The “Intellectual Dismemberment” of Sylvia Serafim: A Look on the Forgotten Work of the Murderer of Nelson Rodrigues’ Brother

On December 26, 1929, motivated by an article pointing to her alleged adultery, Sylvia Serafim made history in Brazilian press by murdering Roberto Rodrigues. However, she entered as a secondary character, a supporting figure in the life of Nelson Rodrigues, Roberto's brother. This article aims to reclaim the complexity of this figure, seeking to demonstrate the tragedy of errors that resulted in the murder, in a brief revisionist exercise to challenge some canonized, unverified data; and shed light on some of her writings, forgotten due to the crime. Viewing Serafim as a multifaceted figure allows for adding heterogeneous layers about an individual traditionally interpreted unilaterally. Lastly, it also highlights the timeliness and relevance of her journalistic and political writings, as well as the gender issues involved in her erasure and dehumanization.

Keywords:
Sylvia Serafim; Roberto Rodrigues; Nelson Rodrigues; Fios de prata; feminist literature