José Maria de Eça de Queiroz, a renowned Portuguese novelist, was a passionate advocate for social reform and introduced the literary movements of Naturalism and Realism to Portugal. He is often regarded as the greatest Portuguese novelist, and his international fame was unparalleled in the 19th century.
Born to a prominent magistrate, Eça de Queiroz spent his early years with relatives before being sent to boarding school at the age of five. After completing his law degree in 1866 from the University of Coimbra, where he developed a profound interest in French literature, he settled in Lisbon.
Eça de Queiroz' father, who had remarried his mother, supported his son's entry into the legal profession. However, the young man's true passion lay in literature, and he soon began publishing short stories and essays in the "Gazeta de Portugal". By 1871, he had become affiliated with a group of rebellious Portuguese intellectuals, known as the Generation of '70, who were committed to social and artistic reform.
Eça de Queiroz delivered a series of lectures sponsored by the group, in which he criticized contemporary Portuguese literature for being unoriginal and hypocritical. He served as a consul in various cities, including Havana, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Bristol, during which time he wrote novels that aimed to bring about social change in Portugal by exposing the evils and absurdities of the traditional order.
His first novel, "O crime do Padre Amaro" (1875),explores the destructive effects of celibacy on a priest of weak character and the dangers of fanaticism in a provincial Portuguese town. His next novel, "O Primo Basílio" (1878),is a biting satire on the romantic ideal of passion and its tragic consequences.
Eça de Queiroz' masterpiece, "Os Maias" (1888),is a detailed depiction of upper middle-class and aristocratic Portuguese society, characterized by caustic satire. His later novels, such as "A Cidade e as Serras" (1901),are sentimental and extol the beauty of the Portuguese countryside and the joys of rural life.
Appointed consul in Paris in 1888, Eça de Queiroz served until his death. Posthumously published works include the collection of short stories "Contos" (1902) and "Últimas Páginas" (1912),which includes saints' legends. Translations of his works continued to be published well into the second half of the 20th century.
