INTERTEXTUALITY IN LITERATURE: DIALOGUES BETWEEN MACHADO DE ASSIS AND WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the occurrences of intertextuality in the works that refer readers to Shakespearean plays. This is because the reading of works such as "Dom Casmurro" (1899) and "A Cartomante" (1884) by Machado de Assis reminds the reader of "Othello" and "Hamlet" by the English author. Intertextuality is understood as the allusions and quotations from texts already written in other times, but were used as a resource for the formulation of new texts, and that way called "intertextos". It is also an intra-linguistic factor that may be explicit or implicit, depending on the writing and intentionality of the author of the new text.  In the case of Machado's writing, intertextuality is evident at the first reading. Another trait is that this factor of textuality in works like "Bruxo do Cosme Velho" is clear by similarities. It is noticeable that he agrees, and is a reader of Shakespearean texts appropriating them to better develop his writing. Machado writings have as one of the central aspects the intertextuality, and this is configured in the resumption of the theme of poisoning in "Dom Casmurro" in which Bentinho thinks about poisoning himself and then poison the son Ezekiel and to initiate this action the narrator remembers the death of Desdemona in "Othello". In the short story "A Cartomante", the narrator-observer begins the narration quoting "Hamlet," which alludes to adultery while thematic of the tale. For this, it was necessary to read the works of Machado de Assis and the dramas of Shakespeare, as well as readings on intertextuality in Travaglia and Koch (1995), Fávero (1991) and Fiorin and Savioli (2007). So, while intertextuality of textuality factor is expressed in the works of Machado de Assis in the resumption of the themes already presented in the works of William Shakespeare.

Keywords: Intertextuality. Theme. Machado de Assis. William Shakespeare.