A política de atravessado: A ilustre casa de Ramires e o final do século XIX

Abstract

A ilustre casa de Ramies is a novel that fundamentally addresses political issues, whether explicitly, through Gonçalo’s candidacy for parliament, or implicitly, through an atmosphere related to the British Ultimatum. In this context, this article seeks to articulate the discourses that construct the figure of Gonçalo and the broader political movements in late 19th-century Europe. The analysis departs from the premise that the Ramires family’s legacy is used to justify a natural right over the land – a right that Gonçalo repeatedly extends to the entire nation. It is argued that this claim is essential for understanding the symbolic equation established at the novel’s conclusion: Gonçalo = Portugal. Rather than suggesting an unquestionable fusion, this relation provides a clue to understanding processes of subjectivation within the Portuguese context at the end of the 19th century.