Summary of the book – The Cousin Bazilio

Summary of the book – The Cousin Bazilio

“The Cousin Bazilio” is a novel by the Portuguese writer Eça de Queirós, published in 1878. The story takes place in the city of Lisbon and revolves around a love triangle between Luísa, Jorge and Basílio.

Luísa is married to Jorge, a civil servant dedicated to his work. She is a young and beautiful woman who ends up feeling bored and lonely in her marriage. When Basílio, a former boyfriend of Luísa’s, returns from Paris, the two rekindle their passion. They begin a love affair and meet in secret in an apartment rented by Basílio.

Meanwhile, Jorge is busy with work and does not notice anything wrong in his marriage. He is working on an important report and needs some documents that are in the home office. Luísa promises him that she will get them, but ends up forgetting. Jorge finds the papers and, at the same time, finds love letters from Basílio to Luísa. He is shocked and desperate at his wife’s betrayal.

Basílio, in turn, begins to demand more and more money from Luísa to keep the affair a secret. She starts stealing money from Jorge to pay the expenses and ends up in debt. She also becomes paranoid, afraid of being discovered and losing everything.

In the end, Jorge confronts Luísa about the affair and she confesses everything. She begs for forgiveness, but Jorge expels her from the house. Basílio, in turn, dies of yellow fever in Paris and Luísa is left alone and ashamed. The book ends with a scene of Jorge alone at home, reflecting on his life and his ruined marriage.

“The Cousin Bazilio” is a realistic and gloomy portrait of bourgeois life in Lisbon in the late 19th century. Eça de Queirós critically portrays the hypocrisy and dubious morality of the middle class of the time. The work is considered a classic of Portuguese literature and is essential reading for those who want to know the author’s work and European realistic literature.

Summary of the book – The Cousin Bazilio

When was it first published? And by whom?

“The Cousin Bazilio” was first published in Portugal in 1878, by the Portuguese publisher Livraria Chardron. The book was written by Eça de Queirós, one of the most important Portuguese writers of the 19th century and one of the main representatives of realism in Portugal.

Curiosities

1. “The Cousin Bazilio” is considered one of Eça de Queirós’ masterpieces and one of the most important novels in Portuguese literature.
2. The book was inspired by a real story that happened with Eça de Queirós’ sister-in-law. He was shocked by the story and decided to turn it into a novel.
3. The book was criticized at the time of its publication for its realistic approach and critique of bourgeois life in Portugal. Many readers considered the book immoral and scandalous.
4. “The Cousin Bazilio” has been adapted to film several times, including a version directed by Manoel de Oliveira in 1959 and another directed by Daniel Filho in 2007.
5. The novel has also inspired various other works of art, including an opera by António Pinho Vargas and a play by Almada Negreiros.
6. The book is known for its elegant and elaborate language, which reflects the author’s literary training and intellectual sophistication.