Silva, Antonio José da [key], 1705–39, Portuguese playwright, b. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He belonged to a family of “New Christians” (Jews forced to convert), suspected of remaining secretly loyal to Judaism. Silva practiced law in Portugal and wrote a number of vigorous, satiric plays. They are related to the commedia dell'arte but have more vitality than polish. Among them are A vida do grande Dom Quixote [the life of Don Quixote] (1733) and Guerras do alecrim e da mangerona [wars between the rosemary and the marjoram] (1737), considered Silva's best work. Brought before the Inquisition in 1737, he and his family were convicted of practicing Jewish rites, strangled, and burned at the stake.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Spanish and Portuguese Literature: Biographies
