The birth of the Brazilian republic made Machado become more critical and an observer of the Brazilian society of his time. From then on, he wrote "not only the greatest novels of his time, but the greatest of all time of Brazilian literature." Works such as "Quincas Borba" "(Philosopher or Dog?)" (1891), "Dom Casmurro" (1899), "Esaú e Jacó" (1904) and "Memorial de Aires" (1908), considered masterpieces, were successes with both critics and the public. In 1893 he published "A Missa do Galo" ("Midnight Mass"), considered his greatest short story.