“Mulheres resignadas e maridos dedicados”: divórcios impetrados por mulheres na Bahia republicana (1890-1916)

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the disputes surrounding marriage and divorce in the early decades of the Brazilian Republic, focusing on the state of Bahia. Following Decree No. 181 of January 24, 1890, which established civil marriage and allowed its dissolution, the ideological conflict between Church and State over control of the family intensified. Framed within the field of Women’s History and gender studies, the research analyzes divorce lawsuits filed by women between 1890 and 1916, aiming to identify signs of female agency within marital relations. It also examines Bahian newspapers from the period to understand how the debate over divorce unfolded both in the public sphere and in legal discourse. The study shows that, although women were traditionally educated for obedience and domestic roles, many resisted gender inequalities. Their reports of abuse, abandonment, or mutual consent reveal strategies of resistance and redefinition of power dynamics within marriage. Thus, the dissertation highlights women’s roles as central to the debates on family, marriage, and divorce, contributing to the understanding of gender relations and the construction of citizenship in Republican Brazil. Keywords: divorce; civil marriage; gender; First Republic; women’s citizenship.