AS FLORES E OS JARDINEIROS: OS IMPACTOS DA COLONIALIDADE DE GÊNERO NO ROMANCE AÇUCENA: A ESTRANHA DAMA, DE MÍRIAM ANGELIM

Abstract

This research, entitled “As flores e os jardineiros: os impactos da colonialidade de gênero no romance Açucena: a estranha dama, de Míriam Angelim” examines the consequences of patriarchy within the modern/colonial gender system on the life of the protagonist, Açucena, as depicted in Míriam Angelim’s novel. The central research question is: How are the impacts of the coloniality of gender revealed in the novel Açucena: A Estranha Dama, by Míriam Angelim? The study's general objective is to explore the effects of a sexist, oppressive, and patriarchal system on the lives of the female characters in the work. In addition, we have specific objectives: to analyze the impacts of the modern/colonial gender system, including the role of the nuclear/patriarchal family as a key factor in the classification and reclassification of individuals; to unveil the mechanisms of domination inherent to a sexist and patriarchal system and its contribution to the physical and mental exhaustion of the character Açucena; and to present decoloniality as a praxis capable of transcending colonial logic. This is a basic, qualitative study developed through bibliographic and hermeneutic methods, drawing on theoretical contributions from Quijano (1999; 2005), Mignolo (2017; 2020), Lugones (2007; 2019; 2020), Saffioti (1987; 2004) and Zanello (2018), among others. The findings reveal that Açucena’s family reflects the broader societal structure, which is rooted in a patriarchal model that places women in a state of subordination, thereby legitimizing male domination. Notably, the marginalization of women is facilitated by the construction of subjectivating devices that reinforce their oppression. This study highlights how this system leads to the physical, emotional, and psychological exhaustion of the subordinated, particularly women.