Dom Casmurro

Bento reflects on Manduca’s burial, mourning the end of their intellectual debates. However, memories of Capitú and another unnamed person, to be revealed in the next chapter, quickly overshadow it. Bento suggests that even in the most wretched circumstances, nature introduces contrasts, offering moments of beauty amid decay.

On a Sunday, Escobar visits the Santiago household. Bento guides him through the estate, discussing various topics such as the family’s previous countryside residence, their additional city properties, and the enslaved individuals working on the estate. Throughout the visit, Escobar’s courteous demeanor makes a positive impression on Bento’s family, although Cousin Justina expresses skepticism about a reflective and inquisitive element she observes in his eyes. Despite her reservations, Escobar’s presence fosters a genuine camaraderie in his relationship with Bento, and his admiration for Bento’s mother and the surroundings adds to the positive experience.

Bento is impressed by Escobar’s exceptional mathematical skills. Escobar performs complex mental calculations, and he challenges traditional notions about the simplicity and efficiency of linguistic and artistic complexities. Bento initially disagrees, but Escobar proposes a challenge to convince him: to calculate the total sum of rents for all of Bento’s family’s properties. To Bento’s astonishment, Escobar accurately completes the task. Bento enthusiastically praises him, drawing the attention of one of the priests, who advises moderation in their displays of affection at the seminary.

José Dias proposes a plan for Bento to leave the seminary. Believing that Dona Gloria regrets her promise but refrains from intervening to avoid breaking it, José Dias suggests traveling to Rome to seek the Pope’s absolution, effectively releasing Bento from his obligations. After a moment of reflection, Bento agrees that it might be a good solution but requests time to consider it further. Despite José Dias’s insistence on an immediate decision, suggesting that money could expedite the journey, Bento decides to answer on Sunday, keeping secret his intention to consult with Capitú and Escobar before making a final decision.

Bento shares José Dias’s proposal with Capitú, who is saddened by the thought of his departure. She questions the need to go to Rome and asks of other alternatives. Despite Bento’s promise to return within six months, Capitú remains unconvinced.

Back at the seminary, Bento confides in Escobar, who proposes a better alternative: Dona Gloria could fulfill her promise to God by sponsoring the ordination of an orphan as a priest instead of Bento, providing specific details about the family’s rent income and properties as support. Bento is elated with Escobar’s idea and agrees. Escobar is content and suggests leaving the seminary together to pursue their respective paths.

Dona Gloria, after consulting with Padre Cabral and the Bishop, agrees to the plan of sponsoring an orphan’s ordination to fulfill her promise. Bento leaves the seminary at the age of 17. He reflects on the challenges at this age and acknowledges the twitches of immodesty and boldness that arise, and how vanity starts to stir within him as he navigates the complexities of adolescence.

Bento acknowledges that he has reached a critical juncture in his book. The current chapter should have been the middle point, however, due to his inexperience, he has fallen behind in writing, and he finds himself near the end of his paper supply. Despite the best part of the story yet to be told, Bento recognizes the need to expedite the narrative, advancing through chapters with little correction or reflection, cutting short the details. Thus, certain pages must suffice for months or even years until the story reaches its conclusion.

Five years elapse, marked by significant changes. Capitú’s mother has passed away, and her father has retired. Bento successfully completes his law degree, while Escobar establishes himself in the coffee trade. Despite the physical separation between the former seminarists, their enduring friendship remains strong.

Serving as an intermediary, Escobar facilitates the exchange of letters between Bento and Capitú. Capitú had reservations about Escobar’s involvement, expressing a preference for José Dias. However, Capitú eventually entrusts him with her first letter to Bento. Even after Escobar marries Sancha, he continues to play a vital role as a conduit for communication between Bento and Capitú.

Bento’s law school graduation brings great joy to his mother. Uncle Cosme observes a resemblance to Bento’s late father, much to Dona Gloria’s delight. The family talks about Bento’s seminary replacement, set to be ordained the following year. Uncle Cosme plans to attend the ordination and proposes that Bento accompany him to experience it vicariously.

Upon unpacking his law school diploma, Bento envisions a future of happiness and glory, and José Dias assists him in silence. José Dias acknowledges Bento’s merit in earning the diploma and hints at an intimate connection between Bento and a woman, eventually revealing it to be Capitú. Bento learns that his mother approves of their relationship, and José Dias commends Capitú’s virtues and contributions to her household after her mother’s passing. Although the conversation touches on Cousin Justina’s potential marriage, Bento is too absorbed in contemplating his future to pay much attention.

On a rainy March afternoon in 1865, Bento and Capitú get married. Both are jubilant and Bento struggles to capture the importance of the occasion in words. During the ceremony, they affirm their commitment, with Capitú vowing to honor Bento. Bento expresses a deep sense of fulfillment and contentment in their union. The following day, the newlyweds engage in a playful exchange, eagerly anticipating their married life, and Capitú pledges to love Bento exclusively for life.

In their initial week of marriage, Bento and Capitú relish their honeymoon in Tijuca, fondly recalling their adolescent love. Despite initially planning to only go out on a cloudy day, Capitú expresses a desire to visit their families, causing a brief disagreement. They decide to visit their parents that very day. As they stroll through the streets, the couple takes pleasure in the attention and recognition from curious onlookers, relishing the public acknowledgment of their marital status.

José Dias, the sole visitor from their hometown, brings warm greetings to Bento and Capitú in their new house in Glória. In a heartfelt analogy, he likens the couple to birds that have matured under adjacent roofs and are now ready to explore the vast sky. His words move both Bento and Capitú, who momentarily forget the troubles of the past.

Two years into their marriage, Capitú copes with the loss of her father, and Bento and Capitú encounter challenges in conceiving a child. Longing for offspring, the couple anxiously prays for their wish to be granted. Everything else is going smoothly. They welcome regular visits from José Dias, who splits his time between Dona Gloria’s home in Matacavallos and Bento’s in the nearby neighborhood of Glória. Bento has achieved success as an attorney, thanks in part to Escobar’s support. The friendship with Escobar and Sancha endures, despite rumors of Escobar’s alleged affair, and both couples share frequent visits and dinners.

Capitú and Bento lead a generally peaceful life. Despite Capitú’s liking for jewels, she urges Bento not to indulge in excessive gifts. Their evenings are often spent at the window, observing the sea, sky, mountains, and passersby. Capitú enjoys various forms of entertainment, including playing the piano, attending the theatre, and dancing. She takes pleasure in adorning herself for balls, where her beauty is widely admired.

Bento initially takes pride in Capitú’s beauty but becomes upset when he notices unwanted attention from other men, feeling Capitú’s choice of clothing is too revealing. He decides to skip future events and discusses his feelings with Escobar, who supports his opinion and assures him that his wife, Sancha, won’t attend balls if she wears anything similarly indecent. Upon learning about Bento’s discomfort and Escobar’s comments, Capitú chooses not to attend one of the balls. In subsequent events, she opts for more modest clothing.

During a conversation, Bento observes Capitú appearing deep in thought as she gazes at the sea, which sparks jealousy within him. Capitú attempts to conceal her distraction, and Bento, sensing the shift in her demeanor, becomes serious and briefly contemplates leaving the room. Capitú confesses that she had been engrossed in calculating some money and addressing a financial matter. This admission diffuses the tension, and Bento joins Capitú in the calculations.

Capitú’s financial prudence and thriftiness enabled her to save 10 pounds sterling from the monthly allowance Bento allocates for household expenses. When Bento asks about the broker, Capitú reveals that it was Escobar, who had visited earlier that day. She chose not to disclose this information to avoid arousing suspicion. Bento suggests splurging double the amount on a lavish commemorative gift, but Capitú dissuades him.

The following day, Bento visits Escobar at work, finding amusement in his shared secret with Capitú. Acknowledging his intention to visit Bento’s office to reveal the matter, Escobar commends Capitú’s spending habits, drawing a contrast with Sancha’s. After a moment of reflection, Bento praises Capitú’s frugality, while Escobar nods in agreement, revealing a subtle regret about his inability to make a similar claim about his own wife.

Bento clarifies that his jealousy during his and Capitú’s conversation stems from his desire to understand what goes on inside his wife’s mind. He admits to having fits of jealousy, which, despite their intensity, are short-lived. Bento grows fonder of Capitú and her thoughtfulness. Similarly, his increased affection for Escobar leads to more frequent and intimate conversations during their visits.

During visits to Escobar and Sancha’s home, Bento and Capitú’s desire for a child intensifies, inspired by the sight of their daughter, who shares Capitú’s name. Eventually, Capitú becomes pregnant, giving birth to a boy that brings overwhelming joy to Bento. Sancha comes to their house in Glória to assist with the baby. Bento and Escobar engage in playful discussions about the future of their children, promising to raise them together and envisioning them marrying each other when they come of age. Bento decides to name his son Ezekiel as a tribute to Escobar, who shares the same first name, given Uncle Cosme had already announced himself as the child’s godfather.

Being the only child, Ezekiel brings both joy and worry to his parents, who navigate the challenges of raising an only child. Bento and Capitú grapple with the typical concerns of parenthood, such as sleepless nights, teething troubles, and the anxieties associated with childhood illnesses. Throughout this period, they provide dedicated care and attention to Ezekiel, responding to his needs with love and concern.

Bento reflects on Ezekiel’s childhood experiences between the ages of five and six, highlighting traits that both fascinated and entertained his parents. Ezekiel is inclined toward contemplation and persuasion, with a keen excitement for music, reminiscent of Capitú’s childhood demeanor. Ezekiel engages in imaginative play, assuming roles as a doctor, soldier, actor, and dancer, but has a fascination with military parades, toy soldiers, and battle scenes. Family visits to Escobar’s residence provide moments of shared amusement with him and Sancha.

One day, Bento requests Capitú perform a tune for Ezekiel, a song they had heard from a peddler in Matacavallos during their childhood. Capitú, unable to recall the melody or lyrics, prompts Bento to search for a scrap of paper on which he had transcribed the tune. They share the story with Ezekiel and proceed to play the song multiple times.

Throughout these episodes, Bento and Capitú actively engage in the joys, laughter, and occasional challenges of nurturing a curious and imaginative child.

Bento reflects on a past incident when Ezekiel was a newborn and Capitú was unwell with a fever. Three barking dogs in the street disrupted the household, so Bento decided to take matters into his own hands and poison the animals. He prepared food, infused it with poison, and went out to address the issue. Upon encountering the dogs, all fled except for one. Bento tried to befriend the remaining dog, which wagged its tail trustingly. Moved by pity, he decided against giving the animal the poisoned food. The dog, seeming to understand Bento’s gesture, was set free.

Bento observes Ezekiel’s tendency to imitate various people, including Cousin Justina, José Dias, and notably, Escobar. He points out specific gestures, manners, attitudes, and even the way Ezekiel moves his feet and uses his eyes, all reminiscent of Escobar. Capitú becomes concerned about this habit and suggests kindly correcting it.

Bento reflects on his enduring jealousy throughout his marriage, revealing that even the slightest gestures, casual words, or simple requests torment him, making him mistrustful and fearful of any man, regardless of age. Although he acknowledges receiving attention from other women, he underscores that none can compare to the depth of his love for Capitú. Reluctant to be apart from her, he has attended the theater alone only twice.

In one of these instances, he left after the first Act due to Capitú feeling unwell. Upon his return home, Bento encountered Escobar at the front door of his home. Escobar explained his visit, citing the need to discuss a third-party claim proceeding, but suggested postponing the conversation to avoid disturbing Capitú. As they enter the house and find she has improved, they decide to proceed with their discussion.

Bento pauses the narrative to correct an omission in the story of the Matacavallos peddler’s song. He reveals that he and Capitú had sworn not to forget the tune during a moment of tenderness. Despite vowing to remember, he confesses to forgetting both the tune and the text on the day both he and Capitú sang the tune to Ezekiel. Feeling guilty for pretending to fulfill his promise, Bento reflects on the nature of oaths and contemplates their moral implications. Ultimately, he believes that, like other sins, lies can be redeemed through virtuous actions.

Back on the night after the opera, Bento and Escobar engage in a futile discussion about a claim proceeding. Escobar leaves without divulging details, leaving Bento suspicious. Concerned, Bento confides in Capitú, who thinks Escobar is simply intrigued by the case. Bento discusses his mother’s distance from Capitú and Ezekiel. Capitú attributes it to jealousy and advises patience. After persuading Capitú to dine at Dona Gloria’s, he still finds his mother to be distant and cold. As they leave, they discuss Bento’s concerns once more, and Capitú advises patience once more, emphasizing that attitudes will eventually change.

Bento discusses his mother’s changed behavior with José Dias, who is surprised and attributes it to health issues. Playfully addressing Ezekiel, José Dias becomes the subject of the child’s imitation, leading to a scolding from Capitú. Bento observes Ezekiel’s habit of mirroring Escobar’s distinct movements. Despite finding the habit unappealing, Bento laughs when Ezekiel, mischievously seizing the opportunity, imitates José Dias’s walking, only for Capitú to scold him again.

Escobar and Sancha relocate to Flamengo, a neighborhood closer to Bento and Capitú. This change brings about a significant shift in their daily lives, as the two couples start spending a substantial amount of time together. Evenings are filled with engaging conversations, card games, and time in the nearby sea, creating a cherished routine for the friends. Their homes become intertwined, and they seamlessly alternate between the two residences.

One day, Bento speculates on the possibility that their children might experience a love story similar to his and Capitú’s, and all agree. Sancha adds an observation about the remarkable resemblance between the two sets of children, which Bento counters by highlighting Ezekiel’s habit of mimicking gestures.

Reflecting on an anecdote about friends having to remain apart for harmony, Bento dismisses the idea. Instead, he underscores that close friends can coexist harmoniously by drawing on his and Capitú’s closeness to Escobar and Sancha.

In his old age, Bento ruminates on the passing of time and reflects on these old friends. He notes that his son and Escobar’s daughter didn’t end up marrying each other, contrary to their initial speculations. During a walk through Flamengo, he contemplates the present state of Escobar’s house. Despite the house remaining unchanged, the friendly couple no longer resides there, as Escobar has passed away. Bento promises to detail his death in a later chapter.

Escobar and Sancha welcome Bento, Capitú, Cousin Justina, and José Dias at their home in Flamengo. During the visit, Escobar tantalizingly hints at a secret family project, inviting Bento and Capitú to join them for dinner the next day for the big reveal. Sancha, in a moment of joy, unveils the plan to Bento—a trip to Europe in two years. Bento notices a certain expression in Sancha’s eyes, suspecting a connection beyond friendship. This observation triggers internal conflict for Bento, who becomes torn between loyalty to his friend Escobar and the allure of temptation. He continues observing Sancha during the night, meeting her gaze at times. As the night concludes, and Sancha presses his hand during the farewell, the gesture lingers in Bento’s mind. Despite the brief surge of temptation, Bento, guided by his moral compass, dismisses it as a passing fancy, attributing it to chance and the influence of timidity.

Bento directly addresses the reader, suspecting there might be concerns about the unfolding narrative. Nevertheless, he urges the reader not to rush, promising to change the course of the narrative.

Bento wakes up the next morning and consciously dismisses the unsettling thoughts from the previous night as hallucinations. He goes about his usual routine, reading newspapers and concentrating on legal documents related to one of his cases. Briefly looking at a photograph of Escobar in his study, Bento finds comfort in the inscription below it, strengthening his resolve to overcome the thoughts and emotions from the previous evening.