Our Lady of the Pillar

by Eça de Queirós, Edgar Prestage (Translator)

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Title: Our Lady of the Pillar

Author: Eça de Queirós

Translator: Edgar Prestage

Release Date: March 2, 2018 [EBook #56670]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

Produced by Chuck Greif, ellinora and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Genres: Classics, Portugal, Romance, Short Stories, Portuguese Literature, Ebooks, Audiobook

88 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

José Maria Eça de Queirós was a novelist committed to social reform who introduced naturalism and realism to Portugal. He is often considered to be the greatest Portuguese novelist, certainly the leading 19th-century Portuguese novelist whose fame was international. The son of a prominent magistrate, Eça de Queiroz spent his early years with relatives and was sent to boarding school at the age of five. After receiving his degree in law in 1866 from the University of Coimbra, where he read widely French, he settled in Lisbon. There his father, who had since married Eça de Queiroz' mother, made up for past neglect by helping the young man make a start in the legal profession. Eça de Queiroz' real interest lay in literature, however, and soon his short stories - ironic, fantastic, macabre, and often gratuitously shocking - and essays on a wide variety of subjects began to appear in the "Gazeta de Portugal". By 1871 he had become closely associated with a group of rebellious Portuguese intellectuals committed to social and artistic reform and known as the Generation of '70. Eça de Queiroz gave one of a series of lectures sponsored by the group in which he denounced contemporary Portuguese literature as unoriginal and hypocritical. He served as consul, first in Havana (1872-74), then in England, UK - in Newcastle upon Tyne (1874-79) and in Bristol (1879-88). During this time he wrote the novels for which he is best remembered, attempting to bring about social reform in Portugal through literature by exposing what he held to be the evils and the absurdities of the traditional order. His first novel, "O crime do Padre Amaro" (1875; "The Sin of Father Amaro", 1962), describes the destructive effects of celibacy on a priest of weak character and the dangers of fanaticism in a provincial Portuguese town. A biting satire on the romantic ideal of passion and its tragic consequences appears in his next novel, "O Primo Basílio" (1878; "Cousin Bazilio", 1953). Caustic satire characterizes the novel that is generally considered Eça de Queiroz' masterpiece, "Os Maias (1888; "The Maias", 1965), a detailed depiction of upper middle-class and aristocratic Portuguese society. His last novels are sentimental, unlike his earlier work. "A Cidade e as Serras" (1901; "The City and the Mountains", 1955) extols the beauty of the Portuguese countryside and the joys of rural life. Eça de Queiroz was appointed consul in Paris in 1888, where he served until his death. Of his posthumously published works, "Contos" (1902) is a collection of short stories, and "Últimas Páginas" (1912) includes saints' legends. Translations of his works persisted into the second half of the 20th century.

Source: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0211055/bio

Reviews

[Patrizia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ironia e grande abilità nel descrivere le passioni che muovono l’essere umano, caratterizzano questo breve racconto che sconfina nel soprannaturale. La storia di un amore proibito, atmosfere che fanno pensare alla baronessa di Carini, una trappola ideata da una mente malata prendono vita grazie a una prosa intensa e poetica.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

O Defunto é um pequeno conto que marca a incursão de Eça de Queirós pela literatura gótica e fantástica com apontamentos da religiosidade do universo nacional.
A narrativa constrói-se a partir do tema do amor impossível e da atmosfera gótica.
A escrita de Eça de Queirós é um bálsamo para os olhos. Adorei!

[Fernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente!!

Numa prosa encantada, o autor relata de uma forma única a aventura romântica e fantastica de uma cavalheiro.

A fé e o amor representados são o elo que dá sentido a vida.

[Filipa Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um bom conto. Uma história de amor, ciúme, traição e fé. Não conhecia esta história e gostei bastante.

[Costanza Marzucchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romanzo ben strutturato e piacevole da leggere. La vicenda ruota attorno a tre personaggi che costruiscono loro malgrado un triangolo di gelosia, amore e morte. L'elemento soprannaturale si intreccia all'ambiente portoghese creando un atmosfera sospesa e affascinante. Questo piccolo gioiello della narrazione è un capolavoro di stile, caratterizzazione dei personaggi e atmosfere sospese.
Ne consiglio la lettura che per me è stata una piacevole scoperta in tutti i sensi.

[Mbuye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a tribute to the miraculous powers of Our Lady of the Pillar, the name given to the Virgin Mary, the patron saint overall of all Hispanic countries.

Published in 1895 by Eça de Queiros, the novella is set in the late fifteenth century, and is part romance, part allegory, featuring Don Rui de Cardenas, a dashing young gallant, a devout and twice-daily worshipper at the Church of Our Lady of the Pillar in Segovia, at whose altar he never fails to lay a bunch of wildflowers. One day, a beautiful but heavily guarded woman enters the church, to pray at the same altar. The young knight is utterly smitten by the lady, who never notices him, being as devout as himself. Thinking himself unobserved, young Don Rui follows her to the gates of her house, where he realises in dismay that she is Doña Leonor, the wife of the insanely jealous Don Alonso de Lara. Of course the guardian lackeys have noticed the imprudent young man, and faithfully report the fact to Don Alonso. Don Rui, meanwhile, has lost not only his appetite in his infatuation, but seems also to have forgotten his devotion to the Virgin, who, with disembodied voice, warns him of the mortal sin of loving a married woman. But even Her voice does not prevail.

What follows is a history of jealousy, treachery, ambuscades and lies as well as of piety, the supernatural, mercy and grace, told with (even in translation) a beauty of style that must owe its elegance to the original Portuguese. This is a charming story, full of suspense and that eighteenth century love of the supernatural which often makes for great literature.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The year is 1474, Segóvia, Spain. The jealous husband Alfonso de Lara keeps his beautiful wife dona Leonor locked up in a black granite tower. Young Rui de Cardenas goes to church to pray to Nossa Senhora do Pilar. He is madly in love with Leonor and asks for a sign. Any sign. Flowers are at play.

Alfonso is not completely nasty. He does allow his wife to attend church. Lucky for Alfonso, the two cross paths. Rui is starstruck but she offers no sign. Leonor is faithful to her husband and tells of their meeting. Alfonso forces his wife to write a passionate letter to entrap Rui. Full moon, come alone, at night to the steps of the courtyard. “I will be waiting.” An ambush is set.

Rui takes the bait and heads off for the secret tryst. Along the way he meets someone who will change his future.

Nothing like a tale from the knights of old with a gothic twist, a charming novela from the Portuguese master, Eça de Queiros.

3.5 rating

[Ana Bugalho · Rating 3 out of 5]

"O Defunto" is Eça de Queirós's venture into gothic and fantastic storytelling, blending themes of impossible love and spirituality. Despite some familiar elements, the tale pleasantly surprises with its engaging plot and masterful narrative. Queirós skillfully intertwines enchantment, passion, and suspense, leaving readers eagerly anticipating each twist. In this short yet captivating story, the Portuguese master showcases his storytelling prowess, keeping readers guessing until the end.

[Cinalina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitivamente o tipo de conto que imaginaria uma avó (ou outro familiar) a contar a um grupo de netinhos curiosos, numa noite de bruxas ou qualquer uma daquelas celebrações folclóricas que nos relembram de que as fronteiras entre o mundano e o espiritual, são mais ténues do que achamos.

[Anna L · Rating 4 out of 5]

História engraçada! Acho que talvez faça as pazes com Eça

[Silvana Martins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opinião completa: https://pordetrasdaspalavras.blogs.sa...

[Luis Bernardino · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literatura romântica no seu estado puro, que até foi adaptada para o cinema.

[Luís Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

(lido em Pequim, China)

[Andreia Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

tu estás morto ou vivo? - perguntou
senhor, não sei… quem sabe o que é a vida? quem sabe o que é a morte?

[Nia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nossa, que bom fim, e que história interessante como conto preventivo.
Eu vou escrever mais na crítica no meu blog em alguns dias.
Nia

[Lauh - Random Utopias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Podem ler a minha opinião completa na Fábrica do Terror.

"Não há muito mais que se possa dizer sobre a história sem a revelar na sua totalidade, mas garanto-vos que, além da tão conhecida prosa de Eça de Queiroz (que consegue ser simultaneamente poética e totalmente imersiva na sua descrição), «O Defunto» é um bom exemplo de como a vida dá voltas e reviravoltas, e de como o ser humano acaba por ser o verdadeiro culpado do seu destino, seja ele qual for."

[Nuno Ferreira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apesar de o início apontar para uma narrativa habitual em Queirós, com um amor proibido e uma narração trágica, o conto surpreendeu-me pela positiva. Não só manteve o meu interesse ao longo das páginas, também me deixou curioso em relação ao personagem joker que dá título ao conto. No fim, a história parece tornar-se cliché na parafernália de lendas proliferadas no nosso país, o que não tira brilho à história.

A escrita de Eça de Queirós é sublime e riquíssima, sem perder a fluidez. Gostei de todos os pormenores apresentados, da forma como os personagens foram tecidos, caindo em esteréotipos completamente banais na literatura de cordel, mas sem se tornarem enfadonhos ou demasiado previsíveis. Nenhum pormenor foi descurado pelo autor. O conto é de leitura fácil, com três pontos de vista e uma conclusão bem amarrada.

Recomendo a quem é fã do fértil legado nacional em lendas, mas também a todos os que gostam de um bom conto que mistura romance e terror.

www.noticiasdezallar.wordpress.com

[Inês Montenegro]

Opinião disponível em: booktalesblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/0...

[Julian de Souza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't waiting for a nice gothic story. But this Eça work it's great. Very out of holofotes. A cool suggestion.