The Dynamic-Relational Critical Biography in O Cortiço: Exploring Sociohistorical, Environmental, and Psychological Dynamics in 19th-Century Brazil

Abstract

This article employs a dynamic-relational critical biography framework to analyze O Cortiço by Aluísio Azevedo, a foundational text in Brazilian naturalist literature. By integrating psychoanalysis, Foucault's power dynamics, and Bourdieu's concept of habitus, this study examines how socioeconomic structures shape characters' psychological development, desires, and conflicts. Azevedo's depiction of the intersections of race, class, and gender within the oppressive environment of the tenement reflects the societal tensions of 19th-century Brazil. The interdisciplinary framework sheds light on how Azevedo's life experiences—particularly his observations of urbanization, racial inequalities, and class struggle—shaped the novel's critique of social hierarchies and individual repression. This study also explores the potential of contemporary theories, such as postcolonialism, intersectionality, and ecocriticism, to further deepen the analysis of power, identity, and social resistance in O Cortiço.