Reading 1001 discussion

Machado alludes several times to Othello; his novels narrator takes the role of the husband who feels he has been wronged. Was he wronged?

Given the evidence presented to the reader of the child's appearance and Capitu's reactions yes he was wronged. But if we bear in mind we only have his side of the story and his description of the child and reactions then possibly no.

I was not convinced that he was wrong. I based this on the fact that earlier we are given the comparison Capitú to the man's deceased wife. Yet there is no way they can be related. I think grief can make you see similarities in others. I don't think there was an affair. I chose to believe that Bento screwed up his life because of his very sick jealous nature. Maybe he should have gone into the service of God because he sure made a lousy husband and father.

I would also say there was no affair because it is Capitu who points out that the boys eyes look like Escobar's.

I agree with Book >4, why would she point out that her son looked like her lover? She would be doing everything to avoid that connection.

I don't think there was an affair. A couple of other times the book alluded to resemblances of people who were unrelated. I think most of the resemblances he saw between Escobar and Ezekiel were in his mind.