Figurações do pedinte de opa na obra de Machado de Assis

Abstract

Among the human types that roamed the streets of Rio de Janeiro in the second half of the 19th century, the pedinte de opa was a recurring theme in the works of Machado de Assis. This figure was first introduced in a text that aligns with the satirical spirit of the Tipos Burlescos series, published in Semana Ilustrada in 1863. It was later revisited in the short story Um dístico (1886) and the novel Esaú e Jacó (1904). Over time, the representation of the pedinte de opa undergoes transformations: initially, it conforms to the language of physiologies in the Semana text; subsequently, it is associated with memory and intertextuality in Um dístico; and finally, it takes on an allegorical interpretation of historical events in Esaú e Jacó. These portrayals of the beggar, marked by both similarities and differences, allow Machado de Assis to capture the complexity of Carioca society during the transition from Empire to Republic.