Apropos a digital edition of Esau and Jacob, reflections on genetic and literary criticism

Abstract

Genetic and literary criticism have been, so far, considered two distinct fields and ways of looking at literary texts. Whereas literary criiics interpret the texi, Le., the resali of the writing process, genetic criticism focuses on the writing hself as a process, disregarding its final produci-the text a» it will be read. This article examines the autograph manuscript of Esau and Jacoh, held at theBrazilian Academy of Letters, to consider the possible intersection between Machado de Assis's wriiing process, as seen in said manuscript, and the very reflections Machado makes in his texts, particularly those of the so-called second phase ofhis writing, where he discusses the theory of fiction and writing.