The literary movement of Realism emerged in Brazil in the mid-19th century as a reaction against the romanticized depictions of Brazilian society that had dominated literature up to that point. It aimed to present a faithful portrayal of everyday life, eschewing the idealized perspectives of earlier writers. While bearing similarities to the global Realist movement, Brazilian Realism unfolded under unique circumstances. Unlike in other nations, ideas from the Enlightenment and bourgeois revolutions of the first half of the 19th century circulated in imperial Brazil but had limited transformative impact. This context shaped literary Realism in the nation, prompting authors to grapple with the complex and contradictory realities of a former Portuguese colony in its late transition into modernity.

Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (1839-1908) emerged as a prominent figure in the Brazilian Realist movement, pioneering the genre and earning global recognition for his insightful portrayals of 19th-century Brazilian society. In The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas (1881), the novel credited with inaugurating the Realist movement in Brazil, the author exposes the hypocrisy and superficiality of the elite of his time. He satirizes their pursuit of social status and obsession with wealth.