The Wrong Color of Shakespeare

"The Wrong Color of Shakespeare" is a collection of fictionalized stories lived by black people in a Brazil's small community of German and Italian immigrants, called Jararacumbach, a composite name suggesting the hybrid of the Brazilian snake (Jararaca) and the German river (Bach). From birth to death, these African Brazilian subjects learn how to deal with the immigrants, eating their food, speaking their languages, learning their lessons in their seminary, in order to keep their racist behaviors and discriminatory attitudes at bay, when possible. When that was not possible, they succumb to harshness of life or overcome it, not always peacefully. Black Bento is the major male character in most of the stories. He is the brilliant seminary student, the delligent university professor,the Black Movement militant, the poet and novelist, whose daily routine is fed by his struggle to survive the second death in the local racial precariousnesses of Jararacumbach. Bertília is another black character. She sees her existence to deteriorate as she works for Germans and Italians. A strong feeling of spirituality takes her when she goes to church with her family and neighbors.