The World of Machado de Assis Comes to Yale
Leading scholars, writers, and musicians came on October 10-11 for the Machado de Assis: A Life in Literature International Seminar. Hosted by Yale MacMillan Center’s Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies (CLAIS) with support from Edward J. and Dorothy Clarke Kempf Memorial Fund, this a global gathering offered a remarkable opportunity to explore the legacy and influence of Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839–1908), whose insights into human nature continues to shape Brazilian and world literature.
Organized by Kenneth David Jackson, Professor and Chair of CLAIS, the seminar continued an international series of conferences on Machado de Assis that previously took place in Rome. The event featured bilingual sessions in English and Portuguese and drew specialists from around the globe including Brazil, Europe, and the U.S., reflecting international interest in the works of Machado de Assis.
Machado de Assis, born in Rio de Janeiro to parents of Afro-Brazilian and Azorean descent, rose from humble origins to become one of the most celebrated literary figures of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Known for his philosophical wit and subtle irony, Machado’s nine novels, more than two hundred short stories, and countless chronicles reveal a profound understanding of human frailty, class, and power.
Machado invites the reader to participate,” Jackson explained. “His fragmented style, shifting perspectives, and humor make every story an exploration of how we see and how we are seen.
Among the conference highlights was a Friday evening concert in Trumbull College Common Room of compositions from the time of Machado by “Duo Corvisier,” the Brazilian piano duo of Fernando and Fátima Corvisier, piano professors at the University of São Paulo. Fernando, is the Fall 2025 Fulbright Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences in the Council. Jackson described the performance as “a cultural highlight and a celebration of Brazilian artistry at Yale.”
Discussions throughout the seminar examined the intertwined themes of death, madness, and reason that run through Machado’s work, as well as his continuing relevance in modern Brazilian culture. The sessions reflected the cutting-edge direction of contemporary literary studies, where comparative approaches reveal new insights into global writing and thought.
Several papers placed Machado in conversation with other authors across time and geography, including Indian writer Premchand, the Italian Pirandello, and American novelist Henry James. In his closing reflections, João Almino, novelist and member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters, invited the audience to consider the question, “O que interrogar hoje Machado de Assis?” (“What should we ask Machado de Assis today?”). His remarks encouraged participants to reflect on how Machado’s inquiries on reason and madness continue to illuminate contemporary society.
Reflecting on the conference’s success, Jackson emphasized the importance of institutional support in sustaining international literary collaboration.
We could not have done this without the Kempf Fund,” he said. “It allowed us to bring scholars from around the world, to introduce Yale audiences to deeper studies of one of Brazil’s major world figures, and to continue building bridges across cultures through literature.
Through these events, CLAIS strengthens Yale’s engagement with Brazil and the Portuguese-speaking world, deepening the MacMillan Center’s global research networks. The Council provides a platform where scholarship on Latin America connects with broader conversations in literature, history, and cultural studies. Proceedings from the seminar will be published in a forthcoming special issue of Santa Barbara Portuguese Studies.