Macunaíma: Analysis of Major Characters
"Macunaíma: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the rich narrative of the titular character, Macunaíma, a complex figure often described as a mock hero. He embodies traits such as laziness, selfishness, and deceit, often prioritizing personal desires for women and wealth. The story begins with his tragic and accidental killing of his mother, after which he embarks on a journey with his two brothers, Maanape and Jiguê. Maanape, a sorcerer, plays a critical role in assisting Macunaíma through his various challenges, while Jiguê, although loyal, often falls victim to Macunaíma's schemes.
The narrative also features Ci, the Mother of the Forest, who suffers a tragic fate at the hands of Macunaíma, yet ultimately transforms herself into a star. Antagonist Venceslau, a giant and landowner, becomes the focal point of Macunaíma's quest to reclaim a magical amulet lost during his adventures. Additionally, the character Vei, representing the sun, initially supports Macunaíma but later seeks revenge for his ingratitude. Through these characters, the story delves into themes of transformation, betrayal, and the consequences of one's actions, reflecting a multifaceted view of heroism and morality.
Macunaíma: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Mário de Andrade
First published: Macunaíma, o herói sem nenhum caracter, 1928 (English translation, 1984)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Brazil
Plot: Comic realism
Time: The early twentieth century
Macunaíma (ma-kew-nah-EE-mah), the mock hero. He is lazy, selfish, and abusive, a liar whose main interests are women and money. Even as a child, he shows an incredible capacity to metamorphose himself into different appearances to fulfill his needs and desires. After killing his mother unintentionally—she had been changed into a deer by an evil force—Macunaíma, along with his two brothers and Iriqui, mourns for a month. They then leave their homeland. On their way, they encounter Ci, the Mother of the Forest, who is raped by Macunaíma with the help of his two brothers. As a consequence, he becomes the Emperor of the Dense Jungle. Later, in a fight against a lake monster, he loses the magical amulet, called Muiraquitã, that Ci gave to him. The stone accidentally comes into Venceslau's possession, and this event precipitates the hero's journey to São Paulo to recover it. After several failed attempts, he kills his enemy and recovers the magical stone. Back in the forest, Macunaíma falls victim to Vei's rancor: The hero dives into the lake to find a siren that Vei has promised to him and instead is attacked and crippled by piranhas. Once again, he loses the Muiraquitã. Ultimately, because he is bored with life, the hero is transformed into the constellation Ursa Major.
Maanape (mah-ah-NAH-peh), Macunaíma's elder brother. He is a sorcerer and uses his knowledge and power to cure Macunaíma of the many diseases acquired by the latter in São Paulo. He also uses his abilities to bring his brother back to life following the first fight with Venceslau.
Jiguê (zhee-GEH), Macunaíma's witless brother. He is the permanent victim of his brother's tricks, and Macunaíma repeatedly steals his women. Jiguê's loyalty to Macunaíma motivates him to follow his brother to São Paulo. When they return to the forest, Jiguê, fed up with his brother's mockeries, decides to take vengeance on him but fails, being defeated again by Macunaíma's guile. Finally, Jiguê is changed into a leprous shadow.
Ci (see), the Mother of the Forest. She is the queen of the Icamiabas, an Amazonian-like society formed solely of women. Ci, raped by Macunaíma, gives birth to a child who soon dies. Once the mourning period is over, she gives a magical green stone, shaped like an alligator, to Macunaíma, and then she transforms herself into a star in the sky.
Venceslau Pietro Pietra (vehn-sehs-LOW pee-EH-troh pee-EH-trah), the man-eating giant Piaimã. He is the villain. By obtaining the Muiraquitã, he becomes a rich landowner and establishes himself in São Paulo. Macunaíma decides to recover his amulet from Venceslau's hands, and, after several attempts, he is able to destroy the giant by throwing him in a boiling pot of macaroni.
Vei (va), the sun, represented as a female entity. At the beginning, she protects the hero, but in return for her kindness, she receives his ingratitude. Macunaíma, instead of accepting one of Vei's daughters as his wife, would rather seduce a Portuguese fisherwoman. Vei takes vengeance on him by injuring his private parts with heat rays and leading him to the treacherous arms of a siren.