A Casa dos Fantasmas - Volume II / Episodio do Tempo dos Francezes

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

26605

Title

A Casa dos Fantasmas - Volume II / Episodio do Tempo dos Francezes

Language

pt

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in Napoleonic Lisbon, this historical novel captures the tension between Portuguese tradition and French occupation. Through the eyes of a father and daughter facing political persecution, it explores themes of patriotism, honor, and the struggle for independence against a backdrop of religious processions and revolutionary decrees.

Summary up to 500 words

Set against the backdrop of 1808 Lisbon, a city masking deep political anxiety beneath the solemn Corpus Christi procession, *A Casa dos Fantasmas - Volume II* by Luiz Augusto Rebello da Silva explores the tensions of French occupation. General Junot and his ministers fear an explosion of unrest among both nobility and commoners, leading to a climate of repression. The narrative centers on Paulo de Azevedo, a retired officer imprisoned by the French authorities, and his daughter, Leonor. They face a brutal ultimatum from the corrupt police agent Simão: pay a ransom of thirty contos of réis or face execution. Leonor offers her inheritance to save her father, but the plot thickens with the arrival of Armand d'Aubry, a French officer. Despite his family's treachery, Armand displays unexpected nobility by rejecting Leonor's hand and vowing to protect the family, contrasting sharply with the villainy of his uncle, Lagarde. As the story progresses, the atmosphere shifts from fear to hope. News of uprisings in northern Portugal and the arrival of British forces under Sir Arthur Wellesley reaches the prisoners. The text documents the transition of power, detailing French decrees that replace the Regency with a government led by Junot and the desperate pleas of the Portuguese nobility to Napoleon for a constitutional monarchy. The narrative culminates in the anticipation of the Battle of Roliça and the eventual liberation of Portugal. Blending intimate family drama with the sweeping historical events of the Peninsular War, the novel highlights themes of honor, resistance, and the resilience of the Portuguese spirit against foreign domination. The story concludes with a sense of impending victory and the restoration of national dignity, as the French grip loosens and the path to freedom opens.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Fiction