VITALIDADE DE PERSONAGENS CUJOS ROMANCES JÁ ESQUECEMOS

Abstract

Key writers and fully developed characters are not the only writers and characters to be found in the Dictionary of Portuguese Fictional Characters. One of the questions that presents itself in the selection process is whether or not characters whose names are the actual title of a book should be included in the Dictionary. A number of these romantic works were important at the time they were published and were widely read, others fell into complete oblivion. In our study, we propose to examine two novels, Cláudio, de Júlio César Machado e Mário, de António da Silva Gaio that give relevance to this issue by answering two questions:1) Is it possible to recognize the vitality of characters who have inspired a book’s title but whose work has been forgotten and 2) To what extent do they have a place in the Dictionary of Portuguese Fictional Characters which does not sidestep literary history but seeks to reflect a critical and detached analysis that ensures its topicality?