The great mystery of the novel Dom Casmurro, published in 1899, spans the 20th century and continues to generate debates about the posture of its characters. The cultural moment experienced by Brazil at the time of the novel's publication was Realism, an art school founded in opposition to Romanticism. Therefore, it sought to be 'faithful' to the existing reality and criticize it through an objective and undistorted vision. Instead of heroes, ordinary people appear, full of problems and limitations. Inspired by this literary movement, Machado published 'Dom Casmurro.' But, let's see that the novel does not just fit into the posture of the proposed academic school but also creates a deep feeling of ambiguity in the reader who doubts Capitu's adultery and the narration constructed by Bentinho. This narration is one of the characteristics of the brilliant Brazilian writer Machado de Assis, who, in his mastery, does not confirm Capitu's infidelity, leaving the reader to judge for himself. He had created a feeling of skepticism in the reader's soul about the reported adultery. Machado cunningly introduces Shakespeare's character, 'Othello,' universally known for the heightened jealousy that caused him to kill his wife, Desdemona, over a handkerchief.
On the other hand, Bentinho's jealousy may have to be justified, and he is not a madman, as is supposed. Capitu's crying at Escobar's death and the constant intimacy between them may show that she felt for him more than a feeling of friendship. Furthermore, The fact that the couple's son bears an extraordinary physical resemblance to his friend Escobar, as described by Bentinho, leaves the reader confused, thinking that Capitu and Escobar had an affair. When reading the novel ' Dom Casmurro,' many ideas are awakened because, far beyond the realistic theme of adultery, the dilemma regarding the work's characters remains open. It is up to each one to give this novel their interpretations.