Template:POTD/2024-11-20
Machado de Assis(1839–1908) was a Brazilian novelist, poet, playwright and short-story writer, widely regarded as the greatest writer ofBrazilian literature.In 1897, he founded and became the first president of theBrazilian Academy of Letters.He wasmultilingual,having taught himselfFrench,English,GermanandGreeklater in life. Machado's work shaped the realist movement in Brazil and the birth of the Brazilian republic made Machado become more critical and an observer of the Brazilian society of his time. Generally considered to be Machado's greatest works areDom Casmurro(1899),Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas(Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas,also translated asEpitaph of a Small Winner) andQuincas Borba(also known in English asPhilosopher or Dog?). In 1893, he published "A Missa do Galo" ( "Midnight Mass" ), often considered to be the greatest short story in Brazilian literature. This photograph of Machado was taken by the Brazilian photographerMarc Ferrezin 1890.Photograph credit:Marc Ferrez;restored byAdam Cuerden