Ecos da grande seca de 1877 - 1879 na literatura piauiense: uma leitura historiográfica de "Ataliba, o vaqueiro", de Francisco Gil Castelo Branco.

Abstract

This work investigates the relationship between the facts narrated by historiography regarding the northeastern drought and the fictional events of Ataliba, o vaqueiro (1880), by Francisco Gil Castelo Branco, starting from the perspective that fiction finds its correspondence in reality, as it is born from the repertoire that the author acquires in the external environment through his experiences. The central problem of the research is to identify in what ways the drought and its dynamics are reflected in the fictional narrative of Ataliba, o vaqueiro, especially the drought of 1877-1879, which occurred at the time of its publication. The specific objectives include a detailed analysis of the boundaries between History and Literature, since it is necessary for the researcher to respect the field of each area, and also include a verification of the way in which the external environment experienced by the author is reflected in his work. The methodology used consists of bibliographic and documentary research, of a qualitative and exploratory nature. As a theoretical reference, we use the studies of Antonio Candido (2006) and Hayden White (1994), as well as authors such as Gonçalves (2022), Domingos Neto and Borges (1983), Reis (2010) and Scoville (2011). The results demonstrate the presence of several elements narrated by historiography regarding the Great Drought of 1877-1879 within Ataliba, o vaqueiro, such as social and economic organization, practices, customs and religiosity, among other factors that characterize the country people.