Dom Casmurro

The stubborn, this would be the literal translation of the title. But the first paragraph in the book clarifies that the dictionary meaning is not the original cause of this nickname. This, of course, is totally secondary to the plot and one wonders why the lovely child for more than a half of the book would later on acquire it.
Before I carry on I should say that this novel is regarded as the most important in Brazilian literature. he wrote it in 1899, I really cannot judge it. But the main topic is jealousy. A very human feeling, timeless! And timeless is also the description of its manifestation: out-bursts, controlled interrogations, or just ephemeral suspicions.
Whether the accusation is true or not, the author does not tell us. But the story is told from the perspective of the jealous man, and the reader (at least me) is influenced by his peculiar perspective. So, I believe that he had a good reason to be jealous. But do we not exaggerate with our own moral standards? or is it more pride than moral?
I thought I had the obligation to read it since I live in Brazil. But I admit that I could not see why it is regarded as the key novel in Brazilian literature.. I guess my Portuguese is too bad for this kind.