Camilo Castelo Branco
Novelist
Prolific Portuguese writer whose more than 260 works combine Romanticism with sarcasm and dark humor. His notable works include Os Misterios de Lisboa, Noites de Lamego, and O Romance de um Homem Rico.
He studied theology and medicine before deciding to become a writer.
His autobiographical work, Memorias do Carcere, recounts his time spent in prison.
He was orphaned as a young child. Later in his life, he was twice arrested: once for digging up the remains of his dead wife, and once for having an extramarital affair.
He and Nathaniel Hawthorne can both be classified as dark romantic writers.