O legado literário da escritora cearense Alba Valdez (1874 – 1962)

Abstract

In the last decades, studies on women's literature have been significantly strengthened with the aim of contributing to the visibility of the names and texts of female writers who, for a long time, were silenced in the literary system. Among them is Alba Valdez, a representative woman of the literary circle of Ceará and Brazil. A pioneering intellectual, her works were published in the main almanacs, magazines and newspapers of her state, as well as in other regions of Brazil. However, her name was also stifled by the silence of the male and patriarchal canon. With a revisionist character, this proposal seeks precisely to remove her from this silence by proposing to analyse the works Em Sonho... (Fantasias) (2017) and Dias de Luz (1907), with the aim of investigating the literary aspects of her writing related to longing, nostalgia, the past and to the memory. The analysis will also focus on how Alba Valdez represents the feminine in her works, exploring longing and memory from the perspective of her characters. This study is structured in three chapters, each one exploring different aspects of the work Alba Valdez and its impact on the representation of femininity and memory. The study examines the teaching and literary life of Alba Valdez, highlighting her influence and contribution to the academic associations of the time. The study reflects on how her experience as a woman and educator shaped her literary vision and her engagement with female education. In analysing Em Sonho... (Fantasias), this work investigates how Alba Valdez uses her writing to explore themes such as longing, nostalgia, and the temporariness of life, revealing the emotional depth and richness of female memories that crosses her stories. In Dias de luz, the study examines her construction of characters through the lens of memory and femininity, seeking to understand how Alba Valdez represents the feminine condition and the challenges faced by women, exploring the role of longing and memories in the formation of the identities of the characters. Throughout both chapters, the theme of longing emerges as a central element, offering insights on how the author articulates the space of female memories and the importance of the past in the construction of the identity of the experience of women in her works. Thus, this thesis aims to contribute to the review of Alba Valdez and her works in the history of Brazilian literature.