Summary of Helena - Machado de Assis | Book Summaries

"Helena" is a novel by Machado de Assis published in 1876, which tells the story of Helena, an illegitimate daughter who is taken in by her late father's family after his will is read. The plot unfolds in Rio de Janeiro and explores family tensions and the social conventions of the 19th century, while the legitimate son, Estácio, struggles between duty and the emotions he develops for his newfound half-sister. This novel, part of Machado’s Romantic phase, already displays hints of irony and social observations that would become defining traits of his later works.
Machado de Assis (1839-1908) was a Brazilian writer, poet, playwright, and literary critic, widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in Portuguese-language literature. Born in Rio de Janeiro to a humble, self-taught background, Machado overcame social and racial barriers to become a central figure in Brazilian literature. He was a founding member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters and authored landmark works such as "The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas" and "Dom Casmurro". His writing is characterized by irony, social critique, and deep psychological analysis, spanning the Romantic and Realist periods.
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