Machado de Assis (1839–1908)
Machado de Assis is widely regarded as Brazil’s greatest writer and one of the most original voices in world literature. A self-taught intellectual of Afro-Brazilian descent, he explored themes of identity, morality, class, and human psychology with sharp wit, irony, and subtle social critique.
His novels—such as Dom Casmurro and The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas broke literary conventions, blending realism with philosophical reflection and narrative innovation. Machado’s mastery of language and complex, often unreliable narrators challenged readers to question truth, memory, and social norms.
Celebrated for his stylistic precision and profound insight into human behavior, Machado de Assis remains a central figure in Brazilian culture and a foundational reference in modern literature worldwide.