This study discusses the life and works of Larra and many of his beliefs and ideas. The chapters have been divided into three, traeting of Larra's social, literary and political satire that deals mainly with the high cociety of Madrid (Spain).

Thesis advisor: Régine Jean-Charles / Practice whereby a host (the one who receives) open his/her door to a guest (the one who is either invited or simply received), hospitality is nowadays under fire as the migrant crisis unfolds the plight of countless strangers who, at the end of their perilous journey across the Mediterranean Sea, come and knock at the doors of Europe, in particular France—birthplace of the Rights of Man. Taking the stand of Louis de Jaucourt on the socio-political challenges of hospitality outlined in his 18th century French article, Hospitalité, as the point of departure of our study, we focus on how hospitality intersects with social criticism through the person of the stranger in the following corpus of literary texts, which spans from the 18th to the 20th century: 1. Lettres persanes (Montesquieu), Lettres philosophiques (Voltaire), and L’Ile des Esclaves (Marivaux); 2. L’Ingénu (Voltaire), Lettres d’une Péruvienne (Françoise de Graffigny), and Ourika (Claire de Duras) ; 3. La Noire de… (Sembène Ousmane), and Xavier, le drame d’un émigré Antillais (Tony Delsham). Here, we enter in dialogue with Julia Kristeva’s essay, Etrangers à nous-mêmes, namely the chapter she writes about philosophers of the Enlightenment: L’Etranger : alter ego du philosophe. She argues that, as a satirical modus operandi, these philosophers withdraw behind the figure of the stranger, who then becomes their “double”, their “mask” (196). We show that Kristeva’s argument is not only limited to the works of 18th century French philosophers, but also to those of their literary heirs, who ascribe rather to the “mask” of the stranger of color, and moreover the hospitality he/she receives in France, as a satirical tool to lay bare the flaws of their own society. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2019. / Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Romance Languages and Literatures.

This essay presents a comparative analysis of the characterizations of the female protagonists Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen̕ s Pride and Prejudice (1813), and Becky Sharp in William Makepeace Thackeray̕ s Vanity Fair (1847-1848). The analysis is conducted from a gender perspective, and with the use of feminist criticism. The two novels complement each other since they are both satirical images of society, concerning aspects such as class and gender. Also, both novels  portray women climbing the class ladder, during the period of the Napoleonic wars. In the comparison, the main focus lies on the social satire constructed around the heroines of these novels. I come to the conclusion that Austen̕ s and Thackeray̕ s characterizations are very different from each other, mainly due to their different satirical approaches. This conclusion is put in relation to a patriarchal context and to feminist values. / I denna uppsats presenteras en komparativ analys av karaktäriseringarna av de kvinnliga huvudkaraktärerna Elizabeth Bennet i Jane Austens Stolthet och Fördom (1813), och Becky Sharp i William Makepeace Thackerays Vanity Fair (1847-1848). Analysen är utförd från ett genusperspektiv, och med användning av feministisk samhällskritik. De två romanerna kompletterar varandra då de båda är satiriska illustreringar av samhället, och både rör aspekter såsom klass och genus. Dessutom porträtterar båda novellerna klassklättrande kvinnor under tiden för Napoleonkrigen. I jämförelsen ligger största fokuset på samhällssatiren konstruerad kring hjältinnorna i de båda romanerna. Jag når slutsatsen att Austens och Thackerays karaktäriseringar skiljer sig mycket från varandra, främst på grund av författarnas skilda förhållningssätt till sin satir. Denna slutsats relateras till en patriarkal kontext, samt till feministiska värderingar.

This research pursuits analyze inside of universal literacy that is multiple, the satirical poems of Brazilian writer of Romanticism called Luiz Gama. Making analysis in theories supported by studies in a satirical humor in literature, we will observe as this humor was configured in a poetical structure like social and politics critique form in XIX century. Moreover, we analyze like the critical literary was revealed, in a white and elitist literary environment in a formation of the Brazilian literary canon. With this, the investigation will settle the artistic productions from this poet who was strongly constituted literarily cut above the previously established canonic concepts in period of his production, assuming with this, a position of ethical formularizations from the uncommon, but behold for literary field. / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / A pesquisa analisa, com base em estudos críticos como os de Henri Bergson e Georges Minois, que analisaram a inserção crítica do riso satírico na literatura, a contribuição do poeta do Romantismo brasileiro Luiz Gama, cujos versos foram estruturados poeticamente sob a forma de crítica social e política no século XIX. Além disso, analisa e classifica, frente à recepção do texto, no qual o leitor teve papel de destaque, uma poesia-comunicação social , observando sua recepção diante da crítica literária daquele momento histórico que, normalmente, se situava em um ambiente literário branco e elitista quando do julgamento da formação do cânone literário brasileiro. Com isso, as investigações povoarão as produções artísticas desse poeta que se constituiu inovador literariamente, frente aos conceitos canônicos preestabelecidos no período de sua produção, assumindo com isso, uma posição de formulações éticas do incomum, mas contemplada pelo campo literário.

This essay highlights The Happy Prince’s advantageous use of conventions of the fairy tale genre to stress critical issues of the Victorian period: the challenge of the established Christian socio-moral order, the rising of the bourgeois industrial society, and the advent of aestheticism as a response. Using the close reading technique supported by the Victorian socio-historical background, the analysis establishes that the criticism proceeds by double associations. Firstly, the clear structure of the tale, enriched by a plethora of aesthetical features and suitable narrative processes, is propitious for children’s access to a message calling for more human generosity. Meanwhile, subtle analogies to the Christian imagery appear blurred by paradoxical elements. This prevents a definite religious interpretation from adults to which those messages are intended. Secondly, in connection with aestheticism, a social and moral criticism takes the form of a satire of the utilitarian vision of the bourgeoisie and a questioning of the common Victorian beliefs: the link between beauty and moral integrity, as well as the moral code of femininity. Finally, the utilitarian discourse and the disapproval of the research for pleasure from beauty merging with a hedonist vision, advocate an “art for art’s sake” free of these respective considerations.

O romance Eu sou um Gato, do escritor japonês Natsume Sôseki, publicado entre 1906 e 1907, é marcado basicamente pela critica ao regime em voga, período Meiji (18681912) no Japão e seus costumes sociais. Entretanto, sua construção baseia-se em técnicas pouco utilizadas na época, pois o autor mescla influências dos romances naturalistas ocidentais à tradição oral e teatral do período Edo (1600-1867), a fim de descrever o período em que o homem transitava entre o antigo e o moderno. O autor se baseia, assim como sugere o título, no ponto de vista de um gato pedante e possuidor de uma linguagem aforística, que analisa o ser humano frente aos problemas do seu cotidiano, revelando seu caráter, seus vícios e segredos. Sugerindo que ao olhar para o íntimo do homem, encontramos também as mudanças sociais: a introdução do capitalismo e dos hábitos ocidentais, ainda alienígenas ao povo oriental, era ao mesmo tempo, discutida e porque não criticadas. Verificamos essas nuances desde a estrutura da obra, que mescla influências do conto e da novela, dando origem a uma voz narrativa polifônica e dialógica: o gato. Ele é a voz que narra e porque não escreve também a história, apesar de não possuir nem mesmo nome. Sua voz se alterna conforme pede a situção e durante o decorrer da obra, sua figura de inicio é um simples gato, se transforma em um ser monstruoso, fundamentado nas grandes figuras mitológicas e literárias de outros felinos. Tanto o gato quanto as outras personagens da obra utilizam-se de uma linguagem irônica e satírica revelando uma crítica sutil à sociedade de Meiji. Entretanto, para que esta linguagem surta o efeito desejado há o emprego do cômico e da paródia como apoio para a censura dos hábitos sociais. O cômico favorece o rir de si mesmo e das falhas humanas e a paródia faz alusão a uma desconstrução da literatura, visto que as estruturas sociais estão desgastadas e há algo que ainda precisa ser dito. A obra em questão é, em suma, uma grande afirmação de que a sociedade não está conformada com o que há. / The novel I am a Cat, of the japanese writer Natsume Sôseki, published between 1906 and 1907, it\'s marked basically, with the criticism of the regime in vogue, Meiji period (18681912) in Japan and your social habits. Nevertheless, your construction have based in techniques rarely used in that period, the author mix influences of occidental naturalist novels to oral and theatric tradition on the Edo period (16001867), with the objective of to describe a period that the man passed between the old and the modern. The author has based like was suggested in the title in the point of view from a pedantic cat and owner of a aphoristic language, that analyze the humans in their daily problems, exposing their character, their vices and secrets. Suggesting that when we look to the intimate of man, we too find socials changes: the introduction of the Capitalism and the occidentals habits, yet alienated to the oriental people, was in the same time discontinued and why didnt criticize. We verified this nuances since of the structure of the work, that mix influences of narrative and of novels, giving origin to the polyphony narrative voice and dialogic: the cat. It is the voice that report and because dont write too the history, although dont to posses neither same name. His voice change it according the situation and during the happening of the work, his figure in the start is a simple cat, that transform it in a monstrous be, it is founded in the literary and mythology greats figures of the others felines. So the cat as the others characters of work use it of a satiric and ironic language exposing a sewed criticism to the Meiji society. However, to this language to result in the effect desired must have the application of comic and of parody as support to the censure of socials habits. The comic encourage the laugh of himself and the humans mistakes and the parody make reference to the deconstruction of literature, looking that the social structure are consumed and there are something that yet need to be said. The work in question is a great affirmation that the society dont is resigned with that there is.

O romance Eu sou um Gato, do escritor japonês Natsume Sôseki, publicado entre 1906 e 1907, é marcado basicamente pela critica ao regime em voga, período Meiji (18681912) no Japão e seus costumes sociais. Entretanto, sua construção baseia-se em técnicas pouco utilizadas na época, pois o autor mescla influências dos romances naturalistas ocidentais à tradição oral e teatral do período Edo (1600-1867), a fim de descrever o período em que o homem transitava entre o antigo e o moderno. O autor se baseia, assim como sugere o título, no ponto de vista de um gato pedante e possuidor de uma linguagem aforística, que analisa o ser humano frente aos problemas do seu cotidiano, revelando seu caráter, seus vícios e segredos. Sugerindo que ao olhar para o íntimo do homem, encontramos também as mudanças sociais: a introdução do capitalismo e dos hábitos ocidentais, ainda alienígenas ao povo oriental, era ao mesmo tempo, discutida e porque não criticadas. Verificamos essas nuances desde a estrutura da obra, que mescla influências do conto e da novela, dando origem a uma voz narrativa polifônica e dialógica: o gato. Ele é a voz que narra e porque não escreve também a história, apesar de não possuir nem mesmo nome. Sua voz se alterna conforme pede a situção e durante o decorrer da obra, sua figura de inicio é um simples gato, se transforma em um ser monstruoso, fundamentado nas grandes figuras mitológicas e literárias de outros felinos. Tanto o gato quanto as outras personagens da obra utilizam-se de uma linguagem irônica e satírica revelando uma crítica sutil à sociedade de Meiji. Entretanto, para que esta linguagem surta o efeito desejado há o emprego do cômico e da paródia como apoio para a censura dos hábitos sociais. O cômico favorece o rir de si mesmo e das falhas humanas e a paródia faz alusão a uma desconstrução da literatura, visto que as estruturas sociais estão desgastadas e há algo que ainda precisa ser dito. A obra em questão é, em suma, uma grande afirmação de que a sociedade não está conformada com o que há. / The novel I am a Cat, of the japanese writer Natsume Sôseki, published between 1906 and 1907, it\'s marked basically, with the criticism of the regime in vogue, Meiji period (18681912) in Japan and your social habits. Nevertheless, your construction have based in techniques rarely used in that period, the author mix influences of occidental naturalist novels to oral and theatric tradition on the Edo period (16001867), with the objective of to describe a period that the man passed between the old and the modern. The author has based like was suggested in the title in the point of view from a pedantic cat and owner of a aphoristic language, that analyze the humans in their daily problems, exposing their character, their vices and secrets. Suggesting that when we look to the intimate of man, we too find socials changes: the introduction of the Capitalism and the occidentals habits, yet alienated to the oriental people, was in the same time discontinued and why didnt criticize. We verified this nuances since of the structure of the work, that mix influences of narrative and of novels, giving origin to the polyphony narrative voice and dialogic: the cat. It is the voice that report and because dont write too the history, although dont to posses neither same name. His voice change it according the situation and during the happening of the work, his figure in the start is a simple cat, that transform it in a monstrous be, it is founded in the literary and mythology greats figures of the others felines. So the cat as the others characters of work use it of a satiric and ironic language exposing a sewed criticism to the Meiji society. However, to this language to result in the effect desired must have the application of comic and of parody as support to the censure of socials habits. The comic encourage the laugh of himself and the humans mistakes and the parody make reference to the deconstruction of literature, looking that the social structure are consumed and there are something that yet need to be said. The work in question is a great affirmation that the society dont is resigned with that there is.