Nélson Rodrigues
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Nelson Falcão Rodrigues (August 23, 1912 - December 21, 1980), was an important Brazilian dramaturg, journalist and writer.
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[edit] Biography
Born in Recife, capital of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco, Nelson move to Rio de Janeiro in 1916 when his father, Mário Rodrigues, purchased a house in "Zona Norte" (A region of Rio de Janeiro composed of "suburbs" more akin to American projects than the American notion of a suburb). Mário Rodrigues found work in the carioca newspaper Correio da Manhã.
Nelson's life was always tied to journalism and in 1925, at only thirteen years of age, he began work in A Manhã, a newspaper owned by his father.
The following years were full of joy to the Rodrigues family, until the murder of Roberto Rodrigues, Nelson's brother. After his death, Mário fell into a depression, passing away a few months later.
As if the Rodrigues family had not already suffered so much, in the Revolução de 30 the Rodrigues newspaper was destructed by the revolutionary army.
In 1932 Nelson get a job on the O Globo Newspaper, Brazil's most-read periodical, but Nelson's problems continued. In 1933 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. His treatment was financed by Roberto Marinho, who also paid Nelson's salary during his time away at Campos do Jordão.
Nelson was famous too for his great articles about soccer and specifically Fluminense - traditional soccer team from Rio de Janeiro for which he supported. Although he was a great fan of Fluminense he made memorable articles and chronicles about other teams and the Brazilian soccer team.
Another role Nelson played really well was through his novels focused mainly on the dark sides of family and human relations. Infidelity, incest, envy and lust were the main source of the famous "A vida como ela é" (Life as it really is) chronicles, that became a fantastic series in the 90's.
By the 40's he invented a character, Suzana Flag, to write novels. For a long time people believed the woman (the writer) was real.
Many of his plays and novels became movies and/or TV content.
Beginning in 1940 Nelson divided his time between his job at O Globo and his personal work as dramaturg. In 1941 his first play debuted, A Mulher Sem Pecado (The Woman Without Sin, in English). It was a fiasco, but his second play, Vestido de Noiva (Wedding Dress or Dress of a Bride) was a thundering success.
Vestido de Noiva is considered today to be the first modern play of the Brazilian theatre (until then dominated by Chanchadas).
Nelson Rodrigues, with many studies and articles written about him in Brazil and abroad, is considered the Brazilian Shakespeare.
[edit] Novels
- Meu Destino É Pecar - 1944, under the pseudonym Suzana Flag
- Escravas Do Amor - 1946, as Suzana Flag
- Minha Vida - 1946, as Suzana Flag
- A Mulher Que Amou de Mais 1947, as Suzana Flag
- O Homem Proíbido - 1947, as Suzana Flag
- Asfalto Selvagem also know as Engraçadinha - 1959
- O Casamento - 1966
[edit] Plays
- A Mulher Sem Pecado - 1941
- Vestido de Noiva - 1943
- Álbum de Família - 1946
- Anjo Negro - 1947
- Senhora dos Afogados, Lady of the Drowned - 1947
- Dorotéia - 1949
- Valsa No. 6 - 1951
- A Falecida, The Deceased Woman - 1953
- Viúva, Porém Honesta, Widow, Yet Honest - 1957
- Os Sete Gatinhos, The Seven Little Cats - 1958
- Boca de Ouro, Gold Mouth - 1958
- Beijo no Asfalto, Kiss in the asphalt - 1960
- Otto Lara Resende ou Bonitinha, mas Ordinária, Otto Lara Resende or Cute but a Tramp - 1962
- Toda Nudez Será Castigada, All nudity Shall be Punished - 1965
- Anti-Nelson Rodrigues - 1973
- A Serpente, The Serpent - 1978
[edit] Collections of newspaper columns
- Memórias de Nelson Rodrigues - 1967
- A Cabra Vadia - 1968
- O Óbvio Ululante - 1970
- A Sombra Das Chuteiras Imortais - 1971
- A Pátria em Chuteiras - 1972
- O Reácionário - 1977
- O Remador de Ben-Hur - 1978
