Do natural ao perverso: uma análise do adultério no conto “diligência” de Breno Accioly

Abstract

The plots and novels of the nineteenth century introduced, as a central feature, a theme that was almost unprecedented in the literary field up to that point: adultery. An even more particular characteristic of nineteenth-century adultery novels was their focus on the wife’s infidelity and her consequent punishment. In this sense, the present study analyzed the different ways adultery is portrayed in the short story Diligência, from the collection Isabela by Breno Accioly, aiming to reflect on how the act shifts from being perceived as natural to being seen as perverse, depending on the gender of the character who commits it.

To achieve this, the analytical study was developed based on a bibliographic theoretical framework, drawing from authors who examine and produce work on gender and on the relationship between literature and history, such as Eric Hobsbawm and Júlio Pimentel Pinto, in order to connect the research to the analyzed literature.

The results revealed how the selected literary work serves as a valuable documentary source, exposing political and social values by establishing a double standard of behavior within the family sphere—since undeniable parallels could be observed “beyond fiction.” Moreover, the analysis allowed for reflection on how the phenomenon of adultery only holds enough weight to threaten the stability of marriage when committed, in a “perverse” manner, by the woman. This mindset fosters social stigmas and justifies forms of violence that, despite significant struggle, remain present in contemporary society.