"UMA AVEZINHA SILVESTRE"

A RETÓRICA DA MODÉSTIA E A VALORIZAÇÃO DO FEMININO NO PRÓLOGO DO ROMANCE ÚRSULA, DE MARIA FIRMINA DOS REIS

Abstract

This essay examines the discursive strategies presented in the prologue of the novel Úrsula, written by Maria Firmina dos Reis, revealing how a female writer balances an apparent humility with a subtle critique of gender expectations of the time. The introduction of the book is a unique entry into understanding the aesthetic experience and social insertion of this writer from Maranhão, not only because of her motivations for publishing, but also because of the challenges she faced as a woman writer in a patriarchal society. She develops a complex web of discursive strategies, such as the use of apparent modesty, self-criticism and carefully chosen metaphors, weaving a narrative that challenges the norms of her time. This essay therefore seeks to analyze those strategies, contributing to a deep understanding not only of the work in question, but also of the role of women in 19th century literature in Brazil.