O Alienista - Machado de Assis - Resumo Animado

Summary

In *O Alienista*, Dr. Simão Bacamarte, a respected doctor, returns to his hometown of Itaguaí and becomes obsessed with psychiatry. He builds a mental asylum, Casa Verde, and starts interned people, initially focusing on genuine cases of madness. However, his obsession grows, and he begins to diagnose anyone with even minor eccentricities as mad. Despite attempts at reform and protests from the townspeople, the internments continue. Eventually, Bacamarte realizes his theory is flawed, and in his final act of insanity, he locks himself away in the asylum, concluding that he alone is the only sane person left.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dr. Simão Bacamarte is a renowned doctor who returns to his hometown of Itaguaí after achieving success in Europe and Brazil.
• 😀 Dr. Bacamarte marries Dona Evarista, a woman who is not attractive or particularly charming, but he sees her as capable of bearing good children.
• 😀 Despite his marriage, Dr. Bacamarte is obsessed with his medical work and doesn't have children with Dona Evarista.
• 😀 Bacamarte invests heavily in psychiatry, opening a mental institution called Casa Verde in Itaguaí.
• 😀 Initially, Casa Verde only accepts people with clear signs of mental illness, and society is okay with the institution.
• 😀 Over time, Bacamarte starts seeing 'madness' in almost everyone, leading to mass internments of people who were once considered normal.
• 😀 The local population grows alarmed by the increasing number of internments and begins to view Dona Evarista as a potential solution.
• 😀 Despite protests and growing public outrage, Bacamarte continues his practice and refuses to reconsider his actions.
• 😀 Political upheaval occurs in Itaguaí, with new leaders coming to power, but no action is taken to shut down Casa Verde.
• 😀 Ultimately, Bacamarte concludes that he is the only sane person, locks himself away in Casa Verde, and decides to live there for the rest of his life.

Q & A

Who is Dr. Simão Bacamarte, and what motivated him to return to his hometown?

Dr. Simão Bacamarte is a renowned physician who gained respect in both Europe and Brazil. He returned to his hometown of Itaguaí to further dedicate himself to his medical profession.

Why did Dr. Bacamarte marry Dona Evarista, and what was notable about their relationship?

Dr. Bacamarte married Dona Evarista, a woman in her mid-20s who was neither particularly beautiful nor friendly. He chose her because he believed she would be capable of bearing healthy children, although they never had any children.

What is the significance of the Casa Verde in the story?

The Casa Verde is a psychiatric institution built by Dr. Bacamarte in Itaguaí. It plays a central role in the narrative as a place where Dr. Bacamarte begins to intern individuals he deems 'insane,' even though the definitions of insanity become increasingly vague.

How did Dr. Bacamarte's views on insanity evolve over time?

Initially, Dr. Bacamarte interned people who had clear signs of madness, but as time passed, he began to see insanity in more ordinary individuals. He started to intern people who had unusual behaviors, even those considered normal by society.

What was the reaction of the people of Itaguaí to Dr. Bacamarte's actions?

The people of Itaguaí grew alarmed as Dr. Bacamarte interned more and more citizens, including individuals with minor eccentricities. The population became increasingly tense, and a revolt led by the local barber, Porfírio, was organized against Bacamarte.

How did the local government respond to the uprising against Dr. Bacamarte?

When the people protested, the government sided with the protesters. Dr. Bacamarte was overthrown, and Porfírio took power, but no significant action was taken to dismantle the Casa Verde. In fact, the institution's operations continued, and even more people were interned.

What happened to Dona Evarista after Dr. Bacamarte's increasing obsession with psychiatry?

Dona Evarista was eventually interned after spending an entire night unable to decide what outfit to wear for a party. This event highlights the increasing absurdity of Dr. Bacamarte's criteria for insanity.

What was the fate of the town's population by the end of the story?

By the end of the story, 75% of the town's population was interned in the Casa Verde due to Dr. Bacamarte's increasingly broad and questionable definition of insanity.

How did Dr. Bacamarte change his views about insanity in the final part of the story?

Dr. Bacamarte ultimately concluded that his theory about insanity was flawed. He realized that those who did not exhibit personality deviations could be considered insane. He redefined madness as regularity in behavior and firmness of character, which led him to isolate himself as the only 'normal' person.

What is the ironic conclusion of Dr. Bacamarte's journey in the Casa Verde?

In the end, Dr. Bacamarte locked himself in the Casa Verde, concluding that he was the only one who had a perfect and unaltered personality. He decided to live out the rest of his life in isolation, making him the only 'abnormal' person in the town.