Abstract

FRANCISCO, Ana Cristina Borges López Monteiro. Letters, diaries and notebooks from a governess: the Countess of Barral through her writings. Rev. Diálogo Educ. [online]. 2020, vol.20, n.67, pp.1563-1581.  Epub Dec 31, 2020. ISSN 1981-416X.  https://doi.org/10.7213/1981-416x.20.067.ds04.

The study presents and interprets part of the pedagogical itineraries adopted by the Countess of Barral, as principal preceptor of the heirs of the throne of Brazil, Isabel and Leopoldina, daughters of D. Pedro II, registered in her letters, diaries and notebooks (1856/1864). The main source of historical and documentary research is documentation, containing records of teachings and advice for the education of princesses, letters and egodocuments. The study addressed the conceptions of education that the Countess showed in her letters, demonstrating the behavior of the Brazilian aristocracy and, on a more specific level, presented the way in which the preceptor developed domestic education practices that, in addition to cultural training, demonstrated a concern focused on the formation of an exemplary female behavior of a good wife, manager and mother. Attention is paid to the pedagogical strategies adopted, with regard to the day-to-day education of their pupils. We conclude that the Countess's guidelines have always sought a solid and differentiated culture for the better formation and performance of the future role of Empress of Brazil, which, as expected, one of the two would exercise. The preceptorship ended with the wedding of the princesses, in 1864, but the relationships of friendship and affection between the three endured, strengthening the bonds over the years. After the death of Princess Leopoldina in 1871, Princess Isabel maintained close and long-lived contact with her governess until 1891, when the Countess died, at the age of 74.

Keywords : Biography; Countess of Barral; Education of women; Brazil Empire; Ordinary writings.

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