Through Carlos’s wanderings in Lisbon, Eça paints a "fresco" of the Portuguese elite. He satirizes their provincialism, their obsession with foreign trends (especially French culture), and their lack of intellectual vigor. Key Characters & Themes
The patriarch representing the old, noble values of integrity—values that die with him as the family line ends. OS MAIAS – CENAS DA VIDA ROMГ‚NTICA
The story of Carlos da Maia and Maria Eduarda. Their passionate love affair is eventually destroyed by the revelation of accidental incest, symbolizing a bloodline—and a class—turning in on itself. Through Carlos’s wanderings in Lisbon, Eça paints a