In “A confissao de Lucio” the identity of Marta is the principal mystery

University Degree Historical and Philosophical studies

In “A confissao de Lucio” the identity of Marta is the principal mystery

Much of what happens in “A confissão de Lúcio” seems inexplicable. Sá-Carneiro’s presentation of the supernatural in the story is a mystery that both the characters and the reader try to solve. Marta’s identity is indeed a great mystery since the question of her existence has a major bearing on the outcome of the story. The relationship between Lucio and Ricardo also ties in with Marta and is an aspect that should be considered.

There is little rational evidence to show that Marta is a real human being. Indeed, the only active dialogue that we encounter is at one of Ricardo’s dinners:

“Que beijo tan desengraçado! Parece impossivel que ainda não saiba dar um beijo…”

It is still perfectly possible that Marta really exists in the context of the supernatural nature of the story, especially since we must often look for irrational evidence to make sense of the plot. Despite the fact that Ricardo refers to Marta vaguely in his letter, he is still mentions her as another human being. Ricardo’s separation from Lúcio suggests that there is little ground for interaction between the two. It is on these occasions when there is less clarity about Marta’s physical existence. Marta’s actions are often described in relative detail as opposed to a vagueness which would cast her in a less realistic light. For example, her lovemaking with Lúcio is described in detail. Interestingly, her body is that of a female’s: Lúcio describes her as having long hair and female sexual organs. If Ricardo and Marta were to be the same person, this would be a conflicting detail if we were to look at it literally. One could argue that Sá-Carneiro had to make a strong linkage with reality to make such a character viable; otherwise the reader would look to Lúcio’s experimental mind and his possible insanity for an answer.

There is significantly more evidence suggesting that Marta does not physically exist. It is Ricardo’s words:

“…para ser amigo de alguem…forçoso me seria antes possuir quem eu estimasse, ou mulher ou homem. Mas uma criatura do nosso sexo, não a podemos possuir. Logo eu so poderia ser amigo de uma criatura do meu sexo, se essa criatura ou eu mudassemos de sexo…”

This is a preview of the whole essay

There is significantly more evidence suggesting that Marta does not physically exist. It is Ricardo’s words:

which create the need for Marta’s supernatural existence. Indeed, Lúcio doubts about her reality. No mention is made about her background and despite his often-unsubtle attempts to extract information about her, Lúcio never finds out conclusively about Marta. Lúcio says that once an event is forgotten it is as if it never existed. This ambiguity runs throughout the story – since events are recalled in retrospect there is the chance that they are not remembered correctly or did not even take place. The culminating evidence that Marta does not exist must be her vanishing at the end of the story; Lúcio also sees her disappear at a musical soiree and states that it was if she never existed. It is bizarre that Lúcio “forgets” to enquire about her and that he cannot remember the crucial event which started the relationship. It is as if Lúcio has realised that, in telling his story he has missed out crucial details about Marta and has attempted to obscure them. If this were true, one could take a less probable view: that Lúcio is covering up for Marta and is purposefully making her a vague character.

Marta is an intermediary in the relationship between Ricardo and Lúcio. One of the mysteries in the story is whether her existence ( in the supernatural sense ) facilitates a homosexual relationship between the two men or whether she is a part of a real love triangle. Indeed, Lúcio speculates as to whether she has had relationships with every single man she has had by her side. This concept makes her identity even more obscure. Did Ricardo need to use Marta on men such as the Russian count and Narciso do Amaral? He does admit that he: “…sent her off to embrace that Warginsky …he seemed so loyal…so worthy of my affection…”which hints at a failed relationship. The fact that Ricardo never mentions her infidelity hints at the direct relationship between the two men. Much of the emphasis that Lúcio places in the novella (mainly the italicised sentences) depicts Marta as being a figment of the imagination. She could be said to embody the “além” – a concept that both protagonists believe in. There is great ambiguity about the sort of relationship between Ricardo and Lúcio. Ricardo needs to feel affection for someone to be his friend, previously he had only felt tenderness. This attitude describes a feeling of possession on Ricardo’s part. Despite the fact that it is Lúcio who describes enjoying the relationship with Marta/Ricardo, it is the latter who actively suggests his love for Lúcio:

“Só se te beijasse, te enlaçasse, se te possuisse…”

Possibly, the outcome of the story is as such because Ricardo can never fully realise what he believes to be a complete friendship/relationship and that Lúcio does not reciprocate in the same way. Indeed it is Lúcio who appears startled at Ricardo’s revelation: that he has realised that Ricardo truly thinks in the same way as him:

“Eu era alguem a cujos pés, sobre uma estrada lisa, cheia de sol e árvores, se cavasse de súbito um abismo de fogo.”

Marta’s identity certainly does have a great relevance to the outcome of the story. If she were a real physical existence, the shooting event would appear to be too obscure. One would suppose that the characters on the periphery of the plot like the police, the judges and the servants would have a realistic conscience and that someone as crucial to the case as Marta would be discovered. The reader could well conclude that Lucio is insane or that this image of Marta has evolved to such an extent that she is a real human being by the time of the murder. On the other hand, if Marta were just an illusion, the final scene would be equally unclear. We can rationally conclude that Ricardo tries to kill her (who is within his soul) and so kills himself.

The “além” is another mysterious aspect of the novel. One can categorise the bizarre scenes in the novella. “O fantástico” is different to the supernatural in that it is an indecision between two domains and types of interpretation. There is a “strangeness” that can be seen through a natural unveiling that the narrative seems to present or there is the “maravilhoso” which is simply the acceptance of an irrational world. Lúcio especially presents the reader with seemingly irrational thoughts and visions, whether we should look into the less important aspects of Lúcio’s conscience is debateable. The supernatural does however, give the reader an insight into Lúcio’s character as well as giving grounds for Marta’s existence. The very fact that the supernatural is irrational is a reason not to find a fixed meaning in the “além”. One should investigate these supernatural thoughts to find evidence on the split personalities and interpretations in the story.

In conclusion, Marta’s identity is the principal mystery in “A confissão de Lúcio” since there are so many inconclusive theories about her. Lucio’s portrayal of her through his visions of the “além” gives her a completely unrealistic character but at the same time her actions often lead the reader to believe that she must physically exist. Lúcio’s relationship with Ricardo is a provocative one and is equally inconclusive. In the context of the plot it has less relevance but Ricardo’s outpouring of his emotions at the end of the story goes a certain way in establishing their feelings for one another. The murder is obviously a great mystery and hinges on whether or not Marta is physically present. But if one were to take the view that Ricardo had killed his soul (and thus Marta) it would therefore be suicide and not so much of a confusing end.