Beatriz Francisca de Assis Brandão
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Beatriz Francisca de Assis Brandão | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1779 |
| Died | February 5, 1868 (aged 88) |
| Other names | Beatriz Brandão, Beatriz de Assis, D. Beatriz (pen name) |
| Occupations | Poet, translator, musician, educator |
| Known for | poetry, early feminism |
| Spouse | Vicente Batista Rodrigues Alvarenga (m. 1813 – d. 1839) |
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Beatriz Francisca de Assis Brandão (29 July 1779 – 5 February 1868) was a Neoclassical or Arcadian[1] Brazilian poet, translator, musician, educator and early feminist. One of the few prominent female intellectuals and artists in Brazil during the reign of Pedro II, she became well known for her poetry, frequently published in Brazilian newspapers.[2] Through her life and work, she challenged the dominant societal roles for women at the time and played an important part in Brazilian social, political and cultural history.
In 1779, Beatriz Brandão was born into a well-to-do family of European descent in the city of Vila Rica (now Ouro Preto), Minas Gerais in southeast Brazil.[3] Vila Rica, the epicenter of colonial Brazil's gold rush, was built upon this remarkable pioneering mining wealth, and at the time, it was both the capital of the province of Minas Gerais and the largest city in the Portuguese colony of Brazil. In the 18th century, Vila Rica was a vibrant place not only economically but also artistically and politically. As the center of the Baroque architecture movement in Brazil, the historic core of Ouro Preto is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The birthplace of the Inconfidência Mineira or Minas Conspiracy, Ouro Preto was also a center of agitation for Brazil's separation from the Portuguese Empire.[4]
Beatriz Brandão was the sixth and youngest child of dragoon[broken anchor] Sergeant Francisco Sanches Brandão and Isabel Feliciana Narcisa de Seixas. The Brandão family had close ties with the Brazilian imperial family, which Beatriz Brandão maintained throughout her life.[3] She was also the first cousin of Maria Joaquina Dorotéia de Seixas, a participant in the Minas Conspiracy and lover of poet Tomás António Gonzaga whom he immortalized in Marília de Dirceu.[5]
She married a lieutenant (later, captain) named Vicente Batista Rodrigues Alvarenga in May 1816, at the age of 33.[3][6] Later, after living apart from her husband for seven years, Brandão was finally granted a divorce in 1839.[2][3] Once the divorce was finalized, she moved to the city of Rio de Janeiro, accompanied by a niece and a female slave.[2] She lived in Rio until her death[3][5] on February 5, 1868.[7]
Alongside her literary activities, Brandão worked throughout her life as an educator in schools for young women to support herself, in both Ouro Preto and Rio de Janeiro.[3] She was an influential advocate for women's right to education in Brazil.[8]
