Eroded Subjectivities: Expressions of Madness in “The Marble Dance” by Lygia Fagundes Telles

Abstract

This study analyzes the representations of madness crafted by Lygia Fagundes Telles (LFT) in her debut novel The Marble Dance (1954). We argue that it is through the language of delirium that LFT gives form and expression to corroded subjectivities — those oppressed by an elitist and exclusionary family structure centered on the figure of the Father, whose language is marked by hypocrisy. Characters whose personalities are deemed deviant experience silencing and psychological pain as a result of these forms of violence. Marginalized for seeking to recognize themselves as subjects, they are often labeled as mad and consigned to social ostracism. This analysis draws parallels between the formative experiences of Virgínia, the novel’s protagonist, the trajectory of her mother, Laura, and other characters central to LFT’s poetics, such as Kobold from the short story “Anão de jardim” (1995) and Raíza from the novel Verão no aquário (1963). These comparisons help us understand the recurrence of certain poetic images within LFT’s literary repertoire. In addition, we employ sociological readings to identify the role of the patriarchal family in 1950s Brazil and to explore the connections between Literature and Society as reflected in the novel.