“Regras de civilidade”: tecendo a masculinidade do smart nas páginas d’O Rio Nu (1898-1916)

Abstract

The present work is aimed at analyzing the newspaper O Rio Nu: periódico semanal caustico humorístico (1898-1916), which was characterized by its malicious content that falls within the so-called "gênero alegre." Rather than analyzing the newspaper simply in its graphical aspects, what we want is to understand starting by its different reading protocols, forged a model of manhood to be followed by men who themselves intended to be modern: the so called smarts. In the context of the values of progress and civilization that boosted urban reforms, cemented by the discourses concerned about the Republic, this newspaper had, encouraged and dictated new ways of life that the smarts should follow, as well as those which should be avoided. Homosexualities, alcoholism, virility, interracial sexual intercourses within the domestic service were some of the points highlighted by the newspaper as models not consistent with a smart. Therefore, this work conforms to a genre study, analyzing the patterns of masculinity, at a time when many institutions were focused on the formation of ideal citizens.