Benito Pérez Galdós & Leopoldo Alas Clarín — Spanish Novelists

Benito Pérez Galdós — Life and Works

Benito Pérez Galdós was born in Las Palmas in 1843. At seven years he wrote his first verses, and at ten he read Spanish classics. He completed his studies in law and worked as a lawyer. He wrote for newspapers, but his true vocation was that of novelist. The first novel he wrote was La Fontana de Oro (The Golden Fountain). He began writing about national events. In 1886 he became a deputy, which led him to travel throughout Spain. In 1897 he entered the Royal Spanish Academy. He died on 4 January 1920. He wrote 77 novels set in 88 volumes; national events are included. He divided his novels into periods.

Novels and Periods

He divided his novels into periods. 1. Novels of the first period: examples include La Fontana de Oro, Doña Perfecta, La Sombra, and Marianela. 2. Contemporary Spanish Novel: examples include La desheredada, El amigo, Fortunata y Jacinta, and Miau. Also notable is La loca de la casa (The Madwoman of the House). These books contain thousands of characters; Galdós often distinguishes and contrasts men and women in his portraits.

Episodios Nacionales

Episodios nacionales is a series of forty-six novels arranged in five series of ten episodes each, except the last.

Galdós as a Playwright

Galdós as a playwright went through an economic crisis in his fifties, and the theater could provide more rapid income. He first adapted his own novels for the stage and later wrote original plays. He felt the influence of naturalism in the works he wrote directly for the theater.

Five Features of Galdós's Work

1. Rejection of lying and pharisaism.
2. Persistent metaphysical doubts in many characters.
3. Critique of crumbling social structures.
4. Aversion to obtuse or closed-minded social classes.
5. Open-mindedness and enthusiasm for art.

Leopoldo Alas "Clarín" — Life and Works

Leopoldo Alas Clarín was born in Zamora in 1852 and spent most of his life in Oviedo. He died in 1901. He was well known for his journalistic work and for criticizing poor writers. Despite a relatively small number of novels, the narrative quality of his work makes him an important writer. He wrote two major novels, La Regenta and Su único hijo, and over a hundred short stories collected in several volumes. The stories are generally of two kinds: satirical or reflective.

La Regenta

The Judge's Wife: Clarín finished this novel at the age of 33. It tells of adultery and the frustration of a woman. The protagonist and the novel reveal the authenticity and hypocrisies of provincial society. The protagonist, Ana Ozores, was a reader of the classics in her youth. The fictional city of Vetusta is central to the novel (see Chapter XXVI). Ana begins keeping a diary when she withdraws to the countryside. The theme of withdrawal is emphasized because the novel destroys three myths of the Spanish classics:

1. The myth of the perfect Don Juan.
2. The myth of the idealized married woman.
3. The myth of honor.