Religion and Power in Brazilian Historical Fiction
from Nineteenth-Century Authors to Contemporary Women Writers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35699/2317-2096.2026.62820Keywords:
religião, poder, romance históricoAbstract
This essay analyzes and compares figures of spiritual and religious authority in Colonial Brazil as reconstructed in historical novels. By examining two 19th-century works and two contemporary ones, it highlights the portrayal of characters such as Jesuits, calunduzeiros, and nuns, their roles in each narrative, and how they contribute to the fictional reconstruction of that historical period, reinterpreting and expanding historiographical discourse. Through these characters, the participation of social groups and the microphysics of power (Foucault, 1979) in colonial society are reconsidered –especially spiritual influence, which, once conceived as the monopoly of Catholic priests, in contemporary novels comes to include other figures and beliefs. This analysis reveals a process of rewriting history and repositioning the voices that shape images of the past within the dominant discourse.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Patricia Baialuna de Andrade (Autor)
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