<b>ENTRE A PALAVRA E O DESEJO: A HOMOSSEXUALIDADE EM CENA</b>

This article analyzes the representation of homosexuality in 19th-century Brazilian realist literature, with emphasis on the novels O Cortiço (Aluísio Azevedo, 2010) and Bom Crioulo (Adolfo Caminha, 2010). Set within a historical context marked by social, political, and cultural transformations, these texts portray same-sex relationships in a pioneering way, challenging the taboos and prejudices of their time. Through a critical approach that articulates social determinism and the principles of naturalism, the novels expose the desires, affections, and conflicts of their characters, revealing the hypocrisy of dominant moral values and the tensions between body, sexuality, and power. The adopted methodology is descriptive literary analysis, with a qualitative and bibliographic nature, grounded in the theoretical contributions of Foucault (1988), Coutinho (2002), Bosi (2002), Candido (2006), Moreira (2012), among others. The analysis highlights the importance of these authors in expanding the literary discourse on sexual diversity in Brazil, contributing to a broader understanding of same-sex relationships during a period of profound social change.