Nacimiento: 1839-06-21
, Rio de Janeiro
Defunción: 1908-09-29
, Rio de Janeiro
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis is one of the greatest names in Brazilian and world literature, founder and first president of the Brazilian Academy of Letters. His work, which spans poetry, chronicles, short stories, novels, and plays, is notable for its psychological depth, subtle irony, and critical analysis of society.
Machado de Assis transitioned between Romanticism and Realism, but transcended labels, developing a unique style, marked by pessimism, skepticism, and metalanguage. His writing explores the complexities of the human soul and social hypocrisies with unparalleled mastery.