"Esau e Jacob" by Machado de Assis is a novel published in 1904. Twin brothers Pedro and Paulo are physically identical but completely opposite in temperament and ideology—one a monarchist studying medicine, the other a republican studying law. Their lifelong rivalry extends from the womb to politics, intensifying when both fall for the same indecisive young woman, Flora. Through this tale of perpetual conflict, Machado crafts a biting political allegory about Brazil's transition to republicanism, exposing how apparent contradictions often mask deeper similarities.
Wikipedia page about this book: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esau_and_Jacob_(novel))