Silenced Histories

Slave Trade and Narration in Eça de Queiroz’s “Singularidades de uma rapariga loira”

Abstract

Eça de Queiroz’s short story “Singularidades de uma rapariga loira” represents a breakthrough both in mode of narration and in subject. Distancing himself from idealizations of romantic love, Eça constructed a narrative that attempted to sustain his vision of modernization, colonialism, and their impact on affective life. To my knowledge, readings of “Singularidades” have so far entirely overlooked its allegory of Portugal’s colonialism, and its silencing postures, especially regarding the slave trade. The past of Macário, the story’s protagonist, in the South Atlantic is often dismissed; in my reading, it is an essential aspect of the story’s innovation. Paying attention to Macário’s past also allows one to uncover Eça de Queiroz’s layered storytelling style and opinions on colonialism.