Quincas Borba
"Quincas Borba" is the title of a novel by the Brazilian author Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis from 1891.
The character Quincas Borba also appears in Machado de Assi's novel “ Memórias Póstumas de Brás Cubas ”. In addition to this work and “ Dom Casmurro ”, “Quincas Borba” is one of the most important works by the Brazilian author.
The novel was published in German in a translation and with an afterword by Georg Rudolf Lind in 1982 in the Suhrkamp library.
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The story describes the life of the teacher Rubião , who became rich as the sole heir of the philosopher Quincas Borba . The only condition to be able to take over the inheritance was the acceptance of Borba's dog , which, funnily enough, had the same name as its former owner. It is therefore not possible to clearly determine in the novel whether the title refers to the philosopher or his dog.
In the course of the story, Rubião meets the lovers Palha and Sofia . When Rubião fell in love with Sofia , it was the beginning of his downfall. He is later betrayed by Palha , who took advantage of this situation. Rubião becomes poor and mad. Shortly before his death, Rubião gave the remarkable words
- "Ao vencedor, as batatas." (German: "for the winner the potatoes")
of yourself. This sentence, of all things , was part of the final summary of a story by the philosopher Quincas Borba , with which he described his philosophy of "Humanitismo". This story was about two different tribes fighting for a single potato field. The stronger tribe destroyed the other and conquered the potatoes, which ensured its survival.
In the novel “Quincas Borba” Palha and Sofia are the winners, while Rubião is the defeated. According to Quincas Borba's philosophy , this analogy of “humanitismo” can be applied to all conceivable situations in life.