ENTRE PRELOS E TIPOS: USOS E INTERPRETAÇÕES DA ABDICAÇÃO DE D. PEDRO I NA IMPRENSA (1831 - 1834)

Abstract

This dissertation aims to analyze certain uses and interpretations made by the periodic press regarding the abdication of D. Pedro I, which occurred on April 7, 1831. To do so, newspapers printed in different provinces of the Empire were used, such as Maranhão, São Paulo, Bahia, Paraíba, Sergipe, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro, between the years 1831 and 1834. Firstly, it is understood that these newspapers played a key role in constructing a public sphere, as proposed by Jürgen Habermas, since these publications were in intense communication with other spheres of the political universe during the early regency period, conveying ideas, nation-building projects, vocabularies, and perceptions of reality. Secondly, considering the historiographical renewal in the field of Imperial history in recent decades, it is assumed that the provinces – and therefore, their periodicals – were not isolated or subordinate to Rio de Janeiro, but actively participated in debates concerning the direction of the imperial state. To achieve this objective, the research first presents the political landscape at the end of the First Reign, as well as how historiography has thought about and analyzed the abdication. It then unveils the role and characteristics of the periodic press in the historical context being studied. Finally, it examines how the abdication of the Brazilian monarch was conceived and instrumentalized. Whether seen as a revolution, a second independence, or a regeneration, the abdication served simultaneously as an object of historical interpretation, justification for political actions, and a weapon against opponents. In this sense, this dissertation seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the topic, which is still influenced by narratives established during the 19th century.