Eca de Queiros

A Illustre Casa de Ramires Eca de Queiros

Set in late nineteenth century Portugal, the main character is Gonçalo Mendes Ramires, a weak-willed aristocrat, dreamer and amateur historian who, as a bachelor, is the last of a line of a noble family that predates even the King of Portugal. He is often referred to in the book simply as "The Nobleman" but he lacks the funds for the upkeep of his estate and receives regular demands from his creditors. Gonçalo feels proud of the Ramires legacy, while aware of his failure to live up to the chivalry and heroism of his forebears. To strengthen the family name and advance his own reputation, he decides to describe some of these past achievements in a "novella", to be published in a friend's literary magazine. In the process he borrows from an epic poem about the family by an uncle and from some novels by Walter Scott. One review describes him as a "creative plagiarist"