19th Century Spain: Politics, Krausism, and Literary Realism

19th Century Spain: Political, Economic, and Social Features

Political Landscape and the Restoration

• Politics: The Glorious Revolution (La Gloriosa) caused the fall of Isabel II and the exile of the royal family.
• This initiated a six-year period of progressive governments devoted to democratic rights and labor reforms, led by liberals.
• Amadeo of Savoy was elected king, but his reign was brief, and the First Republic was later proclaimed.
• The malaise of the times determined a return to the monarchy. Pavía's coup ushered in the restoration of monarchy in the person of Alfonso XII.
• When he died, the regency was assumed by Queen Christina until her adult child, the future King Alfonso XIII, came of age.
• Bipartisanship was established (Liberal and Conservative government), centralized and supported by the provincial and rural oligarchic middle class.
• This system was dominated by caciques (local bosses) who controlled and simulated fraudulent elections.

Economic and Social Developments

• Economy: Growth of cities and the railroad (*ferrocarril*) was boosted, supported by the consolidation of the liberal state and the triumph of the bourgeoisie. Middle-class families enjoyed luxury and ostentation.
• Social: Labor organizations were formed, notably Socialists and Anarchists.

Ideological and Cultural Aspects

• The most relevant current of thought was Krausism.
• Tuition-free institutions were created, founded by Francisco Giner de los Ríos.
• The initial stage was Positivist, but Krausist ideas remained influential in pedagogy and law.
• A remarkable phenomenon was the extraordinary development of journalism that supported the controversy surrounding Naturalism.

Characteristics of the Spanish Realist Novel

Key Features of Literary Realism

• Detailed and Documented Descriptions

  Writers made use of realistic observation and documentation to reflect reality. Descriptions of places, people, and objects are functional and explanatory.

• Language

  Geographical, social, and locational varieties were used to reflect the narrative world. Speech was characterized by the representation of environments and especially for the characterization of characters.

• Themes, Plot, and Characters

  • The conflict between the individual and society is a central theme, often relating to the opposition between society and nature.
  • An individual faces the community and is usually defeated.
  • The realistic novel shows the conjunction between history and private life.
  • Urban and rural settings are very important.
  • The narrative often observes chronological temporality.

Narrative Works of Juan Valera

• Valera's primary goal was the creation of beauty and delighting the reader.
• The most common theme is love, often relating to the issue of older men and young women.
• Most of the stories take place in Córdoba.
• When portraying rural areas, his works reflect local customs (*costumbrismo*).