Antes de vestir a casaca, é preciso vestir as calças: breve monólogo entre Manoel Dias e Domício da Gama

Abstract

This essay aims to rediscuss the work of Domicio da Gama, nowadays almost unknown in the context of 19th century Brazilian literature. We take here into account a short story from his early years, «As calças do Manoel Dias», published in 1886. The existential drama of its protagonist, an unlucky Portuguese salesman, is compared to Domicio da Gama’s irregular trajectory in Brazilian literature. Annex to the essay, the transcript of the short story stems from a thorough comparison of its four versions.