Slavery and novel "truth": first readings and public uses of Uncle Tom's Cabin in Brazil (1852-1858)

Abstract

In this paper I study the first Brazilian readings and the public uses of the abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), from American novelist Harriet Beecher Stowe. Considering the 19th century realism’s desire of unraveling the social world, I here present the formal procedures adopted, as well as its reception among readers in a slaver Brazil. For accomplishing it, I use 19th century press as my main source and take as theoretical guidelines the reflections of Michel de Certeau on reading. There were three distinct types of reading: refractory, ambiguous and enthusiastic, each one corresponding to a particular way in which readers positioned themselves in face of the realistic intentions of the novel, these not always being accepted as a veritable representation of slavery. I point to the importance of the novel in encouraging a public debate on the legitimacy of slavery, although it has not fostered the defense of immediate abolitionism.