Abstract
The young Machado de Assis accumulated enough philosophical cultural capital to discuss the main theoretical issues of his country in the mid-nineteenth century. Machado engaged his eclectic cultural capital to issue opinions for the Dramatic Conservatory, and compose, more or less coherently, a criterion by which he could judge a literary work. The purpose of this paper is to trace the philosophical foundations that make up this way of judging and creating literature. The methodological strategy used here consists of cross-referencing Brazilian philosophical production and the way Machadian criticism receives and redirects these assumptions.
Keywords:
philosophy; eclecticism; theater; Machado de Assis