The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas

Brás dies of pneumonia in 1869 at his estate in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Unmarried and childless, he dies in the company of his sister, Sabina; her daughter; and Virgília, his former lover. His funeral is unceremonious, with few attendees.

During his lifetime, Brás develops an anti-hypochondriac poultice. He invents it out of altruistic intent and personal ambition, though he is mainly driven by a longing for widespread recognition—a desire the narrator perceives as natural and inherently human.

The Cubas family name originated from ancestor Damião Cubas’s trade as a cooper. Seeking higher status, Brás’s father attempted to associate the family with a late captain-major by naming his son after him. When questioned by the captain’s family, he invented a fanciful story to evade his intent and explain the family name. Brás commends his father’s resourcefulness and imaginative nature.

During his lifetime, Brás fixates on his medicinal invention, cautioning against similar obsessiveness. He reminds readers of the novel’s philosophical essence, which showcases a balance between playful yet serious discussions.

Brás’s relentless focus on his medicinal invention led him to neglect his health, and he suggests he might have gained notoriety for his invention if it were not for his unexpected illness. Before his death, Virgília visits him while he is unwell.

After a two-year separation, Virgília’s visit revives memories of her and Brás’s affair. Brás, cynically mocking life, finds amusement in her sharp wit. Reflecting on nostalgia, the narrator concludes that it prevails over fleeting joy. Virgília returns for a second visit with her son, who witnessed their past affair as a child. In their presence, Brás begins to hallucinate.

Hallucinating, Brás changes form before traveling through time atop a hippopotamus. A colossal, imposing woman presents herself as both Nature and Pandora, claiming to embody creation and destruction. Startled yet fascinated, Brás challenges her indifference to humankind and pleads for his life. The figure mocks him, emphasizing the relentlessness of time and mortality. Lifting Brás to a mountaintop, she reveals a panorama of human history: a parade of its triumphs and miseries throughout the centuries. The hallucination concludes as the scene blurs and the hippopotamus gradually transforms into Brás’s cat, Sultão, which is playing in his bedroom.

Brás is torn between the pull of the hallucination and his effort to regain mental clarity. Reason triumphs, leaving him intrigued by the mysteries of life and death concealed in his delirium.

Brás signals a shift in the narrative, intending to recount his birth, which occurred in 1805. The narrator favors a relaxed approach to narrative, promoting fluidity without rigidity.

Brás is born in 1805, greeted by optimistic predictions from family members and numerous visits from neighbors. A year later, after his baptism, his godparents’ esteemed social status becomes a cause for admiration of him. He recites their names as a child, often impressing and delighting those around him.

Brás, known as the “Devil Child,” displays a mischievous and strong-willed nature during childhood. He treats the enslaved people at his family’s estate cruelly and shows stubbornness. While his father often praises or overlooks his actions, Brás considers his mother weak-minded for not giving him firm guidance.

When Brás is nine, his father invites esteemed guests to celebrate Napoleon’s fall. Brás throws a tantrum over dessert, leading to his expulsion from the table. Blaming the ordeal on one guest, Brás spies on him, seeking revenge. He witnesses the man exchange a kiss with a woman and exposes the extramarital affair to the other guests, causing amusement and embarrassment. Despite publicly scolding his son, Brás’s father later finds humor in the incident.

Brás finds his schooling dull and tedious. Quincas Borba, a childhood friend known for mischief and inventiveness, frequently plays pranks on their teacher. His lively and playful ways make him popular among their peers, and his widowed mother adores and indulges him.

At 17, Brás is captivated by a Spanish woman, Marcela, despite her interest in another man. Following Brazil’s independence, Brás attends a gathering at Marcela’s and impulsively kisses her before departing.

For a month, Brás pursues Marcela, vying for her affection against the man she is interested in. He seeks funds from both his father and mother, even resorting to taking from his inheritance, to give Marcela lavish gifts. Despite her claims that their love surpasses materialism, Brás finds her collection of presents from past lovers bothersome. Nonetheless, he succumbs to her wishes, and, in return, Marcela fulfills his requests and complies with his desires.

Brás questions the sincerity of Marcela’s affection for him and suggests that it might have been more materialistic than genuine.

Brás’s father scolds him for overspending on gifts for Marcela and decides to send him to study in Portugal. Marcela refuses to accompany him despite Brás’s desperate pleas. As his last attempt to convince Marcela, he secures a loan and presents her with the city’s finest jewelry, boasting wealth and promising to grant her any wish. Impressed by the gift, Marcela agrees to accompany him on his journey.

Leaving Marcela’s house, Brás doubts her genuine willingness to join him, though he still believes in her love. Suddenly, his uncles and father appear, forcibly restraining Brás and sending him onto a ship bound for Portugal. Despite his resistance, he feels powerless and distressed after being separated from Marcela.

While sailing to Portugal, Brás senses the captain discreetly watching him at his father’s request. He finds comfort in the captain’s poetry and in conversations with his sick wife, which diverts him from his suicidal ideation. In a fierce storm, he comes to fear death, despite having been contemplating it. Brás consoles the captain when his wife passes away due to an illness. The captain wishes him a promising future as the journey concludes.

Brás, captivated by the prospect of a bright future, sets aside his past love for Marcela, embracing aspirations for success. Despite his less-than-stellar academic efforts, he manages to secure a bachelor’s degree. However, he craves the everlasting freedom inherent in the carefree student lifestyle, acknowledging the responsibilities that accompany this new phase of his life.

Brás encounters a muleteer while riding a donkey. The animal’s abrupt movements nearly throw him off, saved only by the muleteer’s timely intervention. Grateful, Brás contemplates an appropriate reward. He initially plans to give three gold coins but later doubts the gesture, considering it excessive. Eventually, he gives a silver coin and immediately regrets the act, feeling it was an excessive reward given the muleteer’s spontaneous help.

Brás ends his European travels, yearning to go home upon receiving a letter from his father alerting him of his mother’s declining health. Memories of their farewell before he boarded the ship evoke deep emotion. He chooses to abbreviate his reflections and thoughts, preferring concise chapters that cater to more straightforward readers.

Brás experiences a nostalgic renewal as he returns home. His arrival coincides with family distress over his mother’s debilitating stomach ailment, which has rendered her unrecognizable. Brás is incredulous after her passing, as it is his first time witnessing the death of a relative.

Brás reflects on how he lived a life steeped in superficiality and trivialities. He highlights the freedom in contemplating deeper truths in death compared to the constraints of societal expectations and public opinion he experienced while living.

Brás retreats to the family’s house in Tijuca after his mother’s passing, seeking solace in solitude. However, after a week, he yearns for social interaction. Just as he prepares to leave, his enslaved servant Prudêncio informs him that Dona Eusébia, a woman who cared for his mother, and her daughter are moving nearby. Brás feels obligated to visit them as a gesture of gratitude.

While en route to visit Dona, Brás encounters his father, who insists he return to Rio to thank one of the regents for sending condolences on his mother’s passing. His father also introduces plans for Brás to start a political career and marry. Brás feels torn, but his father demands an immediate answer, revealing the potential bride’s name: Virgília.

Brás clarifies that the woman proposed for marriage, Virgília, is the person who accompanied him in his final days. At their initial encounter, she is a spirited 16-year-old with a captivating charm.

Brás’s father explains that a marriage with Virgília, daughter of the influential Councilor Dutra, could boost Brás’s political prospects. Though willing to consider the offers, Brás does not wish to commit to both. His father stresses the importance of upholding the family name and insists on him making a mark in the world. Persuaded by his father’s words, Brás finds the allure of fame and societal recognition enticing.

Brás agrees to both marry Virgília and start a political career, but he decides to visit Dona Eusébia before his return to Rio. There, they reminisce about his late mother, and Brás turns melancholic. As they talk, Eugênia, Dona’s daughter, interrupts, calling for her mother.

Eugênia enters with hesitance, showing reserved yet poised manners. A black butterfly startles Dona, prompting Brás to intervene. Later, Eugênia greets Brás as she passes on horseback, leaving him intrigued by her apparent interest in him.

The next day, a black butterfly flies into Brás’s room, landing first on his forehead and then on his father’s portrait. He tries to wave it off but ends up hitting it with a towel until it nearly dies. Feeling sorry, he places it on the window ledge, where it eventually perishes. Thinking back, he wishes the butterfly had been blue instead of black.