Madness

The Theme in the Work

Madness enters the book as a doubt about the philosopher, before becoming Rubião's ailment. In chapter X, the letter in which Quincas Borba (the philosopher) says he is Saint Augustine leads Rubião to judge him mad, and he hides the letter from the doctor for fear the will will be annulled.

In chapter XI, the Court newspapers report that the philosopher bore his illness with philosophy and raved at the end.

In chapter XII, with no allusion to dementia in the notice, Rubião again takes the letter for a joke, and his relief shows who decides what counts as sanity.

In chapter LXXIX, after Major Siqueira's advice to marry, a voice asks whether he should not indeed marry; Rubião, who sees only the Quincas Borba (the dog), wonders whether the voice comes from it, where the philosopher's spirit might be, finds the idea absurd and dismisses it, but just in case scratches the back of his neck.

In chapter CXLVI, Rubião's delirium takes shape: he has his beard cut to the bust of Napoleon III and, answering the French barber in Portuguese, thinks he is speaking French.

In chapter CXLVIII, without the beard, he alternates between himself and the emperor of the French, and the text says the two balance each other, each whole without the other.

In chapter CLIII, in Sofia's coupé, he speaks to her as a lover of a meeting that never happened, and the text presents it with the sincerity of someone who saw what he relates.

In chapter CLV, the news of the mania spreads, and whoever tests it, by turning the conversation to France, sees Rubião slip into the abyss.

In chapter CLVI, with the Franco-Prussian War, the crises grow more acute and frequent. He reads every piece of news as a victory, the diners become marshals, and the poor table seems royal to him.

In chapter CLXVII, Dr. Falcão examines Rubião at the request of Dona Fernanda, believes he can recover, and concludes from the delirium that he and Sofia were lovers.

In chapter CLXXXII, Rubião walks down Rua da Ajuda gesturing to an invisible empress, followed by street boys who whistle at him.

In chapter CLXXXIII, the father of the boy Deolindo recognizes in the madman the man who rescued his son under a carriage, and the mother, who had said she did not know him, blames herself for the mockery.

In chapter CLXXXV, Cristiano Palha and Dr. Falcão, finally fulfilling a promise that had been delayed, commit Rubião to a sanatorium.

In chapter CXCIV, days before Rubião vanishes, Palha found him sane, gave him a hundred mil-réis, and asked the director not to hasten his discharge.

In chapter CXCIX, at the house of his comadre Angélica, with fever, Rubião speaks of the captured King of Prussia, and curious onlookers gather at the door.

In chapter CC, he dies, placing on his head a crown only he can see, and his last words leave the motto unfinished.

The book never decides when madness begins. The philosopher's is a doubt that Rubião's interest resolves as suits him, and Rubião's own enters through comedy, in the beard and in the French he does not speak, before any diagnosis. What the text fixes is who sees it and how each person uses it: money treats it as a risk to the will, desire hears it in the voice of a dog, the diners tolerate it while there is a table, and the Palha couple commit him when it becomes inconvenient. The delirium gives Rubião what life did not give him, and the narrator leaves open whether that is glory or ruin.

Where It Appears

• Chapter X: Quincas Borba writes from Rio that he is Saint Augustine, and Rubião, taking him for mad, hides the letter from the doctor for fear of annulling the will.
• Chapter XI: In the Court newspapers, Rubião reads of the death of Joaquim Borba dos Santos, the philosopher Quincas Borba, who bore his illness with philosophy, raved at the end, and leaves many assets.
• Chapter XII: With no allusion to dementia in the death notice, Rubião again takes the letter for a joke and decides to give the dog to his comadre Angélica.
• Chapter LXXIX: After Major Siqueira leaves, a voice asks Rubião whether he should not indeed marry; he sees only the dog, finds it absurd that the question should come from the animal, and smiles with disdain.
• Chapter CXLVI: Lucien leaves Rubião only the goatee and moustaches, copying the bust of Napoleon III, and Rubião, who answers in Portuguese, thinks he is speaking French.
• Chapter CXLVIII: Coming down from the moon, Rubião sees himself with a new face, approved by all, and alternates between himself and the emperor of the French.
• Chapter CLIII: In the coupé, Rubião speaks to Sofia as a lover, evokes a meeting in the caleche and promises a dukedom to her husband, and the narrator says the delirium had the sincerity of the word.
• Chapter CLV: News of Rubião's mania spreads, and some test the rumor by turning the conversation to France and the emperor; he slips toward the abyss and convinces them.
• Chapter CLVI: With the Franco-Prussian War, Rubião's crises grow sharper and more frequent, and he reads every piece of news as a victory.
• Chapter CLXVII: Dr. Falcão, a deputy and physician, examines Rubião at Dona Fernanda's request, believes he can recover, and concludes from the delirium that he and Sofia were lovers.
• Chapter CLXXXII: Rubião walks down Rua da Ajuda gesturing to an invisible empress, followed by street boys who shout "Ó gira!", and the mother drags little Deolindo out of the group.
• Chapter CLXXXIII: Deolindo's father recognizes in the madman the man who rescued his son, and the mother blames herself for the boy's mockery.
• Chapter CLXXXV: Rubião is committed to a sanatorium by Cristiano Palha and Dr. Falcão, and on that occasion he invites them to a military review.
• Chapter CXCIV: Cristiano Palha finds Rubião sane, days before he vanishes, gives him a hundred mil-réis and asks the director of the sanatorium not to hasten his discharge.
• Chapter CXCIX: Comadre Angélica shelters Rubião, who, feverish, speaks of the captured King of Prussia, and curious onlookers gather at the door.
• Chapter CC: Rubião dies a few days later, placing on his head a crown only he can see, and his last words leave the motto unfinished.

Passages

Deolindo's father says it is a sad thing to lose one's reason.

The beard copied from the bust brings the first confusion of tongues.

The delirium speaks with the voice of someone who lived what he recounts.

Rubião's last victory is a crown only he can see.