklace, a present from lhe Governor of ceremony took on the air of a popular Ceará, is solid gold, a departure from the demonstration. "The Samba School men's medallions, made of gold-plated wanted to pay homage to the first woman s//ver." However, this potential advantage to enter lhe Brazilian Academy of Letters, was offset by lhe cost of her full-length but they were refused by President gown. As social columnist Ibraim Sued Austregesilo de Athayde on lhe grounds pointed out in O Globo on October 23, that it was a formal ceremony and therefore 1977, "Women are already a savings for was incompatible with lhe samba school' s the Academy, since a man 's robe costs 60 carnivalesque presence. So lhe school thousand cruzeiros and a woman's gown decided to pay iIs tribute to her outside lhe only 11 thousand. Neat." This argument Academy, right in lhe middle of Avenida does not seem to have convinced socialite Presidente Wilson," wrote social columnist Tereza de Souza Campos, who maliciously Zózimo on September 15, 1977. asked the writer how many hungry children Since it was raining, however, Portela was from Rachel's native Brazilian Northeast not able to hold lhe parade it had promised could be fed with lhe money spent on her and inauguratetheir "Academicians" Wing". controversial gown, thus taking revenge This disappointment was compensated for for a similar challenge Rachel had once by lhe parades by samba schools ali over raised to high society In the Ceará. In lhe town of Crato, samba groups newspapers. were formed with motifs taken from There was consensus on one point, Rachel's books, reproduced in huge however. "lhe sword, a symbol of fidelity to styrofoam sculptures. lhe institution, will not be necessary." Ulti- Soccer, a particulariy important sport during ma Hora on September 4, 1977, wrote: this period of authoritarian government in "Rachel de Queiroz is on lhe side of women Brazii (characterized by the slogan "Brazil: and is not backing down. She is about to Love It ar Leave II"), was also on lhe take her seat in lhe Academy thanks to a agenda forcelebration of Rachel's triumph. woman's work, with a woman's body, and lhe Jornal dos Sports, in iIs September 21 with a woman'sdress. She has a precedent edition, reminded iIs readers that "Iong in terms of jurisprudence: Joan of Arc bore before she became a literary immortal no sword." and roseta Academy membership, Rachel,

YEAR 7 86 SEMESTER 99 an enthusiastic Vasco da Gama fan, had parallel between Amélia and Rachel. been named team Cardinal by Nelson Dona Amélia fought a public fight with lhe Rodrigues and was thus a Vasco pontiff". The Academy that ended up estranging her Vasco da Gama soccer club had even tried husband Clóvis Bevilacqua from his fellow to provide Rachel with her inaugural uniform. academicians, since he wanted (ar was Congressmen, Senators, mayors, and city convinced) to impose his wife's candidacy councilmen ali paid tribute to the writer. on his colleagues. Her campaign was Mauro Benevides, Senator from Ceará by considered a banner by both the press lhe extinct MDB (Brazilian Democratic and feminist groups, and Academy Movement - opposition) party, spoke on members considered it extremely irritating the history of her life and work in lhe Brazilian and even aggressive. Many academicians Congress. Speeches by Senators Franco questioned lhe literary quality of Amélia 's Montoro (São Paulo), Benjamin Farah (Rio work, but the discussion centered around de Janeiro), and Agenor Maria (Rio Gran- lhe "unpleasant mistake" contained in de do Norte) of lhe MDB and Magalhães Article 2 of lhe Academy's statutes. Pinto and Benedito Ferreira of the Arena The fact is that Amélia ended up losing lhe (National Renewal Alliance - pro-government) prestige she had acquired with her various added to lhe tribute. During the Senate's publications and Silvio Romero's praise for November 7 session, lhe assistant leader of her bookProvocações e Debatesand even lhe government party, Ruy Santos (Arena, come to be considered a bizarre figure Bahia), gave a speech on Rachel's with a reputation for being off balance ar inauguration in celebration of her triumph even crazy. as "a milestone for Brazilian civilization". While Dona Amélia was raising a ruckus From samba to soccer, including politics, with her candidacy at the Academy, Rachel's investiture had acquired an air of Rachel de Queiroz, who was already a national triumph. On lhe day atter lhe nationally renowned writer, was meeting ceremony, the headlines inUltima Horaread: at lhe Praça do Ferreira in Fortaleza with a "Rachel's Inauguration a Demonstration: groupof activists, workers, and intellectuals, Public Overrides Red Tape". The feminists planning lhe Communist Party of Ceará, of did not even feel left out or upset when lhe which she was a founding member. An newly invested academician spoke impassioned militant of lhe social cause, critically of their movement. "They were ali she never took interest in feminist struggles, happy because it wasthefirsttime a woman nor did she take part in lhe demand for had entered lhe Academy. There was no women' s suffrage. controversy to it," Rachel recalled later. Women and lhe Communist Party seemed Still, it was no accident that in 1930 and irreconcilable to Rachel. The politics of lhe 1977, two decisive moments for lhe masses that lhe Cornmunists were defending country's political history -the beginning of in opposition to lhe government seemed the revolution that led Getúlio Vargas to incompatible with lhe feminist movements power and lhe beginning of lhe process of of lhe time. The latter identified with Vargas' political distension that put an end to lhe politics and according to Rachel were military dictatorship - lhe issue of women' s dealing with the issue of women"s suffrage rights had been raised insuchanavoidable ia an elitist, segregated way, linked with and at the same time delicate way. "minuscule conservative groups". In Considering just the Academy reactions addition to her clear political divergence, and lhe local political thermometer, one Rachel' s aversion to the feministsexpressed can observe both lhe pathways and her literary and artistic reservations about detours that Amélia Bevilacqua and Rachel them. For lhe young woman "who wrote de Queiroz took on their march to literary like a man", lhe militant feminist writers, immortality. One first proviso that must be including Dona Amélia Bevilacqua, mentioned is lhe difficulty in drawing a represented a stuffy old "syrupy" style

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 87 s ' /99 without lhe necessary literary punch. a woman of my age cannot sin." (Zero Rachel, on the contrary, fascinated by Hora, Rio Grande do Sul, August 6, 1977). Mocunoírna, was alone among women lt was only in 1980, on her second attempt writers of the time in seeking to absorb after Rachel had entered the Academy, modernist progress. Using her rare literary that Dinah succeeded in becoming a discipline, she developed a kind of language literary immortal, defeating Gustavo that was adverse to ornamental impulses, Capanema. Raimundo Magalhães Jr. 's grounded more in nounsthan in adjectives, welcomingspeechwasclearincharacterizing shirking not only the literary standards of her investiture as the consolidation of the time but mainly what she considered women's presence in the Academy. Dinah "feminine literature", Unlike the majority of herself acknowledged this in her declaration her militant feminist contemporaries, her to lhe press: "Rachel's presence in lhe novels pictured the strongest and most Academy might have been like a symbol. revolutionary female characters of lhe lime lhe feminino side of lhe Academy would and raised issues like women's professional have been just she alone, and no woman training, constraints of marriage, sexual writer, no matter how good she was, could freedom, and even abortion, in what was have crossed the threshold to immortality lhe best feminist style of lhe time. Let us say as she had. My membership was like a she practiced an individual form of relief: the taboo had been broken." This feminism, stradling lhe more general social opinion was not totallydevoid of meaning, issue and her horror of the circumscribed since Dona Carmen herself, the Academy world of domestic space reserved for secretary and a person who was familiar women and women writers. with ali lhe backstage gossip, reported Amélia attitude during her polemicai that the day Rachel was admitted, lhe candidacy was closer to that of Dinah men had commented off lhe record: "She Silveira de Queiroz. lhe latter, having was lhe last, not lhe first." received the Machado de Assis Prize in 1954, lhe fact is that "Rachel's style" together began to seriously consider conquering with her indisputable prominence in lhe literary immortality through membership in Brazilian worldof /etters(at a time when lhe lhe Academy, and for 25 years struggled Statutes declared that women were obstinately for women to be admitted. In ineligible for membership) were extremely July 1970 she declared her candidacy for appropriate for smoothing this very difficult lhe seat lett by Alvaro Uns, She became a rite of passage. candidate for a second time that year, Still, although Rachel used her enviable competing for Aníbal Freyre's seat, based ability to insist on declaring herself non- on a legal opinion submitted by Vicente feminist and anarchist, so that her victory Rao showing that lhe prohibition of women escaped possible political and/or feminist as members was discriminatory and appropriation, she did not manage to keep unconstitutional. Dinah insisted for a third her entry into lhe institution from having time in 1971 without success, trying for certain such repercussions. In 1966, Rachel Clementino Fragas place. It is said that had been nominated by dictator Castelo President Austregesilo de Athayde declared, Branco to lhe Brazilian delegation to lhe "lhe day Dinah enters that door (to lhe UN General Assembly, and since 1967 she Academy) will be the same day I leave by had been part of the Federal Cultural lhe other." At lhe height of this discussion in Council under a government that was qui- 1971, Rachel was sounded out by Odilo te unpopular among the leftist intellectuals. Costa Filho about the possibility of her lhe press thus received heras both lhe first becoming a candidate. Rachel's answer: woman to enter lhe Petit Trianon and "I am not a candidate to lhe Academy, representative of an undesirable political and even if I wanted to be, I could not. To sector. President Geisel sent Rachel a even think of this is forbidden. It's a sin, and congratulatory telegram saying that he

YEAR 7 88 1 ," SEMESTER 99 was one of her loyal readers, to which the mole oligarchy in lhe country: lhe Brazilian writerresponded elegantly, acknowledging Academy of Letters. The newspapers were his ability as "a firm-handed helmsman in full of declarations like, "The majority of lhe these troubled waters the world is sailing members considered Rachel de Queiroz's through", and this exchange wasreproduced victory a milestone in lhe Academy's by literally ali of lhe country's newspapers. history," "This victory could mean greater Oswaldo Orico, the very author of lhe respect for women's literature," and ammendment to the Academy's statutes, "Rachel de Queiroz opened lhe way and did not show up for lhe election and managedto breakthrough the discriminatory considered her victory "lhe effect of outside blockade in lhe illustrious House of Macha- pressure, mainly from lhe Federal Cultural do de Assis, " along with a surprising amount Council." (Jorna) de Santa Catarina, August of anachronical anti-feminist tirades and 6, 1977). "The victor was not a woman but violent attacks against lhe movement, one a government agency," accused lhe that for obvious reasons was not supported defeated candidate, former Ambassador by lhe majority of lhe population. Pontes de Miranda, in a show of lack of What was believed to be Rachel's anti- elegance.(Jorna/ de Santa Catarina, feminism began to be blown up and August 6, 1977). The Left was split and exploited by lhe media. I will quote just preferred not to celebrate lhe fact as a few of lhe gems that appeared in lhe feminist triumph but as a political game in press: "Rachel de Queiroz will be sworn in which lhe main beneficiary was the today as member of lhe Academy of government itself. Like a preview to what Letters. The hotheaded feminists were quick was to become lhe famous controvery to turn her into a symbol for lhe Women's raised lhe following year by film director Lib Movement, a proposal that has a lot in Cacá Diegues, who denounced lhe so- common with lhe Portella Mission, with just called "Ideological Patrols", the debate one difference: while lhe leader of lhe heated up in declarations by Alceu Amo- Senate wants to talk poiitics, ali lhe women roso Lima, one of lhe most prominent libe- are interested in is sex." "Rachel de Queiroz rol leaders in defense of civil rights in lhe has nothing to do with feminism. She has post-'64 period. He called lhe accusations not given in to permissiveness, has not against Rachel unfounded and publicly appeared in a loincloth, has not walked confirmed his vote for "Brazil's greatest around with her breasts showing, has never woman writer" in his article ldeological used lhe word fulfillment, has not signed Hydrophobia, pubiished on August 14 in imbecile manifestos, has not adhered to Última Hora, in which he reconfirmed lhe lhe schemes of either lhe Left ar lhe Right, merit and fairness of Rachel's election and and I doubt very much if she has ever pointed out ironically how fragile lhe literary entered an analyst's office. Rachel de immortals' swords were in upholding lhe Queiroz knows how to sew, to cook, to Geisel government. make rice and beans. Contrary to what On lhe other hand, inspite of Rachel's sorne fools may think, Rachel de Queiroz is insistent public declarations that she had entering lhe Brazilian Academy of Letters entered lhe Academy "exclusively as a on herown merits and becauseshe is a true woman of letters" and that she would woman!"(Raul Giudicelli, Ultima Hora, "defend membership for great writers, not November 4, 1977). only women", there is no doubt that ai a And of course there was lhe usual witch- time when lhe feminist movement was hunting tirade referring to Betty Friedmann, undergoing considerable growth and as Estado de Minas a nd Correio Braziliense institutionalization as a reflection of lhe attested: "The glory of this victory belongs expansion of worldwide feminist move ments, to a woman who does not live by Betty there was an air of euphoric triumph for Friedmann's prayer book." women over the fali of lhe most traditional For lhe time being I will postpone any

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 89 S.1199 evaluation on lhe relationships between had lhe right to afauteuilin lhe King's Court Rachel, feminism, and post-1964 politics. and who thus refused to sit on a simple However, I would just like to observe that plebeian's stool. Louis XIV, aware of lhe critics in general and feminist critics in par- impasse, ordered that the lord members of ticular have been extraordinarily timid in the Academy be conceded 40 fouteuils. approaching not only lhe possible meanings This was lhe origin of the Academic seat' s in these issues but also a more detailed "objective" prestige. lhe seat is like a little analysis of lhe lif e, personality, and work of throne. 4 As such, it can only be passed our greatest modernist woman writer. down ar at worst usurped. In the beginning, seats were passed down through lhe On how Rachel trod the carpet in the House spontaneousdesignation of new members of Machado de Assis by old ones. However, in 1713 a new impasse As lhe first woman to enter lhe Academy, arose when Lamoignon turned down lhe having first deciphered lhe enigma of lhe Academy's invitation to join, showing how robe, how did Rachel translate Int° lhe sensible it would be if entry into lhe feminine gender such clearly patrilinear Academy were preceded by an official traits as lhe passing-down of Academic request on lhe candidates part. As was cultural patrimony? said in lhe French Academy, "Like a decent II would be worthwhile to recaii that matron, the Academy does not offer itself, occupying a seat in lhe Academy of Letters nor does it concede a daughter's hand - is no easy matter. lhe inaugural ceremony, pardon, the possession of a seat - without like lhe praxis of procedures that precedes lhe manifest desire of someone who wants it, demands of lhe candidate a long and to possess ml, without a formal request." liturgical "initiation" process made up of Thus was established lhe practice of the trials of humility, virtue, and personal merit. candidate submitting a letter, in which he If successful, lhe future academician is asks the President to enroll him to compete ready to be received into lhe House as a for lhe vacant seat, a custam which was legitimate heir to its lineage and tradition, !ater broadened and perfected by sending of which he becomes guardian and telegrams to the other members. lhe transmitterfrom that moment onward. Thus, candidate is then ready to begin the long let us see how Rachel stood in this complex and winding road of "visits" to his future and conspicuously masculine ritual. colleagues, taking copies of his own books, In the first session atter lhe death of an presents, delicacies, flowers, and of course Academy rnember, the President formally requests for votes. declares the seat vacant and enrollment Word has it that Rachel changed lhe rules open for potential candidates during the of lhe game a little even in this preliminary nextthree months. Within fourmonths' time phase. After delivering her letter of lhe seat is occupied again. candidacy to lhe President (ai the In addition, each seat has a very specific insistence of Adonias Filho, according to meaning and symbolism. her), she travelled to Ceará and only carne According to tradition, in Louis XIV 's court, back when it was time for lhe vote, thus only lhe great noblemen and prelates had escaping lhe "trial" of visits, the required lhe right to sit infauteuils, lhe only exception exercise of humility and subrnission to her being that made for lhe President of lhe future peers. Even so, when she arrived French Academy of Letters, who had also from the sertão she passed lhe test with no been conceded this privilege. But writer La great difficulty. Monnoye's candidacy in 1703 raised a serious problem. His election to lhe ^With regara to lhe history of the Brazilic:in Academy Academy hinged on lhe vote of one of lhe of Letters and the French Academy, see: NEVES, Fernão. A Academia Brasileira de Letras: notas e members, lhe Cardinal d'Estrées, who had documentos para o sua História (1896-1940). Brazilian become Prince of lhe Church and thus Academy of Letters, 1940.

YEAR 7 90 1" SEMESTER 99 Once a candidate has been elected, lhe concern for establishing lineages, with inaugural ceremony is scheduled during exhaustive scrutiny of "influences" in which heis to be received by his new peers, writings, in works, and in the constitution of gives lhe traditional acceptance speech, literary schools, with identification of lhe signs lhe Academy book with Machado "founders" of national literature. II might de Assis' gold pen, and receives lhe diplo- besaid that lhe establishment oflegitimate ma, medallion, and sword, thuscompleting families with "patriarchs", "heroes", and the ritual of Academic consecration. "geniuses" is one of the central ideas in The custom of a solemn public speech literary critique and theory and even that dates from 1673, with Fléchier' s investiture. literary history is constructedlike a traditional lhe new member humbly approaches the system of patriarchal patronage, that is, members of the government and lhe within a patrilinear logic based on lhe Academy, speaks of his predecessor and legacy of property and patrimony. then listens to praise of himself by one of lhe lhe Brazilian Academy of Letters, founded members of the House. In lhe Brazilian case under lhe basic logic of protecting and we find an extremely curious variant to this preserving national linguistic and literary ritual. In lhe French Academy, lhe fauteuils patrimony and as lhe loftiest organ for are not numbered, nor do they have literary consecration and legislation in Brazil, patrons. What was new in our Academy was no exception to this rule. Each seat, as was that when Machado de Assis gave lhe it was "occupied" by a new member, inaugural speech in 18965, "to conserve required lhe retracing and reconstitution national literary unity in lhe Political of the genealogical line that defined it. The Federation" and to maintain "tradition as ritualization of a member's investiture, its first desire", he and his colleagues realized whether through lhe speech in which lhe that considering how young our national aspirant was to retrace his predecessors' culture was it would be necessary to lineage, thus proving himself a " legitimate "invent" this tradition. Since our literary heir" to this "trunk" or "place" in literature, aristocracy lacked a genealogy, thefounders' or through the mis-en-scene of lhe best strategy was to spiritually create reception by an already invested member, patrons for their seats that represented explains a little of the system which defines "traditional, illustrious nomes in national lhe processes of literary legitimation. Given fiction, poetry, critique, and eloquence"6. this logic, lhe exclusion of women does not The suggestion for naming patrons for the appear to have been merely an issue of seats carne from , grammar or fashion. according to lhe preliminary text of lhe Bylaws and Statutes: "Each of lhe Academy' s The legacy of patrimony, or lhe usual 40 seats will be named in honor of one of discourse the main Brazilian writers, and the first Rachel had a unique task ahead of her, occupant of each seat will stand before it quite similar to lhe challenge of translating and give a speech in praise of the literary the masculine robe into lhe feminine - she nome inscribed on it."' would have to adapt, oral least mollify, lhe However, this genealogical impulse was solemn patriarchal passing-down of not created by the literary academies. national literary patrimony. What metaphors Throughout literary historiography and would Rachel need to translate lhe heroic review, there is a common, recurrent Academic discourse into lhe specific syntax

Speech given at the founding session of the Brazilian of lhe weaker sex? Seat number five's Academy of Letters on July 20, 1897, at 8:00 PM, in lineage was made up of Bernardo Guima- one of the rooms of the Pedagogium at 28, Rua do rães (patron), Raimundo Corrêa (founder), Passeio. Rio de Janeiro. , Aloysio de Castro, and Can- ASSIS, Machado de. Ibidem. dido Mota Filho, Now it would be Rachel's. NEVES. Fernão. Op. cit.. How would she appropriately request ritual

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 91 S.l./99 permission and sit comfortably on this spot and (to use a word that is in style) that had been occupied since 1897 by "privatized" Raimundo Corrêa as a exponents and founders of Brazilian national founding figure. turning him simply into her culture, if she was going to wear a long "own private, mysterious, crazy poet". gown with a V-shaped neck and high- Now, with lhe seat's patron, poet Bernardo heeled shoes and was not going to be Guimarães, Rachel took a stance that was bearing a sword? probably unique in the House by approaching Rachel chose lhe longest yet surest route. him critically and rejecting lhe links of She returned to lhe sertão, lhe hinterland parentage that according to Academy of her native Ceará, in a olear search for norms she should have been tightening. self-understanding, and presented lhe She even questioned Raimundo for having solemn plenary with a young girl searching chosen Bernardo, referring to lhe ¡atter as for lhe moon with her eyes, standing on lhe "a slave to lhe law, almost neurotically gable of lhe old colonial ranch house. scrupulous", while lhe first was "his antipode, Beginning there, layer by layer, as if in a an irreverent Bohemian who stood up to moving picture, as if In a dream, she authority, received callers playing lhe reconstructed her first contact with guitar, attended appointments quoting Raimundo Corrêa. patron of lhe chair that burlesque verse.., and was a symbol for ali in a few minutes would be hers. "lhe girl his (Bernardo's) stifled insubordination." looks at lhe moon, aims her gaze right into Rachel went out on a limb with her own first lhe platter-shaped moon, with eyes that Academic insubordination and did not are nearsighted. Shesighs, but it is a different seem prone to lhe kind of praise for law kind of sigh, satisfied, consoled; lhe girl is still and order that might justify (in lhe eyes of not at lhe age for sighs as such, she is at lhe many) her chair's patron's contradictory age of imagination and dreams. Gazing positions. On page tive of her speech, she into lhe moon, silently, scarcely moving her denounced Bernardo Guimarães, "who did lips, she whispers a prayer to herself, a spell not have lhe courage to confront lhe - a poem? A poem that is prayer and ta boos of his time; who wrote racist incantation. She whispers as if she were restrictions, as did ali lhe other adversaries praying to lhe moon, and in fact, she is of slavery - pious, paternalistic, moved by praying tolhe moon. In this spell prayed by charitable sentiments, but not at ali lhe girl you have already recognized lhe egalitarian". She went on to criticize his unforgeitable poem. And in that adolescent most famous novel, Escrava Isaura, a white who was trying to make herself sorceress of character created for a reading public of that lunar cult, allow me to introduce you to masters and mistresses. lhe old woman of today, trying to unveilher As for Oswaldo Cruz, lhe third link in lhe ancient ties with lhe poem and it lofty author complex genealogy of her chair, Rachel (Raimundo Corrêa)." What is even more observed that he had entered lhe fantastic is that later on in her speech she Academy not as a writer "but as part of a teus how she had found this poem "in a book very rare category, lhe very special 'hero that had already been read threadbare category — . Once again she went bacl

YEAR 92 1" SEMESTER 99 classification she included Dr. Oswaldo value of the man Cândido Mota Filho, Cruz, she went on to describe his adventures whom she had praised so respectfully, the and glory in the struggle against the plague, first woman in lhe Academy's long history ignorance, malaria in the Amazon, and went backward in time again, taking her yellow fever in Pará. listeners back to a sunny afternoon at Rachel then went on to laud Aloysio de Flamengo Park in Rio. Writer Rachel and Castro, the third occupant of Bernardo Minister Motta Filho were talking about Guimarães' seat. As in the case of family matters. She described Motta Filho Raimundo Corrêa, she did not canonically talking rather prudently about bis admiration praise her predecessor but provided a for Nelsinho Moita, bis grandson, whose "flash" of her private, personal connection irresistible love for popular music might have with the academician. Once again, by proved unfitting for the famous woman route of herfeminine "network", in this case scholar's probable elitist tostes. Rachel had her friend Lota Macedo Soares, she had sealed an affectionate grandmotherly been taken to Aloysio de Castro's home. cumplicity with Motta Filho by confessing Not her own private poet, the prince of a to be "an unconditional fan" of the rebel young girl's dreams, but as was fitting for descendant of seat number five's last her age in the logic of atavistic feminine occupant. lhe "grana finale" to her inau- fantasies, it was a gallant cavalier that gural speech was antiheroic par excellence, emerged from Rachel's words, filling the underrating lhe ',dureis of literary genealogy solemn air of the ceremony. "Taken by and concluding with family matters, surprise, the master poet received us in his "sweetly and contentedly" discussing the study, sitting at the piano, dressed in a private space by which shewas penetrating burgundy satin robe. And softly interrupting the public space of literary consecration Lotas outbursts, he asked who I was, smiling with her usual natural air. In satisfaction when he learned of my trade. One apparently unimportant "post scriptum" He began to play a song, 1 think to make is befitting: Inspite of lhe atmosphere of me feel at home. He was extremely kind nationwide turmoil that Rachel's inauguration and unforgettable: the grand piano, where raised, not one single time did Adonias there were pictures in silver fremes, the Filhos welcoming speech mention the shady study, and the lovable gentleman historical fact that Rachel de Queiroz was delicately picking out a Chopin prelude," the first woman to belong to lhe Brazilian Unlike the others, Cândido Mota Filho, who Academy of Letters. uniu l that moment had held lhe chair that was to be hers, merited a meticulous, Easy fome? objective evaluation by lhe soon-to-be 1 will now return to lhe issue I raised at lhe literary immortal, who praisedhisintellectual, beginning: how unusually breathtaking political, and social valor as well as his Rachel de Queiroz's career had been activities as a lawyer, journalist, politician, considering the traditional obstacles to professor, and man of letters. In lhe best recognition of women 's work. And drawing Academia style, Rachel solidly retraced on the same strategies Rachel used in her the legitimacy of her predecessor'slineage. inaugural speech, I will also go back to my The time had now come for Rachel to first contact with the writer who since then include herself as lhe latest link in a linear has been lhe center of my feminist concerns. chain that symbolized seat number five's I have always devoted my attention to lhe tradition and to finally receive thislegitimate study of cultural resistence, marginal areas legacy, lhe patrimony that this illustrious and marginal figures in literature, and lhe lineage represented. As lhe curtains were nome Rachel de Queiroz was as noble as it about to dose on her speech, there carne was distant to me. In reality, I was not a surprise: while she was completely attracted to the world of academies and disinterested in the historical and literary great writers. Of the Academy members, I

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 93 S.I./99 had only approached Afrânio Coutinho, Rachel, like lhe matriarchs she invokes, and this only because of a coincidence had always lived "naturally" with power. At that made me his assistent at the beginning age twenty, she was aiready considered a of my professional career. And it was Afrâ- definitive writer (owner of a "masculine, nio Coutinho that introduced me to Rachel virile writing style"). She had continuously de Queiroz at lhe boarding gole in lhe and significantly occupied space in lhe Galeão airport in Rio, on the way to a Brazilian press. As she still does, she had meeting of Latin American writers In Brasília. moved about without any apparent II only 100k a second for me to realize that constraint ar embarrassment in lhe most I was irreversibly spellbound by her. When I influential, powerfulcirclesof our intellectual gol back to Rio, I called Rachel to sol up ar) elite. She had joined lhe Communist Party, interview for an article I was doing on Orson but when she saw her novel João Miguel Welles' visit to Brazil, which was no doubt a censored by her coreligionariesshe did not pretext to meet with her again. II was then hesitate in leaving lhe party and adhering that, having forgotten Orson Welles and to Trotskyism. In 1937, she was arrested in knowing of my interest in studying women, Fortaleza. Shegot married, separated, and just like Sherazade, Rachel begantoweave discovered with a degree of freedom that and tell infinite stories of northeastern wassurprising forhertimethe joy of inventing Brazilian matriarchs, strong, independent, and building her private and professional powerfui, and extremely cruel women. Story life just as she pleased. She had access to after story emerged, of Dona Bárbara de and influence in Brazilian politics, was invited Alencar, Dona Federalina de Lavras, Dona by Jânio Quadros to be Minister of Manca Macedo. These were characters that Education, represented Brazil at the United reminded me of some of lhe dominating, Nations, and was a founding member of fearful figures that peopled novels by José lhe National Cultural Council. As we have de Alencar. Machado de Assis, and Aluísio seen, she was lhe first woman to become de Azevedo, of Dona Guidinha do Poço, a member of lhe Academy of Letters, in 'sBahian 'adies, Pedro Naves' lhe midst of a national celebration. women from Minas Gerais. These were In short, she was a notable "exception" to paradigmatic feminine images of an lhe almost exclusively masculine framework archetypical, familiar Brazil. of literary history in Brazil. Her first critics' Still, 1 felt that something distinguished discomfort over O Quinze had been an Rachel' s matriarchs from those characters eloquent example of this. from Brazilian novels, distant images of a Brazil Still, this exceptionalness, which was lost in lhe remote past. I realized how our writers relatively common in modernism around had taken (and still take) strange pleasure the world, seerned insufficient to explain in presenting them as barbarian, oppressive Rachel's case. caricatures. In Rachel's stories, on lhe lhe modernist intellectuals and artists that contrary, lhe deeds, audacity, and daily stood out, particularly in lhe 1920s and lives of women of thesertãoshone brightly. 1930s, like Virginia Woolf, Gertrud Stein, ar Her narrative, which betrayed a certain even Tarsila do Amaral in Brazil, based kind of pride, brought ouve in lhe present themselves on radically transgressive lhe memory of the variousforms of feminine customs and principies, confronting power that had been forgotten ar destroyed bourgeois values seen as backward, taking throughout history. However, one question sides with feminist struggles and experi- still puzzled me: what was Rachel talking mental, iconoclastic aesthetics. Occupying about when she spoke of lhe matriarchs? this new public space that was opening Eram then on I perceived that to study up to women little by little was dono women in Brazil and in Brazilian literature traumatically, paying lhe high price of without dealing with Rachel de Queiroz competition and confrontation with would be rash, at lhe very least. established norms.

YEAR 7 94 1" SEMESTER 99 Rachel, on the otherhand, did not seem to personality, expressed in Manuel Bandeiras identify with feminism, political or literary now-classic diagnosis: "No one is as Brazil gain, or the vanguards - ar even with as Rachel is. I mean, Brazil in every sense of modernism itself, as she offen said. She the word: brasílico, brasiliense, brasiliana preferred the individual, autonomousroad. brasileira." (Four different ways of saying Ever since O Quinze had been released, "Brazilian" in : brasil/ca she had proven to be completely at will refers to people ar things native to Brazil, between private and public spaces, brasiliense is a native ar inhabitant of lhe between her daily life, literature, and national capital Brasília, brasiliana refers to politics. While she surprised and even a collection of books, publications, and shocked the critics with lhe quality of her studies on Brazil, and brasileira refers to a writing, her intellectual trajectory does not female Brazilian - T.N.). seem to have caused particular discomfort Iam further reminded of lhe final sentence among her male colleagues. The most in her first writings, a nationalist manifesto, striking proof of this, still referring to her as was usual for lhe time, published in the admittance to the Brazilian Academy of Maracajá magazine in April 1929, thus at Letters, was the "natural", consensual way the height of modernism. Rachel, then 18, her election was received as lhe first woman declared: "I sing to my land's tumultuous to belong to lhe defensive Academy. present and to iIs past, se short, se clear, se Journalist Ana Luisa Collor de Mello perhaps full of vitality that it is almost like another struck closest to the truth when she wrote present." lhe following in lhe Gazeta de Alagoas on begin to think back to the strange feeling August 9, 1977: "I s-e riouslyd o-u-b-t of discovery that Rachel's stories gave me that the first woman to enter the exclusive during our first encounter. There was Brazilian Academy of Letters could have tremendous revelation for me, this naive been anyone bufa Northeasterner.... I have feminist Irem the Rio-São Paulo axis in no doubt that Rachel de Queiroz symbolizes discovering the symbolic force of tales and Northeastern women. This victory belongs deeds in those distant, semi-legendary to the people of the Northeast. Or should I women owners of land and cattle in the say, to the people of Brazil." Rachel was not Northeastern hinterland, the sertão. These lar from this opinion when she stated to O were stories of women with total centrei Globo a short time later, "It was not I that over their lives, managing ranchos and entered lhe Academy, it was the people dominating children, relatives, tenant of Ceard."(0 Globo, October 29, 1977). farmers, slaves. They administered a broad Was this demagoguery? The hypothesis is network of powers including lhe local not very likely, considering how coherent economy, politics, and clergy. The state her vast work was, linked as it was in a visceral and lhe Church were thus defined as an way to the "Northeastern Brazilianness" that extension of the family, with the massive was emerging in the 1930s, consecrated presence of feminine power. Women, as definitively by 's work8, or ranchers and heads of families, invented even taking a common-sense view of her and improvised diverse social roles, bridging differences between lhe public and private ' The concept of brosiliddde nordestina (Northeastern spheres.9 They thus demonstrated surprisingly Brozilianness) eme rged in the 19305 in the ideological struggle between Regionalism and São Paulo Modernism and expresses lhe impasse generated woman, her work and her time. Universidade Fede- by the 1930 Revolution between the country's new ral de , Recife. September 16. 1991. and old political and social elites. This idea was 9 Research on the role of women in the formation of developed by Michel Zaidan in his work on the the Brazilian state and the notions of public and Northeastern novel in 1930 and his proposal for private space in the 19th century have been creating and disseminating lhe concept of the developed in rigorous and pioneering work by Maria Northeast as the "cradle of Brazilian nationality". Odila Silva Dias, partially revealed ia conferences presented at lhe seminar Rachel de Queiroz: a and as-yet unpublished papes.

ESTUDOS FEMINISTAS 95 S.1199 how the patriarchal Brazilian family in 1930, a delicate moment in Brazilian history, practice succeeded in begetting anti- when the institutionalization of spaces patriarchal, semi-patriarchal, and para- (whether they were allowed for women ar patriarchal forms of social organization. not) began to take shape. It is curious that one of the themes that has What metaphors were necessary aí this proven dearest to international feminist point to make women's penetration and historiography is precisely the rereading of participation in public life feasible? What did the complex process of redefining sexual wornen rely anta define their individuality? roles during the formative period of the What is behind the image (which is almost modern republic, when for the first time the always a conservative one) of the few home economy was no longer the central women who did succeed not only in productive unit. Expressions of indignation, expressing themselves culturally in an active such as that of Montesquieu when he way but also in being accepted by society denounced "the unrestricted freedom of during this period? women of the aristocracy" and "the vices Rachel, who possesses "unparalleled of aristocratic luxury" and especially their autonomy and independence in Brazilian role as power brokers at the heart of royal women's writing", in Gilberto Freyre's society, and that of Rousseau, who publicly words", gives us some clues. In principie, denounced "the unnatural practices" of she very c leariy ch a racterizes her individuality, aristocratic women who renounced their rejecting any kind of association with maternal duties to take part in worldly feminist or literary groups ar movements matters, reveal the argumentative heat of and systematically omitting from her the cultural segregation that " modern discourse any trace of explicit competition, civilization" imposed over women themselves that great "modern" male bugaboo. and their penetration and participation in it is not difficult to find testimony like this public life. In this context, as recent studies published at the time of her admittance to show (although still not in sufficient detail), the Academy: "I don't like to write. I only in response to the strictly misogynous and write to make money. if I could, 1 wouldn 't dualistic construction of home and state as even sign my name. lhe truth is that l' m not separate spheres, women developed a novelist - m a good housekeeper, a extremely subtle processes for legitimation better cook than a writer." Or like the high- and involvement in the public space which flown declaration to Mansa Raja Gabaglia shed light on and challenge the classical that made headlines in a well-known Rio premises of traditional political theory.1° magazine: "My moth e rhood is inexhaustible." In our case, Rachel' s career and her "natu- There is no denying that this image "caught ral" exceptionainess and recognition show on" and that it is going to become the not only how fragile the concept of private leitmotifof the commemorative volume for space is in the formation of Brazilian society her eightieth birthday, which is to be but above ali how she, as a self-styled feminist, published by the José Olympio publishing revealed her enormous talent in using house. For example, Otto Lara Rezende domesticity to expand on the language of says on page 124: "1 would dare to say that public and politicalfreedom, thussucceeding she manages her own affairs badly ar not in extraordinarily reestablishing the elasticity ai ali, in lhe sense that she doesn't take her of the private power of the authentic own talent seriously ar try to make it more matriarchs and their force in Brazilian social professional.... Rachel doesn't let herself imagination. be carried away by lhe image she projects She began her professional career around of herself. She is natural to a flaw, as if poking fun at what is conventionally

LANDES. Joan. Women and the Public Sphere: a modern perspective. InSocialAnalysis. n°15, August " FREYRE, Gilberto. In Último Hora Rio de Janeiro, 1984, p. 20-31, September 18, 1977.

YEAR 7 96 1" SEMESTER 99 considered literary glory. Having done of archetypical oligarchical and still-resi- everything that she hos, she looks at what dual structures in the logic and dynamics she has done with a touch of disdain. of social relations in a "Northeastern Sometimes I wonder if it doesn't even occur Brazilianness" that overflowed from the to her that she is Rachel de Queiroz, "12 ranchos into the royalty in the formation of Yet it does occur to This self-styled feminist, so the Brazilian state. much so that in addition to herhighlydisciplined It was somewhat like this that on November literary work, she was capable of paving 4, 1977, Rachel de Queiroz - shunning the an unparalleled personal and professional Academia sword but never her profound pathway. What appears to be at stake knowledge of Brazil - donned a long green here - and it is precisely this that isfascinating gown with a V-shaped neckline and gold- in a study on Rachel de Queiroz - are the embroidered motifs and opened the doors building processes in this trajectory as an to &lidai literary recognition for women. exemplary policy forthe instrumentalization

' , REZENDE. Otto Lora. Razões e Flores. In Rache/de Queiroz: os oitenta. Rio de Janeiro: José Olympio Editora. 1990, p. 123-125.

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