A TEMPESTADE, DE SHAKESPEARE, E QUINCAS BORBA, DE MACHADO DE ASSIS, PELA PERSPECTIVA DA TEORIA MIMÉTICA DE RENÉ GIRARD

Abstract

Throughout his work, Machado de Assis proves to be a careful reader of Shakespeare’s plays, frequently referencing the English playwright in both his essays and fictional narratives. The unique way in which the Brazilian author interprets Shakespeare allows for multiple theoretical approaches. In this study, we adopt René Girard’s mimetic theory, whose conception of desire emphasizes the presence of an Other, also referred to as a model or mediator, who directs what is to be desired. Our aim is to highlight the implications of this mechanism in the play The Tempest and the novel Quincas Borba. For this purpose, we draw on Girardian studies such as Shakespeare: Theatre of Envy, Deceit, Desire and the Novel, and Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World, which are essential for understanding the dynamics of mediated desire. We also engage with critical works focusing on both authors, such as On Shakespeare by Northrop Frye (1992) and Machado de Assis: Ficção e História by John Gledson (2003). During the analysis, we observe that mediated desire can be strategically incited, as Girard (2010) points out. In The Tempest, Prospero manipulates the desires of others, such as the love between Ferdinand and Miranda and Antonio’s ambition. In Quincas Borba, Rubião envisions himself as a new Prospero but proves vulnerable to the influence of the couple Palha and Sofia. Like Caliban, he remains submissive to the figure of the model and fails to attain the freedom represented by Ariel.