Maria Velho da Costa

Maria Velho da Costa is a Portuguese author known for her exploration of women's experiences in repressive societies. She was one of the authors of Novas cartas portuguesas (1971), translated as The Three Marias: New Portuguese Letters. This book became a feminist cause célèbre, leading to the authors being charged with indecency by the government. In her novel Lucialima (1983), da Costa subtly examined the condition of women within a restrictive social structure. Her work contributes to a broader surge of women's writing in Portugal that gained prominence in the late 20th century.1