Zur Münchhausen-Rezeption in Portugal

This paper aims to show the most important tendencies of the first Portuguese version of the famous and wondrous adventures of the baron of Münchhausen. This is an untitled text which was published by José Daniel Rodrigues da Costa in Almocreve de Petas (1797–1800), at that time a well-known and very popular magazine. After concluding that the Portuguese adaptation is somehow due not to R. E. Raspe’s but to G. A. Bürger’s version, the author analyzes some representative changes introduced by Rodrigues da Costa, relating them to the specific production and reception conditions which existed in late 18th century Portugal. As a matter of fact, in an act (perhaps) of self-censorship and (certainly) of adaptation to the conventional taste of the readers, the hero’s social status was transformed and all socio-political, erotic and ethical-religious issues were eradicated from the text.