Valentina Silveira: A Lesbian Symbolism in Brazilian Literature

Advertisment

Once you get over the first hurdle, it will be interesting to see how Valentina Silveira fits in with her Caribbean counterparts. Valentina is a Brazilian National, whose real name is Estefania Lima. As such she would have been a first choice as one of the original cast members of Colon and you can see this in the character she plays here, Nuria Costa. When we speak of nationality in the context of Valentina Silveira the first image that comes to mind is that of a Brazilian woman with an American accent, however her true nationality is Brazilian.

What does this mean for the fans of Valentina Silveira? In many ways it means that Nuria Costa is one of the many Americans who are able to break free of their shackles of nationality and marry a Brazilian national. This is not to say that Silveira can not maintain her own sense of nationality, or that she belongs to Brazil in the same way as most of her characters do. In Valentina Silveira’s case this sense of identity crisis is compounded by her marriage to an American man. The bottom line here is that Nuria Costa is a unique character, with a unique history, and she deserves all the freedom and opportunities offered by being married to the man (or people) of her choice.

We also see this same paradox repeated throughout the cast of this series, with different women breaking free of their societal roles while retaining their identity as members of their assigned class or profession. In many ways Silveira is a modern day incarnation of the qualities of Rumanianna (a committed lesbian who became a formidable spy) and Ana Maria (also a lesbian). However, in contrast with these two women Silveira displays a clear sense of disloyalty towards her new husband. The fact that she has chosen to live in a Brazil apartment while pursuing her profession supports this view. Was it merely a convenience or did she really feel that marrying a man would provide her with more opportunities? These are questions that remain to be answered.

Advertisment