Frente aos espelhos de Machado de Assis e José J. Veiga: entre símbolos e ressonâncias

Abstract

The specular territory has wide frontiers. Several works of world Literature have elected the mirror as the theme of their narratives and verses. This tradition started in the classics and reached contemporary Literature. The specular reflection gained notoriety from mythical narratives. Since the myth of Narcissus – who fell in love with his own image reflected in the thin sheet of water in a river – the mirror has gained a range of possible meanings. Therefore, it is possible to map, to draw a cartography, of the different symbolic representations of the mirror, even if only partially, since each symbol has infinite meanings. In this sense, the main purpose of the present research was to carry out a comparative reading of the short stories O Espelho (1882), by Machado de Assis, and Espelho (1997), by José J. Veiga, in order to understand the symbolic representation of the mirror contained in these texts. To do so, we propose a dialog between Literature and Philosophy, based on the work Aphorisms on the Wisdom of Life (1851), by the philosopher Schopenhauer, as well as studies by Todorov (2014), Carvalhal (2006), Chevalier & Gheerbrant (2001), in addition to the critical fortune that has already been formed around the theme of the mirror and its literary representation. In this way, we drew up a comparative reading of Machado’s and Veiga’s narratives, analyzing the aspects of human nature “to be”, “to have” and “to represent”, instituted by Schopenhauer (1851), as they are presented in these short stories. This research, therefore, aimed to expand the horizons of investigation of a theme that unfolds infinitely, and consequently allows for other readings and reflections.