THE REGIOl\fALISM OF JOSE MARIA .DE PJiJREDA 
by 
James F. Shearer 
17-'-Y 
AcB•'' Oberlin Colleg.e, Oberlin, Ohio 
Submitted to the Department of 
Spanish and Portuguese 
and 
the Faculty of the Graduate School of 
the University of Kansas 
in partial fulfillment of the 
requirements for the degree of 
Master of Arts 
~pp~oy~~ byv'~ ~ {/~ 
Head of Department 
I wish to tllal'lk Professor ~tlm.~ I.t• Owen 
tor llis invalualll.e assistance in completing 
this work. 
CHAPTER. I 
COlTTmrrs 
~iographical aketah 
I 
a. ·youth. and adol'escence 
'b: From Escena.a montanesas to 1874 
o-. Last twenty years 
CHAPTER II Political and literary background 
CH.A.PTER III Pereda·•s conception of the regional novel 
CHAPTER IV Language and literary style 
. 
CHAPTER V Soma aspects of Pereda'a social philosophy' 
a. Soientirib. at ti tud~ . '. , 
Fspanolismo 
' 
Ce Political views 
d~ 1'heGJT·:-of women, views on marriage 
and family life 
. 
e. Wealth 
' , 
t. Education 
CHAPTER VJ Conclusion 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
INDEX 
CHAPT1ml I 
ElOGRAPHlOAL SKETCH 
a. Youth and Adolescence 
Jose !!ar:Ca de Pereda, the youngest of a family 
of twenty•two children. was born February 6• 1833. 
in Polanco. a· village of the province of Ssntander, 
the son ot Don Juan Irrane)isco· de Pereda y Haro and 
- --~ Ill Dona .oa.:rbara sa:nchez de Porrua. Hie mother was a 
lady of culture and refinarnent .. keenly 1ntereutad 
in an adequate education for her children. To this 
end the fnmilY 1novad to Bantander and Jose r~ar{a 
entered the lnatituto Canta.bro in October1> 1844. 
Due doubtless roora to the bestial ferocity of 
the sohcolmaster• Don nernabe0 than to any predilect• 
ion for belles lett:res, Pereda bsomne an accon~plished 
. . 1 ~ 
1..-atin scholar. Thia phase ot his secondary e<iucation 
cornpr.ises th~ years from 1844 tQ 1850. It was then 
deoided th.~~t tor tha luater of the house, and as a 
testimony to i ta patrician '~ta.nding. I~erecla should 
enter the a:rmy. Aooordingly, in tho autumn of 18!$2 
he went to '.Madrid to begin the studies that were to 
preparo him tor the artillery branch o:f the s.,rvioe. 
1. Sae Sotileza tor evidence .of Perada's Latin train• 
ins. und chapter XX for a t>16ture ot Don Bernabe. 
llis journey to the Cl\pital and hie subsequent ad• 
ventures during llis two years res idenc·e there a.re 
colorfully described in bis later ui tings.· 
2 
He :round the study ot roatl'leiuatios irksome, and 
soon besei1 to spend hie ev~nings in thf.9 tllaatrao and 
at the ea.ta La esmaralda, the latter being a rendez• 
vouo of' many ot the literary celebrities or the day. 
In spite of the opinions ot tntr.nY of his frionda to 
the contrary. Pereda thought lia could make a soldier 
. . . l 
ot himself. 
To this end he s tayad on at Jl!a.drid Gven after 
he had lost all interest in his propoaed vooa~ion. 
!lore m1d more of hie time wns being spant in the road• 
ing of novels. eapaoially those ot Paul de Kock and 
Dumas, pare. He waa a 'vitneas to tha street fight• 
ing 'Of '5'4, Suddenly. seized wi tl1 an overwhelming 
c:lesi:re to be among his own people, and convinced finally 
that God had called l1im by sotM~ other road• he gave up 
his studies in Madrid and returned to Santander at tha 
end ot 18,4. N:J a matter of fact 0 his contacts with 
literary men dur1ns this period v1ere or a very au]?er• 
i. 
fioial nature and he did no viri ti~s of hie own. 
In 18;-7 bis nerves were badly shattered as a raaul t 
1. ;!\J?}lnt~~ 2ar~-~~.u1'~f?Sr,at{a. d.~. Poreda: m. diQr:lo 
montanes 1 nwnero extrao:rd1na.r1o • Sa.ntander, 
J!ay 1, 1~06, p.3 ' 
3 
o:r an attack o:t cholera a.nd ha was obliged a little 
lator to so to .Andaluo!s for his health. Upon his 
,. ' ' ' , ' ' 
return, Castor Outier~a:t de la. Torra founded "La 
abe3a montanoua0 , a pe:rictdioal in which inany af 
Per~da'e nubeoqu~nt ''"i tings \vore to. appt)ar. lie 
wae active during this· period· in the 11.terary ·club 
~~· a~J>.D.fJO ohico, wl·iooe raembership oornpr:t.aed a sroup 
ot young intellectuals, studenta fo,. the tnost part 
in the univereS .. ty._ ·Thea.a tt4en \vere J .. nrt~ely :reaponsll)le 
·ror l'lic first litQ:rary attert1pts. 
J.Iis first contribution was a h~orous artialG, 
Xft,
1 
e~!!f?:IDPJ?:, which was published in ''La. abeja monta• 
nesa"• August 25', 18!)8. lt was algned !t aa ware 
l 
all o·f hiB wri tirtftB unt$ .. 1 July 20 • lH64• at which 
' . 
time he first affixed hbt full name to an artiole 
!1PIJ, ~QJlfl811..9.P.H4.e la '*nr.~?La.!• In collaborati.on with 
F!duardo Euetil1o1 he w:rote dramatic and litar&:ry orlti• 
cisme for tlla above pe:rlodtoal, A llt~le iatar. 
Pereda• S!ntoruso tbd.t1tanilla., and Juan de P$layo · 
founded the· review "Dll 'lto Cayetano,., Fo~ thi.s review 
he wrote k!fJ, :t,1L~~Ht W, ,tro)te&~t• l!:l aAttdaJ.00• and Lt, 
P:rSitnP:.'!,qr,!h. Proto 1860 to 1863 lls wrote five dre.tnatio 
pieoaa 1 ;ran:Sg :tl&~:ooa,1 , te.n,to .. Yrli.~Ef o P9l~s an_ eeco, 
i~arohr:it con el s iS\P,1. z.~un~o •. p:rnol' l ;vani~?.:-<h and 
;rarro11'30 U perf1ntni11~a. Thnaa were unsuccesetul in 
' ;. 
the main, al though .:r~n~p., ,tlenea 1 tru;to va.lae • a 
one-act play in :romance, was presented upon the 
oocu1on ot the vieit o'f' Isabel II to Ss.nt.ander, 
Ausust 4 1 1861. 
In 1869 Pereda married Dona Diodora de la 
Revilla 7 Huidobro. 
4 
'fhe Esoa11a0 appeared in a collection in 1864 
edited by Jubera y san ITia:rtin, An editorial in l'.Aa 
' --
~. O £ £ @Q PO n de p 2 & a dft. ~22,m•, ot J:rovmnbar 25' or tlmt year 
recomrnenderl them to the public, and soon after PeJteda 
received tbe hearty congratulations of ltartzenbusch, 
!lesonero Romanos and Antonio nores. Pere<la'a neigh• 
bore. however• gave them but eoant attention* as did 
the Madrid press. One paper, ~. ~:1:.ro p.o.~}1riane, 
praised them sanerousl11 and Gxprassed the opinion 
trait their style was worthy of being tro1tat•4. Peteda•u 
realistn was too strong for a public brought up on 
· Trusba•s roue•water sentirnentalir.un~ The latter's 
prologue ta the oolleotion did tnuoh damage to the 
autl1or•a, reputation, eince T:iuet'a spoktl too emphatioalll' 
of Pereda'e npessimisni*'• his tendency to sublimate tbe 
qualit~ea of the J,~ontana,, and his penchant tor l)hoto• 
. 1. Fi tzmaux-1.oe•I<ellyi A Mew H1storz ot ~a.nieh . 
Literatura. Oxford• !9~6, p.4'II.~ ' ·~ 11 -
g:rapbing ·the ugly. La. e;aeete. dal · oomaroio · gave the 
·,Tacun1~ a· frigid. r-eoeption ot some ·rl'inateen liru.tse 
and took th!! oQca.slon to predict no mo~e than a 
"suool:ta d 'estime" fO':G EP.l1n~s, en; oect'h 
· In ?Jovembar, ! ;i.864, Pereda went to Paris for scm1a 
months devoted to reading and ~o the theat~Eh Upon 
h1a return, the Ateneo Qient!r1rio "y Li tarario was 
foundecl, t~nd ._Pel'eda wa ·rnade oe4;,r~tary.- He tQOlf 
a.ppo:b1tmont ·to this rnlnoJ- ponltion not aa· a pe~aoi1al 
aftront. but·aa .an :tnault to hia·literQJ.'y ta.cbiave• 
~onto,· since ha was the only m~ber of tho staff who 
Md published nnyth1ng to data. Ile 'lensed inora nnd. 
moro tbut Trueba •s cU.ap~ragins o:ri tlciDL1 ~ma! rnakins 
itself' felt, ~n opite of the fact .that a oax-~ain 
aroup or· eduoate4 people ware t>.:raisins hitn• nntl, that 
~.a 1J:9blr.tl .and A.Jae 1.im~1u had appeared in "El tnundo 
uni ve:rsal "• a 1)eriodica\ whieh 'Wan enjoyinc~ great 
:fEUn._ c.t thtlt tirno. Wl1ile such ti;tffioul ttea lose 
their eign~.ficanoe in tlltt light of .Pe1•eda's p:rov(:)n 
seniua 1 1nontion is rttadG ·or thmn to show the op11oe1t1on 
trot ho encounta1'ed at f,i.ret. ha.ndi ths ave1~01on and 
. e.nt1pnthy,that the roal1st1c nsna.iosanoe encount~red. 
In spite of b:i.a fi:nn conv:lotions and his unallnka.ble 
literary inclinations it is evident that caustic 
oditor1a1 comment found an easy mark in a~an of hia 
de11oo.te sensibllitiGS~ for he wrote no tnore for the 
; ' 
6 
theatre, and contribut~d no n1ore 4'Quadroa" to the 
. . . 
. "Abeja montaneaa• after r .. ,~10tnf.lr{a d,~, Oannen, 'l'ha 
' ' ' . ' ',· ' . ' 
· onl:r one r:.a.ppe.a.rins therein atter · i86; is 1'0s. banga. 
fl!l sa~1l.!11?tS:b •bioh can scarcely be classed as a 
' .'i 
ncnmdrO,.••be~ng mote strictly o:paaking a chronicle. 
and innocuously u:rl:>s.n~•r1ot 011e to set on edr£e · the 
m1trva1J of those ladies ''ho n~ade such viry fa.oea upon 
. the appeara~ce Of BOtm~ Of the author's earlier work. 
' . 
j~ha rmuainder were published in "Al.mane.qua de las doe 
( 
" .. . . . -
ot "Revis ta da F.apans". 
t.rhe turbulant events surrounding tbest4th ot 
Septmnbe:r .draw Pereda into 30UJ'nal1axn·aaain and he 
:resumed the publ ioation of "El 't{o Cayetano 0 • · Until 
1872 he waa; doubtle9s impelled tnol'e by religious 
a11d eatl1etic irnpulsas than an~ others·. a politiolan • 
• f. 
Ile wrote o.xtanaivaly for this ru.asa:d.ne and showed 
himself to be a decided Carlist. Publication was 
again tlisoontinued, d~1e t0. diaagraemente among the 
. ' . ' 
start. many of whom ware ~\~!':Porters. ot .Alfonso. 
Pereda took i.:m aoti va t>art in tl1e organization ot 
the "O!:rculo Tradicionnlista tie santander" 0 and than 
. . 
wen'f;, to the Cortes repraaanting tha 'c1istr:lct ot Oabuer• 
niga. 'I'hi1 period of hi~ life also finds ex11ression 
7 
in his · latti- wnr~ He was tboJ'oue;lll.y diaauated with 
political iu~·e., ·but did not at ·.onue i~eturn ·to lit• 
ora.turG 1n aplt«J of. the succeEuJ ·Gttjoyed by tlla· ee>oond 
p4rt o t the , ana tbc fac>t \lm t· hs \Vas made a 
correa}'onding r11ember ot the J\OadGrny. V1hile in Co11sreee 1 
I111tnez de. A31oe · ocron11menietl hilti on his· literary achieve• 
men'to• and Perez Gald&'a, in "El debato11 ~ epoke fa:vorably 
ot ;tJ::e..,oe, z ,l?P..:isnJ!!• ·'l.1h.ese demonutx-atiune tro:.t."e bogin• · 
nins to eo:rten the old tho1~n in his s itie••1'J'uEt'ba ts 
acrimoniot?S critioistn; yat in spite ,ot, them .he had no 
eei-iouo intentiono nt this titna ot resurning bis 11 ter• 
~ ooreer, Findins llimoel .. f in 1872 f}'1e Pt>caaosor ot 
W'l a.ttruiuu.to toX'tun~'• he oooupiatl himoett with tlle build• 
ins of. a bea.utit'ul l1oine1 uu11roun<led by a 11awdtioent 
, pa:rk1 but,. • ODS tHJttcnEmta.to~ bas naively pointed Out J 
''failed to provide birnsslt at tbe tim~ with a stud19• 
an office.,. a l.ib:rti'l'V• o:r even a table at wllicla he 
could write"~, , , 
second Period • 
Xt w:in l~., Vttnendez y Pelayo who, atte:t repeiitecl 
exllortn;ticru.' and arguments, fino.1ly 7)ereuad,ed Peroda · 
I I I . IT 1 
l. e,•B• ~ae hqfr1]?reg de IJEO• 
2, 5aw1tes ;ea.ra la bios.,ra.f{a de, Pare~~- Op.cit. ,p.12 •. 
a 
to :iesume his l i te1.9&ey activities. About this time 
another favorable reaction had. begun to set in towards 
the .~scir:'nf¥J, due !,n no eltlB11 measure to the generous 
~eoeption they had r~oeivecl in .America. There was 
also a growing admiration for ,T&Ja~S y :S~&e!Jas, and 
the highland people were olarnorins for more of his 
work. Aocordingly • in 107; Pereda adtled to I.a.Jg\t~ er 
de cd'aar tl1e novelisatlon ot one of' his dJ*IUnattc 
attempts, and the reaults of hio political adventur$a, 
publ:1sh1ns them all in a volume called Booetps...,lf! 
.temn;La, Xn '1876 he wrote, tn to~tnightly install• 
rnente, the majority ot 'l'ipoa trasllmnantea :tor the 
periodioal ttt.a tertu11an ~· 'flia following sur~wer they 
were published in a eins1.e ··volume and the public re• 
ceived. them with ,,11d aoolaim.,, It is at this point 
that Pereda turned his attention to the cultivation 
ot th.a novel. 
Vlith tha appen:ranoe ot ~ bue~ 1m.al~o,, literary 
Spain saw in Pereda a rilBn wortey and well able to do 
battle with Ga.lcloo, In tact 1 t waa a battle . for many 
years••& friendly but none the leaq energetic one•• 
waged not only tl'U.'*ough their novels but through th$1'r 
vuluminous corraspondenoa, The reo.ding public took 
a :I.des in the controversy and argued fo:r or against 
9 
Don· gonzalo Gonzalez, fle ~~, Op11za1a~ft and Da ta1 )2,fllo, 
~91. se.,\_~l:}.J!, aa opposed to Oaldos ., Dons Perfeq~a, 1£a .. 
fami~.1a . cle ~.a.cfrJ, 1 ~ooh1 • and Gl,p~i!f~ OnQ faction ot 
Pereda's t"ollowars ha.<l long insisted tha.t he should 
desert the novel and devote h:Uuselt entirely to the 
ncuadro de costutnbrea" • and the pub11cation 1n' 1081 
of ;F1.ft-?,P~9Ja, ~ ,£p,piJ1nos, with the epioal t~.n d.a nner 
rasa~ did rnuoh to atrenstben the idea tlw.t ha waa .....--. . 
rno1"e of a "painter., than a novelist. Pereda, howevar1 
wa,e'not ot this mind. and redoubled hie efforts.in th~ 
field of the novel, to the disgust ot i~. ).~enendes '3 
Pelayo~ who still held with b. euigll.~• La.lava., 
Bl,asm)~s, XJLala~es, T!ri. sa.bor de la tiGt"ruoa, and the 
insuperable dialogues and coloring of pen GonzaJ.p. and 
of ~a tnl .• ,Jialo• .tai ast,111., 
The marked successes Of J?~.d~o., S:tnohez and l§st&lea~ 
placed their author at tha head ot the Spanish novelists 
ot his da7~ 'critics were unanltnous in their pralsa. · 
and Cla:rln tn pnrticular hastened to eulogise him. 
However, nothing pleaisod :Pereda so much aa the ever 
srowins admiration ,ot his own people, tor they were 
:iJ I I ti I JJ 
l. ~1'.u1ll.~}J! .. J?a~~ 1~f1. 'bJ.GSJ'~f~a. !~e, l?~~.ed~t Op .01 t •. • p.7. 
2. Idem1 p.a. 
10 
hi• srtu,tast ~ource o.t ·inspiration~ lluring tlla ye~. 
1884-188~ bg' was t'atod and ho11orod in.' all f.U:~rta ot 
Spain end .Po~tu~ by the most .Prominent 11 tara17 
men ·. o t 1 l1ia day. 
?11th _nQ dest:ra to !'ast upon lli• 1aurols1 Pereda 
..-......... ~~-.v.e.,z 1n 1887, .and 1-·~ ;eucl:u~ra in l.809. 
:The tormar provoked znuoh cliacussitu11 ar•d Pn(l;r$ Colr;ma. 
wrote· Pe1 .. edG 11phol.d:tns th$ rnorat intention ot. th~ book·. 
· .. tn. 1890 ho '\TJllOte !YA~s 1d<i,11PEL;A. and in lJ191 
~.;_:etlr111ot, Vtleta. Pe:reda au ff e:ret.1 mu ah over tl10 en• 
.std.ug .oritieiarn19 ot the torrne~ by JD:n:ll.la Pardo naz'n~ 
ln · 1091 he wtM3 rut unnuooesetul orlndidat~ tor FJ~nntor 
an~ sbt.,rt~y fl.f.ter tJlia he \V$nt to Darcel.ona to tnanage 
the Floral Garnes.. . On this oooaa:lon ha. dell vered an 
... ~addraas on realism whiol1 won him· many euppox-tarQ. 
In Septeraber, 1893; tlm~a: occurred ·tha tragic 
death of Pereda's favo~1t~ oon, his fl~at•born Juan 
Jla.nuel. th~ shGOk ot wltloll lqft him alrnoat without 
1nolinat1on ta ;finioh hiB 11ova1 !!flJ.it~rztfa1.'r&h!,, in the 
OGmDilation ot which he ·wae engaged. at th0 ttrnri The 
• "' ' ... ti .... , .. 
' i 
1. Soe .§?j&lozp. ... tntJroduot1on 
2. Pardo raz&i.. JJn1'U.aa f,'pli,iio,00 Y aatudi<?.,q U.te?a:, 
riog, Obrae completa.s 0 vol.VI. ntadrid,-n.d • .,11p.li •99. 
3. · aae peno.~11 •• Att&bp. ••• introduction. 
11 
book was everitually.tintshedt however, and Pereda 
... deeply xnoved by the t-eception, 1t reQei'\'ed both 
at hom.• and in torsisn count~iea•••lx thomnind oop1ea 
beins sold in twenty.-one daus. The epil9ode depleted 
· ln Z&o.ltt1.!! _qg_n,:ai\u soeme to be a retleotion <tf his 
de~eoted spirits. tor ~n the work he auooeeded. 1n 
'• 
condensing th~ terror, martyrdom and laor:rlble anxiety 
ot·a wllol• city. 
In 189? be was admitted to the Spanish Aeademy. 
l 
dlati:nction. but upon tbe inQis'tenoe of hia friend 
11. uenendez y Ptlayo he finally acoeded to 1111 wishes, 
aa he had done on so· many previous .occasions. Pereda'• 
aot1ve wol"k was over. He .was admittedly nrnuy c:uinsado"• 
' ' ' 
and longed for the eeolus;tor1 of hie horne and the atrttos•· 
phere ot hia Montana. ln 1903, through tl1e publlo 
subscriptions of bta frien<le and adJ·.ni:rera, he was 
turthel' hono~ed with the cross of .Alfonso XIl, a 
highly t:ltt.tns and O\tlminatlng demonstration of their 
love and respect.. lie died in Polanoo, ?~arch le 1906. 
Political and Literary Background 
Pereda. was so much infiuenced by the political 
conditions of his day that it behoves us to consider 
briefly j?-st what sort of picture Spain presented at 
that time, His first contact with political agitation 
came upon the occasion oi his going to '.Madrid in 185'2 
to study in preparation for a military career •. This 
first experience caught him at a very impress.ionable 
age. As a young. unsophisticated provincial, conditions, 
bad a.a they were in reality, were doubtless magnified 
by his youthful imagination and did much to formulate 
the prejudices which he held throughout life in these 
matters~ The.,street fighting, mob violence a.nd general 
disturbances of 18;4 shocked him, and he saw in them, 
without analyzing very thoroughly the causes. the 
inevitable results of a.ny sort ot political controversy. 
In 1871 Pereda went to the Cortes as a Oarlist 
representative from the province of Santander. Through-
out his lite Pereda was an ardent Carlist and an adher-
ent of absolutism. The evils resulting from attempts 
at popular government in Spain go far toward explain• 
ing. 'even though they may not jus~ify, his conviction 
l. Vide infra: p.15, Chapter II 
13 
that the old to:rm of government. wa.a bast suited to 
the people's needs. 
During the last century there were three ola.inle.nts 
to the Spanish throne. All were callecl Don Carlos, and 
were in turn the ca.us a of civil ware •. The first of 
. these waa the <:ount ot ?!olina. a brother of Ferdinand 
VII.. Since Ferdinand lu1cl been tnnr:ried throe times and 
had no ianue •. Don Carlos oonsider0d .himself tha richt• 
tul eucoeaaor of his brother. However in 1827 Ferdinand 
married Jt:ar!a Christina of Ma.plea, and in October., 1830 
ahe gave birth to ii (\aughtr3r, tha Infants lta~!a Isabella. 
The Se-lio Law, whioh bs.rrad fernalaa frotfi suoceaeion 
to.· th~ throne, had bean abroea.ted a few montllS before, 
e,nd. ao with tha birth.of thia child. tbe hopes of Don 
Carlos and his party were destroye,1. At the time of 
tb.e kina•e illneas in 1B32 tho Carl1sta persuaded him 
' 
to reinstitute the e~lic Law. However. when he recov-
ered he inm1ecliately revoked it. Carlos continued his 
intrigues, and as a :result was baniahed 1n 1833. 
Shortly afterwards :Fardinnnd d.ied e 
'£he Oarliet party, supported by the usurper Dom 
lUguel of Portugal, at once proclaimed Don Ca.x-loa king. 
The next year, 11ils1and. hanoe, Spain and Portugal 
torrne<i an alliance which resulted in the dethronement 
ot Dorn JUguel anct tha baniehtnent of Don Croirloe, who 
14 
then fled to 1l!nglan<l. ·. A month :la.tar Don Carlos· again 
appeared in Spa.in,. and 1r1oitad an insurrection of the 
nortb~rn )}rovinot'9a, Thio ia lmown a~ tha ,f;~irst Carliat· 
Reballion. It ) .. a.o~ad five yae.ra. froxn 1834 to 1839 1 
whon Ganaral ~~partsro finally oonque:red the Carlist 
1 end Br, 1~~Ql'O to .. 
Don Ca.rloa nea to Franca. Upon hie dan·th in 
1857 bis followare p:roolaitn(l<l his so11 Dot'l OarlotW • 
Count of i~onttimolin. Tl11a: ·~:piuaed ar1othar· inau1'1~eot­
!on .. in 1860 •. Don Carl.om v.raa·,t~e.1,en Tl!'i~ont:'tlr · nn<i was 
releaeacl only· e.fter signing, a decle:rE:1tion rar1ou11oinr: 
all claims· to tho throne •. na·died the·followins yaa.r. 
The Cl!T~ists im1u3di~llit0ly pronli\it1H~d l1on Carlos.,: 
Duka of J~adricl 1 A nephew ot the ~~f)com! r~ratendar, : In 
Apr.ti.· 1872. the third Carliat neb'lllion brOl(~ out in 
the no:rth o t Spain. Thia· lt~at~d · tor three ~aara. lt 
wU .. l ba :r•aonllad. ,the.t Pa:recls 'Ma a .reprea~ntative to 1 • 
the Cortes in 1~871. JtUJt, a y~.ar before t1'!ie an Italian 
.prinoa1 .Anlt.ideue, ot thQ 1~oyal. houaa of fh.voy0 was per• 
e uncled• with· grave rnisg1 vinga •· . to. try his hand at the 
ungrateful job of rtalj.ng SP.ci:ln. He held the thro11e 
for two yenrs ·and, fulfilled bis :oath of otfioe \d th 
exemplnry goo,d ta~ tll• .but nt the encl ot tlm.t tit!!a 
ho found tha 'fH't>ular hoatil i ty against hin1 ·as a forai{.tn• 
er no groat thnt he gave U'P the tv..ak in (Ueguet. 
Joe& Jlontef'o, who knew Pereda parsonally,and 
upon whose aatirnate of his political eympntl1ies we 
oan depend, eays the following: 
"Pereda was a Carlist.. He vraa a Carlist always 0 
by reason ot his education, as a matter of course. 
from the yef.WS of l1is youth. He never conoealed it 
fo:r ~ mo1m~nt; but it is also certain that he figured 
in tba party actively only by chance. Those t1ho knew 
· intirm:~tely attirm that in reality he waa r11ore ot a 
tradi tionaliet ttan a Carlist, a~d above a,11 decided• 
ly antl•liberal" 
Tha strife and 1mraE:lt of the 1>e:riod etnbra.otng 
Pereda•a active political cax·ear entrenched hirn firmly 
against popular government. He could not see that 
existing conditions were. in a large rt1eaaura 0 those 
lnheJ-ent in a period of transition. Pereda in poli• 
tics. a.s in tnany othar matters, found it i~niaier to 
· believe what he vm.nted to belif)ve. He was nevar 
one to BO to the root of suol'l tnattars and distinguish 
thoroughly oauaa and effect. One with a broader, 
saner view ot history would have realized that blood• 
shed 1 etrite. diaorganiza.tion and lowered rno:rale are 
apt to follow in thf.J wal~e o t all great a.ml d:rastio 
social change. riot eo with Paroda, tor he was always 
ruled more by tha heart than by cool ~aason. 
Pereda wao a devoted disc111la of Cal'vantes, and 
16 
the latter•e lntluenoe on ·1110 work is clearly, raarked 
in thought aml style. m11 ltUldG a distinct plea £.or a 
revival of, tha olassio trarlitiono of the Golden Age 
and of tho pioaroon novels· 1n t>laoe of tho foreign 
stt1rndnrda whioh his countrymen had bean following 
.to:r the two preoadi1'.1g oant\1rieo, IIa. declared that 
the lg.nguago of pPaln'e 1r.odorn, i•egional. novel should 
ba: 
"'rhe language of QJJ1xote and of all the irnparieh• 
able traasurca ot Spa.i11•s classical litoraturei of which 
constitutes no rnean part thQ piQaresque novel of the 
Gold on Age, and whose Gumi'.lanea de Alfarachesi 1.aazal'illoo 
de Tonnes, Rinconetes. Monipodios 0 Pablos de Segovia 
and suoh have little in common with youi• elegant fi©ares 
of the salonsi with exel tetl 2nernbars. ot Parliament or 
aoadeniioians~ . · 
, t~o lmve discovered nothing to indicate tlmt as 
n youth Pereda •s 11 terary tastaa were in m1y wise 
<lii .. tara11t from t11ose or thfl average young man. Mis 
biog1•a.phers tall us t11at while he was a s tuclant in 
1.~ad:rid he spent long hou1~s over the novels of Pa.ul 
de ltook and Dumas pare. This choice probably raveala 
nothing .oi' oi(~nifioance aa :regards lita1·ary ta.ate. 
liavi11g renounced his tdl itary. career and :returned 
to I'olanoo. he :fall in with a group of young intellect• 
uale v1ho helped kindle in hirn thQ flaoi:re to write. 
lU.s first efforts v1ere oontrilmt1ona to l.ocal period• 
I llMld l 
1. Vide intra: p.22, Chapter III 
17 
iaals and were in the form of cuadroa de oostun1brss. 
llere are refleotl)d unmistakably the classical traditions 
for \tJhicll l1e stood thi.•oushout his subEH!QU(!mt writing. 
·one rt1ay JmJtifiably asaum1e tr~t Pe:rsd.*1. lmew and ~draired 
. the works. of J,~aaonero. Ron1anos. for thl!l A.nfluence of 
~he .~~9!.l:~~m:ts.n~oa11 'be aeen in his ovm first 
oollec ti on• E!.<t.~.&~Ja9P\!}Jir:!J_as_. 
The Andnlusian autl1o:reae, Fernan Qaba11o:ro$ took 
the fiJ-st bold step avay from rcr:nantio:lmn. and she is 
to be oons1<lered Pereda. •s rt1ost illl:rnedia.te pradsoaseor • 
. : $110 rejuvenated the Spanish nov~l 'hy a I?l an to?' ths 
rights .of sr:>und 6 . wholesorne raal.1.srn. · 1~oreov~r. sha 
recreated tlla m~ti()nal type and e:a;ve it. the form of 
the ·obaervat1o.mal noval.~•ths !J.!'2..V.~:J.J?#.,,.~V2. eostpm!'r,es. 
Pereda co11ti~ued ·in the sa.me direction, his works 
being, howav~r, :mo:r$ :rugged ln na.t,1re a.nd dev<>id of 
I) ·. ' . '. . . . ' 
Fernan •s excessive ~tt10tiono.l1sm and sent~.raentaliem, 
although his treu.trnent of religious subjects ia in 
general' sor,1ewhat sirni.la:r 'to hors. 
CIW?TER IIX 
Pereda'&~ Ooncep·tion ot the nagio.na.l ~rovel 
In hia· disootn-ee on ragionaliern,, delivered upon 
the occasion of his tidrd:ttamH't into the noyal· Spanish 
Academy in 1897 .• , Pereda both defines· and defends tl1e 
regional novel as he has cultivated it~·' Xt ia bis 
p'u1•poaa not ·to diauuss the novel as a olaes,: but 
:rather to ·. SJH3ak "ot one of i ta spacial tns.nifeatations • 1 
the ·one moat fit for tl1e extension ot i'ta posaibili• 
ties••tlla regiotu~l no"'~el ••. ·. Hie dafi11i ti,111 :ts as 
follows:: 
"We'bava found 1t convenient to s1ve that nama 
to tha: nov{~l which 1~1 developed in a district or 
oornmun1 ty possesob1g life,. oha?aote:ra and aolo1A which 
are tli3ti11otiva and Ol:!!ni\)aoter1stic~, am.l which play a 
principal pnrt · 111 the· evolution ot the ·work" .l 
' . . ' ' . . ' '' . ' '" . :u; · ls emphatically explain13d .. that the "novola 
u:1•bana*'' cloe~ not fall 1ntl'l · tl11s oatago:ry .no rllatter 
where tha ·city daoc:rl\,ecl may bel aa long· as. it is 
one ·ot' those govern~ 11y tr:odern social atand~l"da :a.n~ . 
steapad in the swirling cur1·ent ot fashion. na says 
furtheri 
"The novel ·to which I havQ ret,'lrance has ?!'1o:re, 
points ot contact with no.tu~a than with society. with·' 
tha durable tlmn with the ephan1ex·al a11d t:ransionti 
l. Discursos le{doa ante la Heal -Academia Espanola en 
las reoepciones pliblicao del 7 y 21 de febraro de 
1897, p.108. 
Ibidem 
19 
with th~ . atarni ty of art tllan with thQ human ax·ti f~ioe 
· ot 1o1rcumotancau'; and I almost venture ta a.soert 
tha.t 1:n f\1w nations ot the world ia the 'raison d •etre• 
ot this in11,ortBnt branch of literature as we11· srotmd• 
ed as in $pain, whQse ViOral unity ta~· by virtue ot its 
ooheaion. ao notable •• as ia the laolt of: tha sai1u) in 
her lliator1cal and etlmographical p:recH1de11ts. 1n .her 
customs. clin:istes .·r.md te?:!1JuJrt'..rnento. ·r11a r£3giona1 
novel is · then :reepectad here, as1 ta the ee11ti~u~nt that engenders and pro<luoas it«... , . 
Om~ of the rnieuonaeptions coneernbig Paret~a•e 
rea;ional:bnn, and one whicl1 he ~o~t) .. y belvails is 
that 1 te oul ti vation rno.lraa for tha distn~iber:b1g aml 
~xtinotton of· the hiato:riotil. and. pol1t1cal <to11ootivity 
of tha nation; tlmt the :lnevite..l1le corollary of de• 
votion to the "P~l\tria oh~ot\" irr. ~ ·leas anins of ::raopr~ct 
· to:r and clevotion to tha .npatri.a ·grand on., nothing could 
be tr~ox-a alien to hie Dnrpoae; ha or~'hatioslly denies 
thcit hj.a ragiomiliem engandaro au.oh dicrr~speot1 s :1.noa 
it is: 
~that which is nom!itshed b~r ~ lovc:l for tho native 
soil, tor lts laws~ prn.ot:lces aml virtuous ouatotna. 
for its atraoapher'"'• 1 t~1 l1ght0 ito .panorfl..rr.aa and :t ta · 
horizons: t•or 1 ta t:rmlitional ·pleasures and fest! vi• 
ties: for i ta ''~al~ th o t tolk•lorQ ~ml ·bnlJ.ada: for the 
. arotna ot ite fielda and the t~ruita of lts harvests; 
for 1 ta surnn10:r b:tlea2es and 1 ta winter fil . ,o-s lde scones; 
for its ·seashore and the rootu1taina of its frontiers; 
and a.B the surn and epi.tomo ot' all this1 by a love tor 
tho spot wh~:re one baa b9an bo:rn and . wne:ra one ho~ea 
to dieJ :fo~ the ~ezdly grout\ shel torad in .1 ts encl..oatlre 
or tor the vrmara.ble ehadea of those w.hc> no longer 
l. Idau1 p.l09 
20 
extut in :J.t but Y1bo .ratur11 to ltfo in· tho heartu 
and, nHr.tnoriee ·Of '.tl'~e .11v1na t111 el~Ob 1?1•ey~r w1·1iQh•· ·in 
the ehti.dottrB and BiU6"1St eilf!11oe ot the ni·ght,, ia 0·1--:re;r0cl . 
·to tlle doa.d by tbe voiO(i ot a vigilant c:nurcb bell".~. 
· AifJ .tbouw-1 the e'l"aateet love for. on~ 'o "pv.;tria 
. . 
e;re.ntle", oould not be oontair1ed in any €1 ven ·part of 
. ' 
i tt. NJ ~hout~b the 'ftilltne:nees· :with which l'u~r aona · 
otter 1ir!lven th$1r vo-,y lives for its p:ie•~aarvat1on2 . did 
not oonst:t.~ute a more pt-?,.lpabla reality than nny hypo• 
tlletical thaoriea or duty or Vt~{)U$ 0 imparteot and .SYl?l• 
.bolical. abetractiona1 
. Pareda's: regionalism hnd notlli.ng .to do with .. 
pol·1t1cn~l g~ogrBphy or h~atory. id.th the tundrun()nt~\ 
laws of the ,ata~e. nor rnueh less w:lth t,be ertlltra17 
rriarkinge o:f. frontiers.. It quarrels with nothing and 
with no one "eave 1d.t..':t. the l)omp of' tlle salons,, the 
exhalations ot tha great industries. business men. 
the . d ifferant poll t~.oa1 arii tatione and all. their 
off•shoota~3 Jloi ;this reason its Juriadiotion might · 
be exteride<l even to the city, or to that part of ·1 t. ,. 
in which tho:re i-emained, by th$ grace of God.,, nso~e- , 
... I , ... 
l. Idem: pp. 110-111. 
2. Idem: p.109~ 
3. Idem: ·p. 119. 
21 
genoue people, with their .. faith and their pleasures 
and their ancestral laws"~ In such a people Pereda 
sees the real and tne:xhaustible source of the region• 
al novel or "more generically and correctly speaking. 
the popular novel and therefore the national a.nd 
-· . •' . 
. . 2 
purely Spanish novel" • 
Considering its singular temper, the simplicity 
ot coloring and ·texture of its principal elements, 
it is :tu.tile• avers Pereda, 3 tor any. wri ta:r·, however 
acoornplished he may be :Ln the compilation of foreign 
models, to attempt the cultivation of the native 
regional novel unless he carries in his innermost self 
the elements that constitute it. A certain inherited 
genius is an absolute prerequisite; either it ·exists 
or it does not; it is something felt -- never acquired; 
nor will any writer, great as may be his enthusiasm, 
who. arrives. impe11·ed by curiosity, to the scene of 
his proposed labors, notebook in hand, ever gra.ep it. 
Attaclting.foreign innuenoes, he says: 
"Today 1n this claasiq Spanish country everyone 
lives. moves. travels, thinks and legislates in the 
French or English· style. At the ea.me hour as the 
~.French or English, our national figures sit down to 
l. Ibidem. 
2. Ibidem. 
3. Idem: p.118 
22 
dinner. ··Their 'bills of ta.re· are .. written in' French~ 
a.a are even the labels of our fa.moue Spanish wines; 
the servants are foreign and their· very attire makes 
it difficult to distinguish ·them trom those they 
serve; the names p·ertainirig to the dinner service a.re 
foreign,·aa are those of every piece of furniture in 
the room; even the conversation o:r the diners and the 
bool~s that later they·will read in their moments of 
l'eieure are foreign." 1 · · · ' · 
It was Pereda 's firm conviction· that with such 
an influence being felt everywhere, it was nothing 
j ' 
short of a miracle for anyone to produce a truly 
I 
Spanish work "in the sense in which this word should 
be taken when speaking of works of art". Let the 
I 
moat obfuscated ttmoderniat" refute this if he is able 
to do so,· says Pereda, but let it be born in mind . 
while he (Pereda) denies the existence of ·this quality 
(tru1y Spanish) in the commonly popular novel of the 
' 
day, he claims it for that one which deaerves it by 
all rights. 2 Its language is, he declares, the lan~-, 
ua.ge of Q)lixote, and of all the imperishable treasures 
ot Spain's olaaaical literature; of which constitutes . 
no mean pa.rt the picaresque·:novel of the Golden Age, 
and whose Guzmanes de Alfaraohe, Lazarillos de· Tormes, 
Rinoonetes, Monipodios, Pablos de Segovia. and such 
have little in common with your elegant figures of 
1. ·Idem: p. 123 
2. Idem: p. 128 
23 
the aalons, ~1th exalted members of Parliattlent or 
acadttl:doiana. Tl1e11e cla.iJ11io chal?notara oonati tute 
"the tn1ly illuat:riouu arui naverauffioiently praised 
herita.f)G of our J)reaent•day t)a.sti11tin realism"~ 
( 
. . . 
Fu:rtharmora. it we deny tlmt the 0011terrrporary :regional 
· ,.nove1·1a truly si'anieh, we are obligGtl perforce to 
· include the above-citarl e~plas from the Golden Age 
I 
in the aa.ms category bOOBUS$,"'*good Or bradc tbosa Of 
··today cl.re co~posed ot the self .. same ei'mnenta as thoae 
' 
of 3f'$storday • and the o i:rcn .. unstanaaa st~rrountl111s thai~ 
oompoai tion alter in no way tha miture. o:r thincssn~ 
:mstabl1sh1ns th'a essential difta1!'onoes .between 
the UaJ. to. novala" • OJ> novel treating of modern S(h~ · 
( ' . . 
phiaticQ;tad aoo:Lety, and tl1a •inovelt:l popttlar", or the 
regional novel'. ho ;ays, arnona otllar things, the 
' tollo~ing:3 
"I ohoul<l say tllat t111o novel, (al ta novaln) is 
in tl:le uatne x-slat.ton to tha rag1011al r1f)vel a.a a.re 
ptotu:rea of the stud.lo to mural pnintinga; in the former 
tllera 1s sr~ate:r lu>;llJ'Y of oorrrp.00it:lon a.nd study of the 
mo<iel& the lntt~r, on the othar hand, io tnora ;pontanaoua 
and opirit.ad. 'Eba one is tl10. novel Of· ~~eas1 tha other 
iS prafarabl~t tl1at Of deeda 0 Er1ora real and less rhotor• 
ioal, Tllo fonner atudies ,thingn in thtJ atat0 in 1vhich 
tha iricfloaant tnov<:Yrr.ont or innovntiona lJlncaa thern; the 
lat·ter prefers the 1acting a1-itl tha ui~oh.ane;incu the one 
II l*PI ... 
1. lbitl«n. 
2, Idem: p. 129 
3. Ia em: p. 131 
24 
pol:t1h"s and e1nboaa~e. inveetigat'Ga and aounds tho 
scoial ol'"sanisrna influenced by the so•called "med:i.o 
ambi&nte"J · the other oarves th.a :figun."ea of its piot• 
ureo fl•orn ·the vi-ary rnountain roelt1 in the open air 
a.net eunlisht.. ·'.rbe one seeks tM:l the basis or its 
ureationa tba arti1:icial adorn:mant ct t:be city. a 
l!llln•znnde :thins: the otbe:r aoeke nature, a. '\1ork of 
God uncl·1~inging tl1roue;h all til'Uf'h Tile forwcr is rnore 
deeply concerned wtth the drawing and with the deli• 
oaoios. tbe lAttnr, wt.th t1·1a CQlor1nm. For thane ren.• 
sons the regional nova1 ts s-1mplsr8 ant1 on tts..at a.ccount 
lass interaatins.thM the othe~. for the great mass 
of people who breathe the sain.e o.1!* aa the author 
tl1at. ps-oduoee tbei:r f~avorl te. n 
Raisins th(.) qucurtion aa to wh,a.t oomrti·tutea 
interei;,t in a novel., Pereda., attar aaaertin.g that ,the 
nla.tter of intareat is not nlways m1 eatllst:lo l'leaeu:re~ 
opeako or the followi1113 th:r'le typse of readers and 
what they seek· in a novel·t 
a. The vulgar reada:r who derives interest 
t:rom the oornplloationa a.rut surp:riaes of the plot and 
tor whorn nll alsa tn tho book is auJH)rfluous. 
b. ·Tho le.yi11an1 or x-ea.d~X'· of avoraaa t:lduaation, 
wl10 holds tllo dictntBs or. .fashion in s:reat store, and· 
who is intn:restod in n novel only w~e11 the oh1U'actere 
occupy 1 t:riotly the plaoee rightly theirs: for tllem 
the tnF.>.rq,uia must nl\~aye be a ma.~quia and the l~'lenial 
. al,mys a inaninl; o.nd fins.lly av13ryth:hlf! in tho nov,el 
must and in tha tha.nn~r of tha · noman slo.cU.ators in the 
a' 
arena and w1th the elegance that the oircumetGnoes 
and persomae:~ui d em.a11d. 
o. The still rnore "m.odern° reader. who, 
scalpel in hand, derives intare$t from a work onl~ 
11· in 1 t he ie. able to oonduot a 1n1nute analya1e ot 
th+9· t'ro:fundi ties of the human spi:rit. 
Finally Fer$da venturee1 that he might count 
or:a the fingers of ona hand tho readers who seek int• 
eJreot and raal. aathetic pleaeure at their true sou.roes, 
"in the artistic adornments ot the work; in ite 
steacly, natural and diaphanous devolopmantJ in tha 
eternally· burr~ reality of ita charnotera; in the 
eeaentlal, intimate a11d strict oonoorcla>1oe of subject 
and place with the language and atyle ot the novulist." 
Dian1iasing ~a r'llati vely u.ninipo:rtant the various 
11 tf'3rary movements that te1·u1 to upsat tha established 
2 
order ot things, Perecla avars that tl1e wise novaliat 
will not attempt to oppose them too strenuously. but 
will :rather withdraw to a point outside their influence 
and ha::r• contant to eaa thern pass. will go on working 
indepamlent of them. lt 10 in auoll a sanctu..~ tllat he 
wial:lea to place l·1is ~egional noval, since by def1n1 tion 
:1 t io t)ls one 1~1ost naturally out of conta.ot with all 
1.. Ibidem, 
2. Idem: pp. 141•146 
26 
distux'bing, trancient innovations. 
The purpose ot the rae;ional novel. t1na11y1 is 
to make fO:r tile.preservation Of national customs' and 
· ol'.1araottJristics. ·' 
Pereda expres.ses thi~ idea in the following 
worde1 
"\lllEJn: raoes and peoples lmve lost their peculiar 
obaraota:riatiosi \vhen the vast panormna of humanity ., 
lk"ls· but a single color, and this a sad one, and the. 
world comes to be one 1n111enae and desolate plain and 
i ta inhabi tan ta are perishing of ennui ••• let there 
remain for. them, Ootl willing, the rotuge of tba art 
ot tbesa tirua0 1 a; a faithful a1·chive of their tor• 
e;ottan national cust·orae, v1il(;}r.e tl1'3 hopelase t:nay find 
soin•-ath:tng upon whicb to :ftw ten tile eyee of the apiri t. 
something to eat vib:ratins once more tlla chords of an 
idle llf3a:rt. to the end that this pure and noble delight 
inay l>e <U.tfuaed and oiroulata th:rough their veino 0 as 
the seritrof ~orca alevat~d~ ina'n.izat.ionu and the sap of 
n new life," 
Language and Literary Style: 
Pei-eda avers1 that many 110 veli~ ta who in :r>oa.11 ty 
laok tlle attributes necessary for the :production of 
regiomal novala seak to vt'rtip themselves in a cloak 
of pseudo•regional:i.em as regards languaaa. and in this 
effort to acq1d:rs e sitt denied tbA?r~ by nature the beet 
they attain. is a cul t1vatoo or .J.1 te:ra.ry,, a:rcluiic, pedant• 
io and artit1o1a1 lnngi1age, in the tiiain d.avoid of the 
eseenoe ot reality, Tllus we see .that ha was oonsoious 
ot tlle importance of la.n{;at1tige,. but that he did not oon• 
eider ite n1ard.pulation a.n art that oonld be cultivated 
'· b.eyond well de.fined lirnito. 
?;~ention has el.eewha11e been 'l.!letd e*. o t tl1e author• s 
gol1eTal ren.otion tey forui(£l1 inf.luenoen, and. 1 t. rennins 
for us to exmd.ne his lineu:tQtio l"aaction. v.re have 
' '"seen that hie own otutliea led hiifl well~ into the .fields 
o"t :b"ranoh0 Xtal~,a.ii. and English lstte1"ei and aa a youth 
he beoama a vsry pro1•1oient Latin scholar. The innu-
· 1. Diacurso: . Op. cit. 1 lh 137. 
2. Vide suprat Chapter III,p. 21 
3. .Bassett. Ralph mns:rsont · fpclt,o ,&!nohS?.'• Mew York. 
1916• Introduotion1 p. 24, 
aa 
ence ot Italian 011 h1a vooa.bulary. ie· 11eelisibleg 
Englisl1 words appear 1;nore frequently•. and French· 
words and expressiono tr:o1•a often still.. Thia rathtlr 
pronounced 1uJo ot French ruld 1~nglish ·i~r1me does not 
1n•guo a oorrtrruU.ct1an to Pa:raaa•a· '*espanoliarno". On 
the contrary, it w11.1 be found that their nee nerves 
a woll .defined satirical punose,, tor it is wha11 be 
moat d~e~reo to . rand er a ridiculous picture of bypo• 
. . ' 
cr1tice.l society that their uae ie rno1.11t frequent. 
'this explanatir,n. however. doas not account for 
' . 
his ov0r-uee of Latinianie~ This alm.ee is vnrtloularly 
.. " -
of :D"ather :P.olit:ar .iG a oa.:rioatura tha priaat •s fondness 
. ' 
for !,etin la ove:rttona. It woulcl seem tl'l-";lt l>a~ecta ·ware 
deto1"Inined in this inetta.noe to rnal~e .use oi' the J,atin. 
110 l(ln.Tnsd :;Jo a wouth ,~thetbar ap1)ropria,talsr or not. 
PaJ-ocia os.racl for thra 1:ipproval of his fol.low ... 
' 1nou11tain l"HJoplo n1oro thm1 ~nytht:ng elaa, and since 
he really '~r.rota for them one rn1e;ht araua tlmt his 
rosion-.il vocabulary ia· ·not o.ut of place. On the other 
- ; t • 
hand• the firflt edition of ~1oti}e~r.a waa nocornpaniad by 
a 01?eo1al vooo.bulary due to ·the technical nature of so 
rnany of the tar.ma ueed • Thia . tact might tend to dis• 
oouraae ieade:re; wall able, lf confronted with a less 
29 
tond.dable me.dimn ot espre£Jsion, t<l a.ppreoiata and 
absorb his meaoage.. This is 1~·1oreover an obs ta.cle 
thr-~t we ~11oounter when ''e attam1lt to ola.ssity Pereda 
ao a novf;ll1et ot r1ational appeal. It· is well nncl 
good to argue that any problem vt0rthy of a novelist!s 
·attention can bG exaJninad ·in the r;~ontana. ~ va11 as 
anywhere aloe. but it th!I) author's vocabulary is too 
hit~hly provincial in nature it may oonet:ltute a 
'tu~rriar graatar than tha average reader•a curiosity 
in tha subJ act. 
it is evident., liowever, that Pereda was sincere 
in the matter ot lanauase and that he was not seeking 
a cheap and. artiflcial distinction through tha use ot 
so· roany provinclal terms. 'fhey omne ae second nature 
to him and repraaanted most. perfectly hie reaction to 
tlla life ha wQ.s desoril)ing. it wau his theory as sat 
torth in tbs :Disourio1 that tl1e regional novel at its 
bast is clmraoterlraed by a language 
0 or1gino.1, rioh and ·v1soroua1 with its provincial. 
idioms. v1hiob 1>1 turn are tbe sap and fibre of the 
beautiful Castilia.n tongue. treaaure of Spai11's olasslo• 
al litaratura. 0 · 
Tbue wa see him es a representative of the purest 
aoademia standards patta:rned after the ~oundeet olasaio• 
al traditions. 
1. D1eourso: Op. cit., p. 27. 
30 
' ' . . ' 
Pereda. soue;ht &lwnys to b•) the tinished, polished 
nrtiot, 111:1.e doea ncrt nuatln that lle s&QJ'ific'td tesllng 
and natural expression to a rigid· :fonn, but it nmane 
that l·11e otyla underwent well defined stages of devel• 
opruent. It to olmractariz~d at its baat \>y a tone of 
elegance a11d ·a oa:rtain srandeur whicl~ may be said to 
reflect the :r11ggerl nuuter1ty of hie native f;r,ontana. 
)fti11e his l~ui&~uso and style are forceful, they do 
not on 'tlmt account tHlaee to l'H1 flexibls, 11nd rerada 
< • 
has a feelint; :f.o:r tha roost su'bt1e shades of expression. 
AB a regional novelist Pereda is to be c<msiderad 
umler two n;ain.lleads. (leaving a.aide hie abortive 
Qttam)lta. a~ a dramatist) S .&$ a wri tar Of ·cimtdros de 
ooqjlm~b":r:erf~ and O.a a noveliat· pr<>par. .Anythine; tnore 
than the most su);"Hlri(tlolal consideration of his worlts 
as t.J. whole ahoweJ Pal'etla tha novelist to lH1 simply an 
amplification and ·aralH~ll.1ahrnent ot Pereda tha coatum• 
' . ' ' . 
Ilia. f1ra t wr1 tines• rr~·u,!i-tltf.tl montM'eeJ!i. (1864) • 
ara, of all his v1orl(EJ 0 1'rotmibly t'.he rnoat i1a.tural 
ro:1ot1on to l1is st1:rr~m1dings amt tho t1o)st eponto.naoma 
productions ot Parada the regionaliat.· !Iara we f~nd 
s :br1ple, colorful word•piaturas o t faniil.iar types arid 
custo1ne. 'm1burde11ed by the weight :(')f Q thaabJ or t11a 
leaot 11int of a didactic i11tant. The :muoangs ara 
31 
op,Jigaot, well l>alanoed a11d tu1l of a bu~yant, piutur• 
esqua dia.1.ogue that Blwayo charr1ctarimos. the autho~•s 
, r, 
work a.t ita bout.. 1tere., m()re tb~il,l anywhe:re else in 
) 
6\11 hia vmrl·:, be has cta1-,tured the powe1~ ot \lO:rds and. 
forceful e:(presnio11, but atlll tllaEJe skatohas ara 
. very sim))l.e 1n structure, and tlle daairotl !inpression 
. \ . ' 
ia more often oonveyad l'Y the particular turn of a 
wol .. d or i1l.i.Ta4le tl"Uln by t\ f'tatile )'11111$ Ul' of the 
' r·tQ have m1 e::q>ras• 
sion· of Psreda'n 0W11 valuatio11 or tho eimp1lc!lty ot 
tlrt. for in tt:1a iJ:h!Jou:rao l1e oayai 
"'1'110 greater the stmplioi ty oi* tha artiat1c 
·e1m~1ent, the great(~r !a tlte resulting wo:rk.,,of art." 
lt is now my l?Urpose to exarnitru10 from tha v1ew-
J)Oint of ·stylat .ftve of :Pareda'o no:vels& 5,1lUA1 
i!~lft.l tn,e P$2PA:". silnpbs,z, Sot'.1lft!i• Le· r1p;n~G;I. 19z ·and 
Pena:i ar:r:tba .• · Them~ five a.re raprasantEltiva of the·. 
IR I mht J .I li?:11 I -
cliff.ar~11t plmaaa of h:ls J. i tarary produetiOJ'l• and one,, 
·'"an truce in than th~ gradual evo1ut1011 of bis ·atyie 
and procauu1•a a.a a . regi<n:ml,iat. 
NL nuw scrm:r.rro (187/) 
Gected'n, tl't<9 protagonist. finding hiwu e, ... f al .. one 
ln the world and the ])Ono eooor of an ~dequnt~ fol"' tune, 
oeta about coolly to we16th tlle a<lvnntngss and. d3.aad• 
vant(1~~aa of tn.atrlrr.u.n11. Ila aa19ks the a<lvioe of three 
1. Ibitlem, 
'"' ; ' 
32 
aoquaint~~nces aml·it is significant that they ore 
all coltbntss. The first is a tniseri t!1.a seottnd haa 
a. man.ia tor . tidiness a. th-a th:\:i!(l ·. 18 . abn<.nv.ally . .1 ealoua 
by naturf!.. . lrAOb ot these jud&a~J. 1 . t~om 1110 own paJ-• 
ticular point ()t view. 'Wlarns ldrc. aa~:lnat rna.~riage. · 
Gedeon 'cJ oonv1noe(1 t.U..'\t. tbai3' · BJl(1Ufi!ante .a1•a aouml, 
and from purely sel·tisll nlotiV.'31 decid(;)S that ha will 
~flfmin a l:niollelo;r.- . . i 
There then fe>llowa a ser!ea ot ploturaa dep1ot.• 
ins his futile eea:roh tol" l~"ll'Pinaao ancl ·contontrrulnt 
outaide of mnrriarse. lie l1aa t~oubl s with hi.CJ servants 
mid with hl• l1ousekeeper, The latter b1•1nr~s bGr rots• 
cl1levous. a11d .ill•brad eon to 11v.a in .hia house •• rnuoh 
to tho diaguat ot G0def.fate fa.1thtul. dag, 1\tlm11a •. 
Gedeon ti11elly tmces a m1str~"• a worn.an o:t low 
birth and wool' olm1 .. E14Ct$.J>. ne is l>lacl:rna:tl.ad tr!nd otl1er• 
w:lae annoyed by l1~r slliftlens ralativeo -and ·has pro.ct. 
ot bar inf1<1e1it'1 to l1tm. On his dea.th~boo he w:Lt• 
neso.ea. b$r · t~ua.rf~!\ w! tll lliB bout~ek~aJ:)er ov~l* the 
disvosi ti.on ot llie estate. .At th1u time he ia Vtl:r• 
· sutrAoo: to ni.a:t~J 111$. mie t~t!lfUh Th0 .t,vo oh1ldr$n sl1e 
hae borne llilu t)um ar0 hie l esal · heirs• a.3 .. thoual1 he 
baa no way ot know!ns for oertcitn. tluit he :ts their 
t'at1·ua1", ·1the three f:riamis \'110 navs warned him ~sa-inat 
marriaata a7te unha1?1'Y ·thl"ou~hout their lives, and al1 
co'llo to· \Jad a11tls in l$:espi11e \d th . their ;elfiohneaa 
and ru~rvers!ty.· . 
.....,.~Nii61i...,.~-- (the title beins derived trom the 
· popula~ a.dae;aa im.• J;n1ey eu!i'lj:<>
1 
.
1
bil}n. tt.e 1arne: •• the 
·unyoked ox liolta · hitnself well)· war.a wt-!tten i~1 defense 
of tnatrlmonzr. and· part1oularl;r to J-eft1te tl1e arguments 
presented in, nalanc•o. Las, ne.t1tse"~t,n&sl,reF5, ~s ~a !&! 
gopJm:~!J@.-. Pereda, ln hie prol.ogue to the novel• 
dedicntoo to M ... r~tenendea y Palay<.)). declare&J that l t 
la not hie purpose to. solve any problem but simply 
to d1scuoo a aerta!ln eubJeot •• olalmins to~ l'11meelt 
33 
the GWllG right that so many othG:rs have taken._ Ha 
raisee the question as to why, ln \he taoe ot so 
many tranelat:t.0110 and ·booltl' w:rl tten 1n Spain 'pictur• 
lng the unpleaeant slde of tnarriage• there 13hould 
not have appeared at 1Ga&t one work that save an ~dea 
of the rniserie' ot a baohelo~•s exiatenoa. 1'h:la • then. 
le his tbee!at matrimony ·ta rnan•s natural state •• 
a social duty and not a faah1on OJ* rnattar to be ao• 
cepted o:r reJeotad on tl1a baste of pa~sonal whims ••• 
and any in<U.vldual. who selfishly shirks the responei• 
bilittes;s of eucb a atate. as doas hia protasoniat, is 
bound~ to experience all the hardshi.ps• sacrifioee 
and triali; lla lloped to eacua.l)e, w1 thout en3oying any 
ot the compensations inherel"lt to married lite. 
The work is not, striotly apes.king, a novel. 
It is more oor:raotly to \)e termed a series of 0 pict• 
urea"• and 1\ ts. too a11ot tbroush with the task ot 
defandins a theliis to be either ~onvinoins or repre• 
sentative ot the author at his best. 
Gctde8n is ona ot P0reda t119 most unllutnan characters. 
He le little more than an autorraton a~1d f&'r'. from a 
nesh and blood character. He ls ove:raimp11f1ed, and 
his tribulations do not move us vary inuoh, Ha is 
presented as absolutely alone in the world; he baa no 
~elatives and no friends worthy of the name1 he stands 
34 
fOJ!I no·thiiis in ll:ls ·,ooltll1uni ty •• 'axeroiees no' pJtofoosioni 
the 0Gs:b10 bo~es :bim, a.S doea tll.a theat:te; a1•t iii sener• 
al and literature il1 partioular nauseat$s h:bn; ·ba· l• 
al'm.ormal :and neurotic by natul'fh . Given· such a llOint 
ot · departur~,· the picture o.t llio 0~eriencGs could 
not '.·help :bfing uncon,,inci11s/ 'ne doe£t i·u>t ·tniffQ:r · 
trom diaaontont aiti1p1y• bflCDitiEuf he io a baohslol0 • ··11e · 
la; rather doe)med ftom tbe· eta.rt because o·t hie inherent 
cl:u1racte1•ifJtioe. Solita, l1lo n1istr0oe, ie devoid ,of 
all. ou1·ture ·find· wholly i11capa.b1a ot insplri.ns a genuine 
pasoiol:l~ Uhe11 tllO })lJ1a1nal W3})0Ct. ot thoir infatuation 
woe.rs itself ·out Gedocfn le· he&lpleao ond discontented. 
!t1arry ·auoll a "c.oornetor a11d he would long_ for · tha Joys 
of baohe1orllood: diVO>!CG h:Un OJI lt1!\ke hil!l a widower 
and he \CJOUld agai11 seek ttl&irirnony.- · :tn short. he ·.would 
ot neoeesity bs bo1•ed nnd tteatlees always ·and every-: 
whatta, 
E1 but=rtt Gua1to loses force bocatise it ls too· pre• 
• n IUI ..... ftJ ... f 
te11tioua • · ·'l1ho tdeu- unde:rlyir1g it could •• and should •• 
have been ·:developed into an i11te:tee ting cuw1rr4. Tl1e · 
style 18 ii-onienl1y humoroUB .- As a th~oie novel 1 t 
pl•oves. l'lOtbi11e;t a11d taken ,a,9 a VhOlO ·it :laoke :renlity. 
PEDRO SlMOHF~ (1883) 
The story Qenters about a villa.g~ youth, Pedro 
&Cnchez, who• tmder the influerioe ot a Uad.r:i.d politician 
aild·· oftica~holder A.gusto Valenzuela; : ie pe:rsue.ded 1 to · · . 
renounoethe.oha.nce·of a humble position· in hie native 
village and· s·eek :his·. fortune ·in :the city•::· Jie according~. 
ly goes to Madrid, but his paeudo•pa.trort itetuses tor · 
so .1cmg··to :give him· an· 1ntel.'view that he almost· despair• 
of realizing his hoped. ' 
···On· the way to: the oi ty· he· ~ad ·~de the acuqaint• 
.ance ot one Seraf!n :Baladuque. a poli tioal hanger-on 
who was· in aJ;td ·out· ot :office· as often as his particular 
faction lost or regained control, and while waiting 
for•h1s·patron:to·aae hira he s!pendS·tnuoh time with 
this gentleman and his family. 
Valenzuela tells Pedro : &inoliez · to return· in. a:· · 
few months9 and the youth tu:rne in the meantime to 
jour11tlism1 serving on the stai'f':Of. a re~otionary: · 
paper. By his keen wi te he. begins to make a name . 
for ld.n1self although in z.-eali ty he lrnotts nothing at 
all of newspaper work. We then follow him through a 
long aeries :of· adventures ·as a :political· agi ta.tor," , 
rioter and revolutionary leader, until finally he 
becomes .. 'a aucceestul office•holder. · He has .married.· 
Clara, Valenzuela's daughter, and she·with her mother 
tey hie· ao\11 · with :their extravagances 1 anobbialmee• ., 
and vain social aspirations. Pedro surprises hie 
wife lrFSJ.1 adulterous situation and! leaves her. 
Serat!n Badaluque had been killed in the rioting 
during a. atreet;engagement of the Revolution:('!)4),. 
and his daughter Carmen is left,an orphan. Pedro 
finally marries: :her ~ .. : a vK>rthy1 u.na.esuming girl whon1 
he had somehow overlooked in hie mad scramble tor ad• 
vanoement • .. ·Ju.at when he imagines himself about to ,, · 
enjoy a quiet and happy life in company with Ca.rmen 
and·,the two :children she has borne 111m, ·he loses the 
three in an epidemic. Thoroughly disheartened, he 
~eturne to ~is native· village to· end.his days. 
Pardo· Bazan ha.d likened the tenor of.Pe1'eda's . 
work up to :arid inclucling ·mi eabor· ·de la. tierruca to.· 
a· beautiful. well watered 1., \vell ca.red•for: garden, 
but· withal; a. g~rden· ·or:lir.iited horizons: and goes on 
1. · Vide :l.ntra: ! p.59, Chapter v 
2~" Pardo •l3a.~an, lto.ilia:, La ouestion palpitante1: 
Madrid• 1891 p.208 
·3.6, 
~to' 1a&y tbat he· ll'lw ·. 11evor rnilde tu1y a.tt•)fnpt ·to otud:V ', 
det!!ply · th;J larse cen.tera ot · civ!lizatlon. ~n ~9t1£$!. · 
3-fnohett Ps~eda ·ht"»s deuerta.d ·"~he i~~nttwia a11t'l 11 ,-n·t "ho~.· · ~I ••*!l!Ptili: . ·. · · · · · ·~ W l'H• 
us tlm~~ he· ia able to «iesoribe life ac~urutal!Sr\"~n 
amrther fiJJlfl. · Ti1e nt>VfJll. ·!a p!oa.atasque ln ty1)e, . E.t.ncl : 
'fd. th the !1olitioeJ.. -0orru11tion of tl1e · «lay as a 1:m.ok• 
) ' . . 
grour1d the· .11ro°'ailonist' 1o · t.he· 1-::m't.thpi·eoa ·tbrol2SJ~ 
. . ' 
'.'\~l1ioh tba author; so.tirigas Sld.Stina oond1tiona. ·Tho 
veal ol:w.nr. of': the boolt, hovn;lv~r • 1 .. iea ~n the :rao t that 
. . 
nltllou.gJ:r it ·la 111 l"<loiity a. crit:l<Jimn of OO:t).'tU!lt · 
' . . 
po l:l. t:l.eA . aml . aocl~l · hyl1oor1sy ( Ool1ll!l atirm the t:r i'.i.013:1 
' . 
bosu1·1;. witl) l,.prrJ ·. l'.1~tfb£,eg11~4S. 1n'*2' e.11d· Uop Gon{~?J~o Oon,zrf!.~ 
' ' I •' 
' 
atoey. ,~~:a do ·not find ha:i~e ·tlle: Q~V'O'r~J:itapl 1;&f~.oat;le>n 
. . .. 
of ol1~r~1<J:tel~ of. wl·tloh Parent\ 1o ~o t:roqusntl.y &'lli\l ty. 
,. , .. 
~edro f3fmoh~m ·is· a · olm;r~ote~ ot: real ·flash a!1d -
blood, ln '\?l1ioh ·''fl oan .ittaaa the oonfl!ot of· ~© .. taln . 
paao :Lona, : (H,1rtlliin idaas aml 0Grta:tr1, ln111ulsea of the 
v1ill 1 lul' lino . fH~r~perl)?nent .~11d As ar~ .~1·tiatio Oi'"at;ton 
\'1.ithou·t oaattJ:b1tt ·to tHl llUJ:'l~lh. As auch. ~i, human ol~ractei-, 
htl ~r1nueno~a 11:f'1 a1HJut, !1iro• but not ·n~arly no rauoh ~ 
be 1a bitOOfllf it'lfluenoed ~Y ,obqownstnnoen. Thia adds 
t') hio burottn and r13aliat10 quality • 
. :Persdu. l'.:k~n. by no· 11.leana ~itta1na<l hio full uta.ture 
. 31 
as a novelist in tllia work, but he is beginnina to 
approach that etas•. The o·haraota:rs are b~ra port!'ayed 
&b:iPlY and loslcally• and they movo ln an atrnosphare 
that t.e11da to aa·velop thetri step 'by etap. \Ve lose 
aish\ of the autho~ and bes1n to ~oYe with the protas• 
on1S1te, to feel witl\ tl~m. 
§PIILE~ (1884) 
Pereda responded to 'blle saneral derriand on the 
part ot ori tics ami his rearU..na public that he w:ri te 
the mar1tima epic of hla native town •• and the result 
was .aptil@za.: In the prataoe to this woricl he dedtcates 
his ettortu "to m1 contemporaries wl1Q raay still be 
livins·ln Santander"• Tl1e1 ~re .bia lnspii-ation. and 
it is by ther:1 tlmt he wlshss to be 8utl.sed.. P~oreover, 
he aonaid.ars tllem to be the only ones capable ot 
appra1a1ns the novel and admonishes the crltice·not 
to·quota foreign authorities nor to hold up before 
him their standards by which •the a~t ot presenting 
situation.a and lnoidents of hwnan 1lf$ in works of 
the iir~:lnation"are to be Judged.. The author vigo't• 
oualy 11aasaerts hie literary bill ot rights, ae it 
were, to treat h:lq @ubjeots real1st1o~ally but .free 
I J I . I 
38 
t•rotn the lurid aspects: arieing" tr-Gm· the ocuu1ida:.¥m,tion 
ot the fashionable boudoir• tile uaurioue bci\nker0 the 
, ,T , , , . 
mercenary politician, tlu! Cak~eatSng whipper•&>napvers 
ct the salons. the problems of adulter:~r'P of proatitu• 
.. tion" and fallen virtue. · He modes t1y announoea that 
' ' 
Sotilosa is a "picture of the ruia arias tu1d vi:rtuea 
at a handtUl ot ·unltnown people asat.nst the backgJ:trmnd 
of nature in her va:rioomanifeetationsn • 
. 'The nov~l opens with a· reali~r':brl1ilant scene 
1µ the ~Ohl)ol ot an oltl priest. ah~wins. hj .. fil in the 
act ot atter.nptlns the tmpossibl$ task of beating 
.soma, rucUv1onta ot J.tnot11Jlede;e in.to the hard heads ot 
· ·the eo1w o:t poo!' tlehennan of Ba11tander • · 5:his is 
'I\ I' 
, ~!lrsij~rate reQl.iatlc. tl*eatm{l!ltt .and to~ &l. faw chapters, 
as long ao Pereda .keaps to wha/t is essentiall.Y Jl.95!tl!~ 
J?eUf>.t!\ Jituiterial. tha h!gll leval,}.e Jna,~nta1ned. In 
fact he begins bis story well, with th~ escape of his 
ha:roSwne aa an orp~n child frorll the :inl1t~an tam1l:V 
who; l'lt\d o.dopt;d hev- iJtto the protection oi~ a lti:.;\dly 
olc.f ooup~e •... · . . . .· . .. . 
The etoJt~! he· saeka to tall lo ot ·a beautiful 
and virt1Aous gtrl ru11n.ed Castlda. Th~ fisll~r:folk . 
have niokne1ued ba:r tlot:llsza (the leader of a fisl1ins 
line) fo71 her fineness And liaaeinn for cleanliness 
and parsom~l naatnasa. The heroine is· loved by t:hrae· 
t11en. One ot these alle loves, Uu~rgo, n1i it:i!)Ot;aibl~ 
booriab and otupitl alovni •. who ls drownerl at aea. · 
Tl1e eaoond, A\1dres, ls the "eon of a sea•oaptain, anti 
so far above her soo!al leval-. The third, Gleto 1 ts 
tlla son of the tam:lly who so mal tl'antad l1el" when aha 
waa a ohil,1 1 but ie !a wortl1y fallow h.11naalt; a.nd hira 
aha fimilly tnE1rriae. though thara is no iil<U.cation 
_thGt. aha really loves l·d.m. 
§.C?Jl&!~r.:1, consitlin:•ed .by many' cr1tica to '"ba tha 
author.•s manterpieoe, is surely his r11oat pretentious 
novel. In describing bis nu.tiva Hantander a11d tbe, 
f'ishorfoll< with whom be is oo familiar.,. he is in his 
39 
element. Th~re is notll:b1s of the 11otal>Oelc ~4'hoo1 
ot reali•tic t~eatxhent hsra. t.ife boo to be eeSJn 
at ti:rut h~nd,. felt ~eapl7 and tllorougllly a.ssirnilated 
to b$ repx-oductad as Pe:r$la. has reproduced it in th~ae 
1'asee., *'I-I~ i£J r10 land .. aentlmenta1.:1st in ecstasy ovai-
the pe:t11s ot nautical lita11~ ne lmovm the sailor of 
Santm1de!f, and with EH'.ticrmttt:to ee:rtainty he paints 
hie sut1•eri.11ga 0 st,.1t'e,. i;onows. and few Joys; ~he 
b1-uta1 vicisaitudes ot lU.1 eh.ore 0:d.atence1 his 
dra.ullronnss~·a hi.i;, oornfQ:rtleae ho11ua, l1ls sullen reels• 
· nation and lant ot all tl1e ever•1lr.ellel'at .spectre of 
fatallty thBt W$1Sl'W QpOn hie spirit. T£a Bitlore. 
!'"Presses tbia iuaa 'llP~n the 0001.u;ion ot her husband 0s 
11biass: Btld it etande. ns one ot Pereda's bast p:tcturee 
of tl:1e wretcllednese of a .fishenna,n•s existencf)t 
npc,or fellow! F~ft~ 1Cng years battling witl1 the 
__ ,s,1aa, with chills . tbat . Pl'OVoke . ravers Md suns toot . 
ocH:>1•cl1, v11 th· wind an4 .rain and. enow1 11 ttle rest, a 
rnom~nt'e sle$1), and of.f:}agatn to tho .boat beforq the 
bra~ of clay, And then,, shut uoui1 oyea eo as no.t to 
see the apqctre of tdeatll th.at aoes abroad bafoS'e aey 
living creature and &l~a, al~ys &eC.H!)ntpn+ntea tlte 
poor matches. to put an end to their business when 
they least e.x.Paot lt and when tl:tey lW:rve nQ oth~ help 
but God •s meroy-.. see hare, Don Andi-&, X tlon•t know 
what 1 t :ls that comes ove-r, ma Vlhen l aee pet!tple haggle 
over a PGNl1 for a pound of ood in the mark0t place•• 
the smne folksi that throw rAWGY a dollar on o. rag they 
don•t want. lt thoy only realised what it ccst to 
got the t1eb out ot the aeat Wlmt ti'1ne:ert W:tUit 
d:rude;aryt And why, sood st.rt Daoause the first day 
1. Dcosatt. n.n.: 0p. oit. p, ;a 
a. aotilezat chapter 12 
the un1uotr fisherman rer£l4ina ,in. bed his. family ha.I 
nothing to eat, howevGr hardworld.l'lS and honest he 
may be, like thief J?OO» fellow who basn't a s,lins].e 
vioe. •• , 
•nw:nantty l1aretnay ba savage, but it la never dissust• 
ins, and pity 1a tl:le esiumtial note ot the book" •1 
i'he heroine. whilca sbe lacks a thorough payohol• 
ostoal. analysis, ie withal> tlle most notable of Pe)!lada'e 
,. '' .... ; ~ 
fend.n1ne olmrsctere, She enters the eto:ry as " 11ttle 
si~1; falr•haired, pale, scant ot spaeobe; with a lmrd 
frown ~nd a valiant sass, reared in surroundings ot 
~evoltina squalor but statnleeal.y pure 1n parson and 
mind. Sbe 149avea es s, beautiful yotU'!B wotnan; cold, 
' . . 
unrespe,u1atve,. antlpathetlc6 devoid of all emotion. 
Pereda has failed to d:raw this character tram within; 
ahe appears as ona whose actions have a!mply been 
-obsei-vea and recortled •• not analysed. · fhe 1• cold, 
caloulat:Lns ancl se1t•oontalned on the theory tlll.\t 
her "honor" ie a11 sbQ has wi tb which to make a 
bargain with llte. 
''l'he oaste system obtl'tldes ittlelf overmuch. 
Perada ·takes l t for sranted thst raar:d.asa l>etween 
sotileaa and Andrea ls impossible. ne is raall~ 
oal)able ot a genuine passion for tlle girl, but tt 
never oooura to blm that he can roarey her until he 
41 
11ao 00111p,-cmised ho:r· *'honortt, Oleto. le of her om1. 
o1aso. , tr~a idea Ot" , Sn c1l.10.11.Ca with. hittl iS. ,ref~{;U~d• 
ed wt tb approval by her toe tar 1nirGl1ts • her frlendo 
' ' 
and Padre Polinnr• The lattar 'aays to he!' on one 
ocoaaion 
flTJ1ough ~ou ·· ars btaautiful and virtuous• ~·nxl by 
all ~:!sbts • <leQarv0. a mn'K'q\1~a • rnar~u~eee a:rfb. not in . 
thta habit o't eoeld.ns wlvaa·· anions the f!ehartolde 
lil<lG'.; ·and .. a~~f~r· ·01f lete:r .yQu \'1,,"!1 oove to. J!!atr:tY 
a t.u~~f.. ~Jl:&,:ter;t>.. · 
Pereda· aPllrovGs ot this: ld~a.· for in ·another instance 
be d ee1,:ires 
11Real:tse tl~t alltancss betwaen.'paopl~ Of: dif•: 
tarapt etat;t.011$ aro noi. tba"nomnal tliine. and, tl~t no 
sood can oome ot tl1em, A rl!an ts obliged to take a· 
t1lte 1t1l10 is ·hia soo!ill <Jqu~1.. en~t ·thus. act in noo~rd• 
anae with tlle law of God that demands that eveeythins 
etay in :lte. prop()r pl.acent . . .' 
Parada bol!eve(l that mt.m a.ra born to ··a· certain 
plaoo. 111 aooloty and that they should, ba oontant. to, 
ota.y there. · The ooml)lacanoy <tnith wh~.ob Andr4s '· father 
patroniaas, SO.tilaaa and ha.r fal!i11y ,la obvJ .. t'.>ualy npp~o11ad 
by Pereda ao a no~le Qm1dea~ansio11. !;~o:reovsr. these 
h.un1bl e vaopl~, a.?"-a pictu:reitl as happy, to look up to one 
whom destiny h~s pl.a.cecl abova them~ and a.coep\. in the 
spi~:l t ot rnaeknern1 befittins tl1ai;r stat.ion wl1at crurabs 
mc:,,y fall from hiGr table., 
1. Obrae c2mt?l,ats.o,, vo~uma IJ_t p.433 
a. Iden1
1 
p,82 . 
,1 
·,j ·. 
.~2 
Patira -Pol bun~ t · tbougb" ~oinevil1Bt. :tel e2l i zed . and a var• 
etrnplitied in treatim~nt. is a J'eal e~ilor•e priest. and 
at all tirnae l'luirJift, Jia· dee ervae to rank with r'~anzoni -• 
Padre crt"'totoro and nalevy•s . .Abb& Conatantin. na has 
been t~ontad . v1ith huraoroulf) sympathy._ 
Tia. Sidora aml !:f!eollal£11 ~a ~m.S.r.nbly well sustained 
clmraiotai"'s.· The authox- liaa give11 t11a·1~~tter a :reallstio 
trentn1ent ~''th l..i ttle a11p~i:r0nt eftort. rr:echel!n is 
• -V$?Y eeant ot a.))aaob, _l.\nd often. ee,ya. ~imply nuva'* 
when h$ Btt:reea l1i tll tl1oaa wlm a.ddraos l1_1m •. . t\'!:i th thia 
.ont word Pewed~. cQnve~-a ilQ muol1.nbout h1a eharneter 
as he might hBVG do1ie .:tn. llr~a~s of despril)tion, 
Carpiae ea~eueta and !~004'3ffn. ar_e poycnoloe;icall~ 
oons1e·bent olmractara a.nd e0.11. :for ~o opee1a1. oowrnent. 
Muere;o is . e ·Qa1"1oature and. Ole to has· sce.roely been 
rendered tit all. Tl1e former ie singUlnrly attractlvt! 
'to aottl.oza, :Peroos mrucoa no attaTIPt. to explain his 
: 11eroino•m fpndness for thi~ br1;ite. 'we iindo:rstand it 
to. bo an att:raet1on of opposites, 
:Peiaeda has gi van us 1n Andl'~s a ·rnore oonvinoing 
ob.arneter than we have 111 the heroine. There is mora 
attenrpt at. inner delineation. nowaver• cm1aS .. dering 
I 
the unity ot ttu,., ·11oval aa a whole, Andres constitutes 
a heterogeneous elsmont. 
~lm.•!n .eaytJ · irs this roopsctl · · 1 ··· · 
"'Che nervol ·of the e l '·~~ · JJe ehrmld lmvo ·been 
mol'e strictly hel'SJ tbe p:i.Grctr1g ana1ysi1 devQtad to 
Andr&:sl sllo,ald l)tlve .b.t?.Jt?n clevotecl to tllo h.orcdlne~. · · · 
'.l\oide f1;•orll .tllo mntte1" of t1ieplnced ana.\yaia• 
tI~i.o "ilenorti to B is oo~upyinc; a pla.oo tliat ahoul<i 
ha.vo 'been renorvatl to:t n. f'imhoi-i;nan. · '£ho novel Pllrt>ortu 
to poittra1 ·.tbQ floberfoJ.lt ot r-hntand~·. a.ml Androra io · 
not really. cna or them. Hie hoJna e.i1virom11tlnt, auiture 
~ml a<lueu.tion unfit hbii ff>r rmoh a .vocation~ Ile ·is 
u.ttl!'natad l.Jy those people••tnt~oyn · tl1arougl1l.y ··bei21s 
.,,vitl'.r them• Jtlat 'VJ any norrP.a.l ·youth rnlah.t lH) oxtHlOted 
to do, . An oont::~ot tr:l th a piotti'1'o3que t:!lodo of lite 
dAffe~ins ·arafa.tl.~r a·:rom l11s 0\.""11-. l-'c:lredu d(!VOtf3a pase 
aftt~r paa~ to h:w etlttf'lBtio114 his horti., life.· to his 
mental strussie.e nml to Ilia love for- ·~~t!laz9', Tl.1SS 
ie tha p·~r't ot the novel wl1e~e. tlle :tnttu'est lS!t~ • 
vie. Wt\11.t tb' ,e.utlio1 to ta'kt! ua heel~ to the he:ro~b1e, to 
Muore;o t:i'11 to 01.eto. · Vtllen 'those .. tbrae do n:pr.em.~. · ti f 
ta to set off 1u·Jrn,e r>Uint in th~ d evelotrnent ot Andres• 
ohaMnotm.•. ' Ont! (1ciy when ho go ea· ·fishinG wl th biii fi.:lende 
tharia ~s a tei>rtbU &tonal; tha boat ta rtoo.rly lost. , 
Pei•e<ln ·aoea :uo far as to incapacitate> the <m.pto.in and 
rualte · Andr4a.' the hero of the · daq• · , lt is: t\ · stii•rirag · · 
-··· •.. ·.i 
1. Alas• Leopoldo: pueva gnrnnooe.. t-!adrid• 1887 p.14$' 
a• 
1
8otileza: Clmptoi- XXVIll 
picture.· HiSJ parents. dlst:raott;Jd baoaus·a of bis ab• 
senoe, are on the shore with otila:r.a of a la:rge crowd, 
wat.ching tht1 seanitngly hopeless 0truggle. :&"ina.lly-1 
thr<msb tl'la oemm;)cnship of .fl!n<i:rds. a lad azq,eri<~moins 
virtually his firat storm tl.t s~. tba O·rew and the 
boat are ruived. nut wlw, one aska sgain1 should he· 
have bee11 tha dt'Hnlnant figure, and not s lH'>rtA•tide 
tisherrD.an? 
'fhe author cculd _have taken all tllat relates to 
And~GfGJ &l'ld have mada another interesting novel. In 
rsuoh a ca.ae. tlio m:b1ute analysis of his character, 
the circn.1mstai1ooa eurroundi11s hie fatn!.ly life. hie 
education, hie youth and atlolesoenoe woul<i )J.ave been 
in poirst. 
One 1aQ.ves 1~;t1;L1e2p. wlth tha feeling that Pf;'treda. 
just .tnisaoo wr:ltins .a sraat novel. The a.tmoe:phare ot 
1>oats 1 tarx-1 ropes anrl man0 t11$ sea in ~torl-n and calm, 
t 
toset11er with a aa1·ulro.1 1mpitesa1on of tha BYl'G of life 
d sscribed• ••all thie ts very good. V:Jhere he tails is . 
ln not \a11ing his story tiramaticallYl some of his 
ollaraote:rs artJ not dr~iwn from wi th1n0 a.net they do not 
leave us oonvinoad ot tba:tr reality-, 
le!\ !i~10T!t;1r,.vrnz (1860) 
Early in tha iitory Ver<fnioa, tl1a daughter of' th$ 
f,tiarquiB am:1 Marquise ot ?tontdlves, is sant to :Bra.nee 
to 002~1pleta·•11er education• · · Tllere &Jl1e• inakes tl1a 
acquaintance ot two girls. Laticia Elpinosa and 
Sasra~:lo · 1u.rn1 ta, wllo take upon themselves the · · 
task ot :bnpartins their knowledg19 of the world t~ 
thio unoor>hiettcats<l p:rovincial sUrl.. · · 
· When she returns llonu; wba ,ie a n-iarriageabl& 
young woroan, and ooon ratuJtno the att()ntiona of one 
Papa Gumn£1. ne is a worthy eno1.agb eo:rt. or fellow. 
but 110.0 no tn<:lane. A riob banker., r~'.auricio lb•mam 11 
1e also seelc1ns her handt and ls te,vo~ad l>y Veronica's 
t1other beoause ,of his· ·w~,ltll. The t1nrquiaa inatilla 
in her dau0}'.1ter the idea th.at money is· the only thins 
of value in l.lte. Leticia e.n<l Sngra:rio support tha 
marquise in thia ste.nd• and do their part' in innuano• 
1ng Mica (V·a~on1ca) infavor of tha banker.. · 
Mica. the "WOr1d1y•w1ee girl that her environment 
baa made her, daoid~~s to have both the r:1<n1sy and ·b'1r' 
lover. · Sha cons snta to become Ibanez •.a wife, but in 
nmner only. .Aooo~dtng1y the contract :i.s e.rrane;Gd and 
alle gi vaa ·Pap$ GuwnGtn the key to her bedrooin. 
·, · · · · . She ·haat by bar lovar a dausllter. :r,.uz, a. olnrmi11g, 
innoosnt sirl who ta the inoarnta.tio11 qf thoo e virtues 
ao: long· t9tifled· in hai~ predecessors. · Rica sends her 
away tt school in different places at an early age, 
and t1n~11Y to :&'TanQe so that sl"ur mQy srow to W!lrnanhood 
in ignoJ1ar1oa of l1er motl1er•1 past· life. Nlon h~raelt 
takec; a nc~w le~ioe on llfe and date:.t"'ld.nas to 11va so 
as to be worthy ot bar daue;htar'e innocence antl taitl1 
in haJ-. · ~ihen Lu~ .'b~com.~s eighteen years ot ·age her· .. 
motbar tBkes her trom · tlla co11vant wllare eha .Jma been 
11v1nth .. ·.The g~."rl talle 111 J.o·ve vnl,tb a you.*'le; tr.an ·nmv1ad 
4nsal lTdnea. l'fiaa has for son1e titue been borrowing 
m<H1ay .trom .. ·thie youth. 'a f~t.he:t', who ie a man of the · · 
most rigid ri1ural pr!lnqipale, '7Jhen the fwnily- learns 
of J(ncel •e love tor l•Ur.a thasr ai...-e ho~rifies and tell 
him the mother's b11toey. The 'boy, seeking Bdv!lc~, . 
goes· to L&.t:lcia _ 1~1,inoaa. whom. he conside:r0 a f:riandi, 
but who. in rea.11.tY' is fu~e€~tly infatuated with him. 
Sh•J adv:Lsas: hitn not \Q tnar:ry Luz. 'Subsequently eh.a 
wr1 tea tlle girl· a lettel* telling bar that aha ts the 
daushte!' <Jt ·Pe11e Guzi:nk. Tbs shock· o"f tll1s revelation 
b reaks her health.and ln a ohort time oha dles. 
lt 1~ ~zl'erada ha~ abandoned the 
?JonteHo exoept to1• $1.lght ratarenoea to 1 t ata the 
beginning e.11d. encl of the atOX*:f_t' in ~ye 
46 
ha.n: ·ao1~i,ietely. dener:too it. ne .is. harm tn ~ i'ielct 
completely foreign to bim; ~e is ·detand1n;; 0 thee is 
that la tlle trutt of a 11t~1ong prtt~udicea in short 
depraved uvba~ 11te,, uo~atioa11y _infon,ed that it 
io ~eprasentatiVG Qf City' '11to _ac a VlhOle when. Of B11 
'llOft Q.f ld.s t#.mo .. ha was. 0110 ot t~· 'ienet competent to 
' ' 
1Wite.witb.itnpnrt1al1ty on tbm subject. 
4Clla procedure· is highly determb,,.0t:Le. rr1oa 
l!ontAvea: 10 ·ou!':rotindad by deprfAivetl, lanoble el'la:rac• 
tera, all ot v1)?.om are overslt1l'l.1t1G<l in the direction 
' . ' \ 
neoecu:aa11y tor· th~ support ot tho nuthor•o thesis. 
Ber o~tcotna can 'ba foreseen· tx-om the f'irat. and lier 
teJ.l fa-om vi,...tue. doe0 not move u9 :sreatly. If thara 
had l~aen exert@d upon bar even the. rn:tnirltun of tlloee 
iHf1Uel'lCJ$S. for ·gOO.d .,Jhioh tOUOb OJ-«lin.e.:rily eVP..n the. 
n1oet ·1ow-"Qom at ·one tiJno or a,riothor :we O()uld piotur·e 
her more lOg:loally BS tll<;l' V~Ct!m of Q 4ej)'X'SVOO social 
- ·' ~ 
,. ' '' '' ' ' ' ,·, '' it.:• . .. ' ' ' ' 
order. .r~ it ia, thG rooult ia .tdc<> clearly p:rede• 
~ • I 1 ·; ~ ' 
te~ined to oarry conviction. 
· Pc&x-eda ooultl nevel'· oova e~aot_ea.· _ue to accept 
thfJ cruel· con~eptton ot virtue ~epraae~ied ·1n tha 
visitation of the· 01110 ot her a.noeato:ra on I,uz bad 
110 not b~en doggedly' <1ot0minstl to uphold hia thesis 
to the blttar '$nd, Virtuous aa he eho'WS htmaalf to 
47 
'be in h1s worln1 u· a whole• thie t?'eatn1en.\ ot the 
oomuaquencea of sin strikes 1as as unfair an<l unwnrthy' 
of a man ot his evident sppathy ~nd understanding. 
\Ve c1oso the book with a feeling ot qw:lneas and ~B• · 
bell ion. 
Ef.ill£AS A'RRIBA (1895') 
Don Celso, a benevolent o o of native 
. mountaj .. n a took. the laet of a ems l ne or rural 
patr1a:rol1S, is · approaohlns th.e end o t ld.Q day-s 
saddened at the prospect of dying. without an heir 
who could carry on his work ln the comrtiunity. For 
m&ny generat1011e his ancestors lmva exercised a 
so~t ot patriarchal. eway in the lives of their neisll• 
'bors, »y virtue of their positions it has naturally 
fallen to them to wa.toll over theiit lese fortunata 
aoqua1ntances••now enooura.st.ns,. now .. eEJtrainins tbem, 
slv:bis a ''ord ot sage advtoe o~ even aiding them 
finano1t41y if the otroum.stanoea demanded it. 'rl1is 
~el1POlu'!Jibll 1ty had 1ons e lnoe oo~a to be a snored 
trust to them, motivated by the doctrine of 0 la nob1·asth9 
obl1g4~. · 
Sir1oe nona ot Don Celso•a children ha.ve survived, 
he looks upon his ne})he1v, a native of ?l.adrid• as the 
possible solution of his ·. p~ob,lem... Tlde young man, 
Don ?itaroelo by nBnle, le tlle typical city youth of . 
. average parts. lte en3oys an inaonie adequate tor his 
needs, and having sowed diaoretely his portion of 
· wild oats ia prepared to s•ttla down mnid the eleganc• 
lea ot the capital. Ills u.ncle'e request snakes vary 
little impreaaion upon him at fi:rat. but finally in 
a sp1J-it ot filial duty ha dao1des to oomply with 
woot ha auopaote may be a last request, He prep~es 
tor the visit, but with little or no idea ot·beins 
able to accede to his uncle'e dearest wiah,, •• that 
he renounoa hia idle lite in l\1adr1d a.nrl rnalca his home 
permanently in the mountains• 
At the eml ot tha first lap of tlla journa7 he 
is mot by Don Oe1so•s serva11t. Chiaco, and the two 
. compltt)te the rest of th$ Journey on horaal,ack,. For 
a oity•bred youns man ·this ~ourney wtUJ bound to be 
:replete w1 th ourpr1ains scenes. Ha.roelo •a first 
inipreseion0 wera those ot awa and wonder in the 
presence ot euoll rugged surroundings. These aa11e way, 
as the assent been.me mora difficult. to othera ot 
disgust and indifference. Xt ts a more or lese dis• 
sruntled Don llaroelo who ia finally ~eoalved by hi.a 
49 
unol$. at .. the e'n(l Of the jrmrney •.. At the. SUjlper tabla. 
tlle villagr' ·tiri eat: Don ~~l>rUt Penae .aml one Pad~o · 
1\folasco,. botll (.)f whort1 ha.vi! ~nticipn.tad his· nrri va.1, 
.pay t~eir ·rt;)speots,. G)1d after .thG .\leuu.l filxolw.nse ot 
fonnali tiaa l1~a.roelo :exousea hir·self' und ret:t:r~s. 
. . ~"'Otn thfl: tollow:\nf~ mornfi. :'1f~ there· : bt.1ZtginrJ · the 
trlow prcu1eam .tff aco":1nUition tl'.k,,t ].a deatined eventually 
to cminga:· f.ea1•Q$lO 'a whole .. outlook, on life. l)on Celso 
do ee eitarythinE) 1n· bis power to malt·~ )11s nephew 00111• 
fortGible •... ·lie: ts .. pl'ovtde\i with a l1orse1 and bi company 
;With Ohisco' ·ancl tlie latter's boon CQtnpa.i1ion1 Pi to 
Sslces ··: he~ goes· ,on nurtle~ous :bunt'ing. ":@e<U tions. 
. · ln· t.he course ·Qtt. thes~ jaunts .ha laarna much ot 
· .· tbe ·histoi-y 1))1,d · s'<>cial bqlckgroun;d of the .various mem• 
be~s of,the oonmauntty •. · no lGu-ns· a111ong.otbar things 
· tllo.t 1laci.a, ·.tha won1an eervnnt in Don, .Celeo•e .household 
and her daughter., .Tona1 · were taken in after. the · 
·.mother bad been· closei"tad by her ·1 tine~cnt mountebank 
. huobf:lnd •. :.Pl~o .·Selces. also, (1011f•1sees .his love for 
Tona.. ·ahiaoo tella h1in too o:f his passion for Tanasia0 
· · . tl1e daughter ot el Topexao, ·Qlld apealte of his rival • 
. . Pepazcm, favored. by t11a sirl •e family: beoause of his 
mGre alnmt,ant mGane. · 
. . !!aroelo meetSJ .another village :rs:xture in the 
person· ot. el :Tartl'tlbo, a man who l~le a mania for look• 
lng attar.the: nt:fa:Lrs of hia neighbors to tha ar~at 
d0trima.11t ot. his own. · tJ;'he v~ .. llnae .doctor 1a Haluoo 
Celis. He io a youna; man .who has .nettled in the 
mountains,, oontant ,wt th a e1nall :p:ro.otioe. As he 
~xplai11a to !~n.roalo• who mnrvale ~t hie ability to 
·. fi11d r•;nl hnppinens hare, h., is really in hia natural 
element. because this 01000 o<>nt~ict !witl1 natura is · 
tood and dr:lnlc .to tlla post . nntl painter in hie nature. 
Us cU.sotma<acr in .~ron.t length the ad.vantagaa at the 
eimr,le life over that of the cU.ty, ·and doubtlGas is 
one of those rnost respo11eible tor r;sroalo'e · Enabsequent 
metBnlQrphosis. · 
. Don Pedro Molaeco 's daU$1iar, f,~arl•Pepa, and his 
nieoa, Lituoa, are frequent visitors in Don Celso•s 
home, ancl r~aroelo is at once attracted by the evident 
oharacto~ a11d r,trUd.ns n1lpearanoe ot the latter. 
Without accompanying Ji1aroelo through the weeka 
that :lrvme¢liately followed l!aibm. 1m:r.ri:td. at,~~, .. 
weekS ctavoted to huntjhl\S ·ln .the, hillli o~.' to. 1tietits 
about the town. wa come to the'tlma wben De>:n Oelso'a 
health takes a. decidetl turn for the worse. As Neluco 
has oJ;plo.1necl to Mal1'oelo, his uncle's dsath 1e a 
me.t.ter ot months. It is the case of ·the ma.chine 
49 
that i.s warn out. and no one oQ.11 predict when tbe 
end will b~. 
\Vhile M1aroelo has come to find his surrounrl• 
inse 1nuch inore bearable than at the beginn111g., he 
11 uoarcaly surB that bG could 'bs llamnr thBr~ tor 
tllG rent ot his lifQ. Realizing, howeva:r, tllat liiis 
u1101e•a daa.:rraet wish to to have hiin adopt this mocl'3 
ot life au hta OW!lt he talls h:bn ona day thz'4it be . 
'dll clo all he oan to carry on his worlt• na rnnkes 
this deolaratlcm witll the rn~ntal ~esarvat!on that 
after his tu1ole'a death, it be oan no longer stand 
the raonotony of. tl1e hills, lle wil~l be trea to return 
to l~adrid. 
Don Celso bas anotha:r severe attack and a short 
time after aoqqa1nt1ns ?i!arcelo with his dutiee as 
hair and. head of tlla littlG comrnun:tty (U.es. There 
than follows tho final t'l!tJt of ruircelo's .resolution. 
Wl1ile l1ie uncle lw.d bear1 alive ha hac:l' bad much to 
do oaring for him, but now tbat he was gone tha house 
seemed empty. r;~a.J'oelo oarinot resist the urse to 
return to Madrid .tor a little while, DBfo~e he soea 
he dil1cusoaa with Meluoo the i1dvisabillty of his taltins 
a wife,, and f.T~luoa suggests Lituca ... a susgeetion 
wllioh wll:i.le it dovetails psrfeotly with J!aroelo 1o · 
own oho1Qe. suxilrises ll:bn because hQ had long imnsinad 
Neluoo to be in love with the girl himself. 
Ile finde life in ?~!fld:rid boring after· his sojourn 
in tha ri1ou.nts.ina • end after . a:rransing hls affaira 
J'eturns to Tablanoa. He redecorates hie :house, helps 
the bashful Pito Baloes plead l1is suit with Tona., and 
rna:rries Lituoa hitrJJe1t. 
rsnrlo flrF'-PS:• cbrono1ogioally the last ot Pareda•e 
novela• rliaputas first place with SOtilez91 as the high• 
aet and most a:rtietica1ly finished expra~sion ot tl1e 
author•a social pl1ilo;op111 •• the doctrine ot the 
Simple Life. While it hM greater unity and more 
regular movernant than the latter, it is moraov~ the 
product of a philosopher whose outlook on 11ta has 
bean tempered and me1lowed by ase and experience, 
The novel is dedicated to the auth()r's beloved son 
·5'0 
Jua,n I~anu.01, who$e daa.th ocourrod ¥1hoi1 tha novel we.a 
about ttJ/O · thi11da 001npl·etoo.. ltnt)wins thta nnguish · tllat 
oucil · u lostJ would oause to ,.. man of Peredl\•s '"nsibil:I.• 
'' 
' l ' 
ties{ we oan wel·t app:.eaciate the atfort it muot hnvo 
) 
ooat 11:1.m to ftnieh the novQl l\n~l hio at:t"orto "to ceelc:, 
in. ·t11a portootu~' )re3ion00 ot Art~ Qne t'1o:ra Jtefuae f1•om 
tbe ·t~eat~ be1iesins an. oppre0oed spirit~·.· 
Tho novel .. "" hao but sliallt '.l'sreonal :l.ntal'ent • 
.. 
The various olmraota:rs 0 wl1ila intere$ti11s plctu:res 
. ' . 
·'. ' ' . 
the :rusaGd rnountaii1 landaoepo fills.~ tllo · scene. . Par<ada . 
l'lt.\C · •a.turnG4 to~ his lat:Jt and moat prstent1ouo work 
to tha. ~.1011..ta:ia; and, tree from ~11 didactic p:reoo~u· · 
patlon• hae. a;ivsn 1t111 anotller;and hie gioeatf'!at• 
) 
·.tnterpreta.tiol~ ot n~ttu.•a• In ~~Uft.JJ, agrib£b na:turG 
'" . il ; .' . . . . " . 
. is · not tha. baolt,ttf'ountl a&-aimit which th~ra transt>'ire 
events Of,~ .!UQr~ ;OJ* leaG tl'iVlal nature •• a literitry· 
prooedur41 praotioed ·by many lass ~Qmp~t~nt writers · 
who wive dxaasged: i1Btu:rs in by the heela · al th.011gl1 
·they :tmve no· l'enl inter~at ·-in Its trerttlr1a.nt. In·. this 
novel· the n.o.tui-al ba.oke;.round ~"louv.uas. propo:rtlnna·,ot 
g:rendeur and s:lsnif'ioance. betJauEJG ·1ta 0 1lft" and 
toot o't the protas;oniata he.vs literally tuaed• ·a,.nd 
they develop eida by $1do. 
ill I n• I I flt II J. I 
;i 
· W$ lmve auten that Pereda developed tro1u a ·writer 
Of dUBdrOS de COetmnbras. to Q nOVeltet Of OOrnparatiVta-
ly wide :tanse, and that ll1 the e,fpoa1tion of him 
ph:lloeoph, of.lite he tried hie.hand.at the preeenta• 
tion of.divers .p:roblallUJ w1th varylns suooeu~·. If ~pon 
. '.. . " : " " . " . ' ,· ." . " . . " -'. ' . ' ' ' 
ocoaslon lie deserted the r'itontana and sought to present 
a plotn.are 'ot lite in a tieid al'ten''to 'ti1e .S..q.ntander he 
ltneti ao' thorouSlllr, a broad' sympathy tor ;tha study._ot 
· natu,,e ts at~11 evident in almost eJ.1 his work, even 
thouah :t t ma)r sometimes be relegated to an aooesso~ 
position. M<U!'EH>Vt9Jt1 he tlOVer ceased to be a JU!~tum~ 
· briota, . even l~ those worl'e that as a wliole have to 
be denied such G ClBSBifiOBtion. 
~.bD~i e.l'~:r~~2 l"~su1ted tn .a :d.as(to beoaw·u~ ot 
the theels .. '" aar~ies, and beoaue:e ln h1$ tJ'eatment 
ot his· eub3eot he line bea~ t~o de.tenn1niat:t.c. --Onl~ 
·the. most naivE) tender ·oou1d· nocap"b h1s ru:moluniona 
•t' ' . . . 
as . her·e praaented • On1y lf1 spots does' l t do Pereda 
1: .. 1 ' ' '• 
. credit. tt 'c<>ntaine ·a tew tolerably ·raal:lstio passages, 
··and 'the scene d~!•ttns Gedeon's daa.th ts the one oon• 
'vtnclns part ot the boo1c. Nl·a tbasia novel .. it provea 
nothinfh 
1 In ~12 §$none~ .we sea Peiwada in a happi~ vein. 
·, Me:re he 10 te111ns us a etor1 tor ite, own sake, and 
if in reality the novel is a sat1r~ ·o_, ooitrupt l>olltloa 
the didaotio element ls kept in "th$ background, and 
his leaeon ii! conveyed ~a.thel- by itlpl1cat:lon tlmn 
'by di):tect presentt4tion • 
• ~ti.1'1sa repreae1'l'ta a11 ettort equalled and. sur• 
i>assed on1y by l!~Dnt:? ~rr:lpa.\ In 1pite of numerous 
tnconsietenoiee and. m1ep1aoed analysis, ~he novel a1 
a whole does ~ereda sreat o~edit. It+. iu. tho sener~1 
imp~eaeton we set tJ'om tlle wo:rktlilat ie con'Vincins. 
smd. not the deliraeatlon ot intU .. vidual oha.racters. 
nei-e the author appea"s as a sood worlanan, fast 
a.oquirlns tba technique of a noveli;t. 
After SOl,&li~t!f. l\ la diaappo:Ln'ting th&t Pereda 
should lmve d~opped to tbs low 1ev~1 ot 14a l~(gntfD,ysa. 
liere he.t is aga.:l.n in a field unknown to him1 ·and 10 
wrappEK,1 up in h:ts tlafarwe of a thesis that his work 
auttars on that account. ·x~. tnaY be said. generally 
that whenever 'tllG tl1Gsio ts preaent his WOJ'kB laak a 
pene.tratins. unbiased ana1~~le of oba~aoter, are 
determini0tlc and oversS.mplitied, and tor all the 
above, reMon~ unoonvinoins and unrealls'tlo. 
I!.~De.1! arr&ba ii Pereda' a most fin:lsl1ed and 
oonv1nolng. p:roduotion, Xt ie the oongelation of ld., 
1ooial philoaoplly combined with tile oubl.itv.atton ot the 
natural surround.inss of the fi!ontana. It ).'ltaaults in a 
good. novel because the author was here on firm ground, 
and had an opportunity to mal'e t1aa of tl:le rnateria1e 
wh!ch he wae best titted by tempermnent.t: training 
. ' . 
and inclination to use. The novel ta a plea for 
the 8blP1e ·:i.ite ~ld natural su:r:roundinga, but 
>,I, ' ;O • , ' ' ' .l • ' 1 · •,• 
there la no thins '•iu.t app~oachee a thasls t¢> 
b' defended. The wo~k deeervsa to :rank ea 
l?e.-eda•·e maetefp1ece. 
ORAP'l'lm .V 
Some Aspects ot Pereda'• Social Philosophy 
\Vlth the exoeption of th'El t1vo ~eare spent in 
Mn.d%'ld a0 a xd.litar:/ •tmlant (1a;2.-18~4l1 a aho,.-t 
tJliP to Parle (1B64).1 and sucb ·journe~to G'bout the 
J?enimu1a.; aa his obl!sationo a a liter~y rcan de• 
znanded~ Pereda epgnt a11 h!s :u.tG in tlle Asolnted 
northern r>rovinoa ot. Santander., Thia 4istrlot, 
harr.1ned in on tlle one side by the ooenn and. on the 
otllar by tbe bold Cantabria11 mountaimJ. is out oft 
not oriJ~Y . fl-om miu-ope in aa11era1, but even trorn the 
•eat ot Bpatn-. In euoh SHi.)fJ1ueton he pa.aaad his 
·adclesoenoa, received ld.ca ea~ly eolloolins, and 
formed ble flret :lropreas!ona of ooolaty. -In the 
11sbt Of··· hia taw subssqtlEnttt travels and contacts 
with other r-eoples and eustonJU 6 it would be vars 
notable it suob ot:roumstanoaa did not greatly in• . 
. flU,ence h1o sooio1 attitmle, The quiet, eln1ple 
mode.of life, rGB hO ObservEKJ·i_t ln thii Vil1asas Of 
hie native pr(>V:intJ.°91 l)erecla ooneidered the beat Ob• 
ta.lnabie. and the· ~oz-e of hia social· ph11osophy is 
a pl~a for ite pr~oervutiOn• 
· , ln ·his ow l:lte, as· we11 a.a· in h:ta wrl tings• 
Pe:re{lB, wne a Christian· putrtarob. rmd ever conscious 
ot hie oblia:atiom \o· th..o~e -beneath bun and dQJ)&lldi!lit< 
ent u1,or:1 hh1 tor: :t:td.danoo e1'.Kl . ,_nooui-aa~eut. . ne did 
• l 
llot .ltve·:b3f' ·one set. cf .ota;ndarda. !and ·;write by another. 
ne did not present , tht): picturE) ot ·~()11~ t.tl'lo e:ilt11,ly went 
.. t\lJOu.t dobl(l _e;ood ~11d pt'arioh:\ng tba· good .l!te •• he 
!f.--A good •.. The Qhrtetian p~ti•iarcb ittan. p~nn~atao 
. th.a £ll~~l!1.,.,co1JU2~.ta 1a1icl ·le the; ltey. to .thfli:r inta:r,. 
i X~l:1eta~tior1~ FJtom tba publioat:ton i'lf' .• tha .. :aumvas mt?n~9'· 
.. ! • ·:it~£iL..(lP44l.. Pe:r~n;•e 1\Tl ttnsa can 1)~ eoen tald11ns 
.. th$. totem ot a .scoiclor~ioa). ·tJ1oa1.a,: sm-newlJat after the 
·rilann(~r of Ba111m.o'~ 98L1~ llJ!f.f~'~Jt,.the purpoea ot 
· 'f!b$.Qh t11e-s, .to .(l,ef~ritl the autl'.lol"'a 1~riric:tpa~e of :eisht 
ltv!na. and .·· .• to.· -att~M'Jlt · vt.sorouely a,l .. l. _.!ufluaaee' tlmt 
: .te11t\Qtl .t,o tnterfet"e. ~ul tb th$rU• Ao the Ohi-~;etS.e.n 
.; ._pa.t3'3.al1ch ··~ .~~ his l>rotl1a:r•a :!teeper. .•• we 7aQogn:Lse 
P~eda ·~ .. tlle. ~r,011etyp$ ot nucl~, .or()t.t~ione as .Doii 
11l!ri1.tfn. tri ·· llll.11.~9 .. ~!l .. q~n.rS~f11~4 .. t-:l.~.gm:1~rJ:il!.!.• tl)ld 
Don Cti?>l#Bo :l!'l. F.limf~.w:J:t'iJJlt. : · It .. ma, :t?er~o.'a conviction 
tl1at . o~rtatn Onf?a !r1 av~~'!IY et:>oia\ e.~Qup. a~e born . to 
pos1tior1u of ·:responaUl!ltt1 •• born w1tti. the right 
and alnlll ty. :to. acquire 1'.tic;ht':r euu~o:t:l.011. . Thf!ae few 
• 'J •• 
ai'e tho pe.~).'iarohe of b!e ldea1 soo!oty; M their 
wisdom and mtarla1 xu>oaf>lm~ions. t~1o~eaee so dQea 
tho1~ :reoponell>:l1tt7. ~ from e·arvlns as naaim ot 
pe1•oonul. · eelt!eb. · asa~·l141t1~11ama11t they aro a saore6 
trust to be used to':t bettering the lives of thooe 
who look to them tor advioe and e11couragmnent. 
In the face ot a~y ·1n11ovatlona that might 
tend to destroy the etattaa quo of his oho1en soc.lal 
group Pereda. ·se hlshlu intolar,1'1lt. Thia is J)art1cu1ar• 
17 tlle case e1inoe bis p:reoonceptiona made h:lm contaide~ 
a11 onanst&e baneful pesi:- ae, Hts convictions on aome 
problems show h:Un to 'be guided more by tbe heart than 
by a dispae1Sloruli"G acitntlt1o attitude. 
"Pereda p:rooeed•d by 1nstinot•. impelled by the 
· heart_. by impulses genuinely Spanish and those ot a 
piou•. legendal'y Jl&dal,sg. ma religion, hi• _.Jcuib@:ll~rta. 
hie t£11al eubmtesion to the kind example ox; his 
:father. and 'C;o tha p,lane of hia elder brother, were · 
the inepiratione that moved him to scatter dark clouds, 
to protaot tha wealc against the strons, and to demon• 
atrate practioai1ly tllt~t 011e flnda a treasure by digging 
in tlle cornel* ot his O\'Dl sarden111 · 
... ectant'itio attitude 
Pereda attaoka violently all of the palpable 
ooientitio rr.anifGstationa ot advancing civ1liB&ltion. 
"Pereda'e eciucatlon nsver led hint far into theories 
ot politioal ar1cl social so1ar1oe, Hie peculiar. avax-o1on 
to eo1En'ltitlo les.rn1ns, particularly,~diequalified him 
for an appreo!lation of auoh sc1enoe.nG 
. Xn these ttingibla media ot oommunioo.tlon -~ suoh 
aa the telepl10ne1 telegraph• railway and newspaper •• 
he saw e. grave threat, obnnne1a for the ra.pitl c.U.saemin-
ation of ideas tha.t would plnnt tlla aeeds ot <loubt and 
1, :tdemi p. 12 
a. A:tzunt\')s a Op, o1t. p. 14 
unrest.. ln ~.tiJ..$.!t.Q on~ of tba olia.1•aotaro l>r;,vm.llo 
't11a to.ot tlmt :tbt me~olltt4nts do uot d$V~l·op tholr 
Owfl CU~~1Qr'Q0,, 'fllGl( open.d too tdUOll thn~, he aaya. 1 
( I 
001'1tltdorb1s tl1$ proposed railway trom Alai- to 
·6alttand$~:. '411d ·o. eiHlaJmf3h1t' llna b:s"twe~1 trantan(la:r 
arid C\aba· •. 
"I-ilways9 Stt;taiP.sht~a1 2¥\l<>ll~rdy ventures; 
tomfoolery ·ot a restle01 peopl\1 ·who · a:fa esga.r to 
tw.sta to:rtune, but· of wliom in the e11d j;t will: t~s 
aat4: 'here :u.ee a Spard.e!'d who beina: ·well r.Jf wiebod 
to "be b'att~r'•., •..• ,tt we taanQse wit...ll what ·we have at 
our immediatG dl1peu~e.l and do11''' plunge into. st1oh 
insane itenturee u those ot the railway and the 
· s teawshil:JS . ( wldoll, thank ·God, .amounts· to t10 more · 
tlJBn the· dream of some four loaf era) ''e shall ~romper 
:and ·quickly see ·our pennie• turned :tnto .flo11&ra"· :P 
Rldioul;1ns · '1Ciant~ .. tio :raeearoh, . Pe~ed~# apeaktng 
:throueh Don Daldomero An ~~~ ;s~ya.: 
. "V!hat possible aava.nt~e;e to . society :fts · there in 
the fa.ct "tbat, s.f'te:r tv1anty yaa.rs ot eearching, nn 
Qstronome:r.0 crouched behind hie t~leooopa,_ ahoul~d . 
. amiounoe that· he sees one tlOre 11 ttle etQr in ·the 
beavena tl"';a,n ''a dQf fJi. th ll~lf of thoaa now discovered 
l have moi•e · tlmn. X ·can ue e. s-nd so do you. Pablo•; , ., ~. 
St1ppe>ee be, nm1ounoas. that a oomat . £1 gotns to appa~ 
at a· certain tirae. lt it ~py;ears we are solns ·to see 
it anyllo''• '~nd if it does2not, ot what conoelvn.ble .. good ''us · ·tlle p:rediotlont · 
"Let someone aver tl'uit A:rietotle or PJjlato said 
auoh a;nd ouch a th!r1a• Wllat do you have tllen? .• •. 
opiniooo. disputes and a:re;umenta. lloesn•t ·that seem 
the haic;ht of stupicU.ty? As for P:fa~tical eoieracs •• 
meobanlca • physics oi- ohemiat:r;v ... £\11 that· arnounta · 
to lq ·th4' pw,aton for inild.ns up in 1ort1etb1ng tllnt.: 
· 1. .~mmzai p. ·1,a 
2. mi, ·an~or ·d
1
1 ia· t&,p,:.tt~.;a: p •. 43 
dcea not oon·oern U8
1
tt, .. Xf men Wo·Uld . of11y .11 VG tn the 
1p11ere that irtrned1ate11 surroundm: · tll~'· · tbey. wou1dn ''t 
slve a anap of· tllelr tln5+Jrs t
1
or all tlle sclentifio. 
hubbub of the present. ·0Q•1tury~ 
.. Pe~eda •o :: atta.cl~s on tho pretJa . ot hie da~r took 
. . . 
t,«>· #o~;:,·. · ·ii~e firDt ts t11u11trate<ij.n !JJm!PP =gs, tlst!o 
:. •' 
0
, ··and .·ln JSu)?J!..~D~~.. ·xn thn. t~rme ... h$ bitt$:rl~r b$rates 
J I ' 
the pres&· .ot Dad~td, JI(f tiecue(')s ~t f:Jf 'belna biased 
at&d. lon.tb ta !f!.Cctl{DllZ~ l?J'OVlnclal \ttitel'a unt!l tlielr 
tame· b.a:s aon~ . hr'i f wrAiY lfOtl'nd th~ world.• . on tbs otheJt 
:\ band, 
1
htl :a11~s~a that 1\ Pl'Biaes. w1tlmut <l~lGtJ\ion any• 
; ~ ' ·) ' , ', •• • t '• • • • ' '. ' •• '. • • ! \ • '. ' .. , 
thtna. tl~1'1i 100.i· w!t£)ro prmtuce •. : 111.tn~·1atter Don 
. Silvestre·. a oharaoter wllo baa alwo.ys ~ood and -praised 
·· ·.the. d.Jttiol,~s 111. a snetro1~olitr1.n !1owapaper, ·diaoovero, · 
. 'When he visits ·the c1ty1 that the a.uthor is a' lo~ 
m,l11ded l'lbt1rtint!t. Don $11 VQStra. Qtl?l $r.,"a.rcely bei1ave 
l1ie ovn1 ey~as wb~n ha saea the ~dlto't.Jlf'thie .paper 
' ' ' . 
pnrt:tcipettns in the 11~)r3t. ·i·evolt·i,n~~ deoouelie~.n 
0 J\Iad .. ~o .tll.Gt pa.per. th~t I UiHKl ·~o 1•'at~d in my 
V:lllaao w!th $1ACh faith 10· «(U.ted .by B nt.an Of that 
.eta:np1 Antl all tl1oaa artioleo t!iat pleaded for 
sraatar o~dEJr1 JnOt~1ty• comliwt:d.t,. welfare, :httroanity. · 
philanthropy aiut brotherhood, tar f!'Om bein~ truthful. 
are a ;aor11estous .joke, an t11eu1 t to Goel and man, 
and ru1 tsnoble .exPloltat!on ot pub~io good taith?112 
In an()thel": mood he ellotva 111.maelt to be l .. ess 
b!tter.in.the.mottor ••more .inol-!ned toward humoroua 
M J:l l I .. ' .l thtt. 
1. m..P.nbor d2 ia .• tJIJ:tt'S£1# Pit:· :;o 
2. Esoenas montanesaa1 p. 208 
....... . ' ti 
'I, ' 
\. 
I 
bnt1'tt»l? · an(l X-idio~Jle,.· ·Er'J.'?4?.}11.~J :of: tbiO. tlr<!!~~lel'lt B~e 
to be tound ;b:r the plrott ... gord.1t 's SltPe1~ianoeo as a 
,,$VS1pa1~s;~ ·tlWl t?.1td li ter~r~r ori:t1c. in tba. nov~l r~c1:a. 
. l"'od-~c s£1ch~z 'WGJJ eu1-priaod to ttnd. tlif.\t there 
•. '•were raany .11eop1Cl) connected witll tlie· nev;ur~pe:r who 
w01~e 1n•ittns about tbtais$ oonoornbtg ·,,i1ich tl1ey knew 
' - ' ' . 
notld.i1s. · · Pea:io · u.elts the Wiito?t about this poi11t and 
tbe ln.t·bo:r ~u.s1fliaoea bis ·Qtieation witli ·a· laught 
·. · . •!V!e woul·d · bo· ti1 a fine ~ t(\te if· "flt) hU.d always 
to know t>1a fnottt .of tlta thincn. wo di~cuci~. tn the 
pe1,pox•ii-.: Wliy do we neo~i el::tll nn<l ·c1ev{3,meas in ·this 
·bus11lass 1t.lt.:1s: no·t ao that.we f\"!,ay-ent.er 11herevsr 
wo Qboo$01 . disctar.ul a. rmattert. and tl1en .· ~o·tree·t ·wi tll• 
out the f e.nr that sorr.oons rosy l1Qvo. in the me~~tln1e., 
. blocked our w~y· of ·esQ&po41f atill. in, the ua~ ot words 1 
ia more lrlpo1:-to..nt tlian s:r.eat erucli tion in this bueiness". 
r.n t!110 ~\)!1z~<t... ~erscla t1"ee/tn hlu;-:orol:tSlY the ''"'e 11 !Ill ;~1Mib~ .,.. (J Jr 
r •.• 
ot the ~odorn rotJorte~. J..fter $u~,roariz1na his activi• 
tioo :CM1d. 1.'aj eotb'lQ: b!tn na at'l 1ntU.t~tmoua b1'nnb~h vroduct, 
. ha batnll3 tha .re.ct . that the lfOUng roen 1ttho n~end so 
tnucb energy in. thio vocation M"Ve p:roat1tutad their 
ta\enta for such ~· tl'1via'1 en.rl. .Thoj.f'. r.a1oon d •eti-e,· 
be says., . i.o dur~l to :two things .... tho d01ibtful "honor• . 
ot hav!nm tl1a1r orm pnpSJr be the f!r{Jt to !>~int 
.! 
60 
print a siven place ot rieWs; t1~e ·sr~wi>1s ·r~®:la on 
., ..... ,, . 
, the part ot the Spanish people tor "sooopa" and 
"last•tn1nute nawa that, as eoon as the~. are reei\1 
will be · toi•gottum tor still later or1es .' 
Pe!'eda •lludes. to the Darwinian theorN ot 
evolution as u1"i110rtl1;v ot evGn serious discussion~ 
nca ahowa ~imeelf susp1QiQUD of dootor1·. This attitude 
is not particularly notable bGoauoe ther~ had 1ang 
existed a .~i10tlfiabl0 0011ten.pt tor theil:' pi-aotloea • 
and the;v ·had 'baen roundly att~oked in literary worlca. 
"• Eepanolismo\ 
fe~eda ts thoroughly 3panlab in' teinpsrmnont, and 
an OxPOnent ot thoeJG 1dsals tll&t tl1e world 1189 stamped. 
, G\0 diatinctively 0Mti11tin• U.!~1enentez Y' Ps1ayo speElkS 
· ot him aa 
•oi1l1) ot tbs inost thoroughly Spanlah writers 
of all those that hav~ tlouriahed in the present 
( ninotellnt~1), oQntury•a 
. . . ,' . 
ma !1; diatruattul of foreign la11tls and foreisn 1nflu• 
enoes • ~oth in 1:1 taratu~e and poJ.,1 tlos.. 'rhera ta an 
apparent 1nctms1ateno;r itl t.hle attitmle.since 
"As a. man of oultuJ'a he was W$ll acquainted with 
the beat in French. JJ.nglish and ltallan letters• 
belris p:rottoient beeiues in the first two lansuaaes • .,3 
1. Bassett, R.E.t ap_cit.. Introduction., p. XXV 
2. Vide :'.supra~: pp.21• 24, ~hapter III 
3. Bassett, R.-m.: Op. cit.. Introduction, p. XXJ.V 
Wh\11• he ii ·a1ngular1.y 1cath to· r·en•o't tiutsi4e · 
\, ' ' •.... . .. 
lrd'luanoea eithe~ ln 1anguaga ·or "t.hOusht, ·he uses 
many roi•fi'iisn· wo~do ··111: his works. i·Iowever, ·it ~111 
be totmd'.tiiatr these a:re:u$ed elthe:t•' to" add to the 
devel.optiua11t o:t a: olw.racter1 o7 ·&s: a rueu1UJ.n of ridicule. 
mt ha& muoll to saf abou~ thes" foreign influonoea in 
' . ' ' ' . . . . ' !) 
· ht• ??.,&aoun2 ·d1 · &11S£f39R'f · 
~: · · · :· · !bi A?oi~o@ '. Q; · T!f1PJI he •pewee ot the United 
,·.· 
:.,4l11 bwent.7e~ depooitoey of· all the· \iot.•ltl •o · 
sreate1t. thieves, • 1abyrlnth ot things b$.g and 
tuuifl) ... · · · · .· 
' . ' 
Xn 
oniat •ho& 
· ''brag& that he 4oesn •t bel.iev~ in God because 
·he lmd·Spt.lnt" some·six day"· in ·thca' UnitGCl Statos"4 · · .. 
In koepir•s witb bis blind. nationa..\iam• li'el'eda ls 
·extremely b·it'ter ~a.inet the indint10.· .·Ha saw· in him 
auaotlun.• · souroe, ot c0 ntact w1 th extraneous soo ial 
e;%'oups••at1other diatu'tbing in.fluencus. The ,indfaru,J' 
wa$ bound to· asairailatG new ideae: and: ·OUStOr~s ·. Wllile·· 
·abroad. ·and upon .luu :return the paot>lt· ot the com-
1~ Sea ~~&1e1a tos-· piot':ilre ot Don Bernabe . . 
a. V&d! sm,ra1 Cliaptei' :u:i~ p. 21 
' • ·, ~"' ' , ; 1 ' 
3. pocetom al tem2le:, .»• 237 
4. ~. bp';t ,.1~1~1 to: p. 34$' 
6a· 
munity would• in e1)ite of tlim1tnll'V'll't · r2act. to tl~Cm*• 
to theii' diJ.Jadvfir1tfige, co11t~mtled Pereda. In. 1i1on Oo,nma.J:p .. 
~onzl~ez d!nl ~£~ GO£UJP1eaz we have ~ p!oture of the Jndiara2 
tlmt ha is Qt\Q.cltins. lt -v1a.s this chnirRcter'a expx-esa 
purpoc0 to ill11>0Ete his nev1l~·atlquired "oul tiwe't upon 
the ea.sy•going villne~r~ he bad left veers bt!lfo1-e. · ·In 
th!s partit;lulnr· o~se hit, influe11oe ·waa .not only distu~b· 
i11s but ui~1~str<>us, Tbe ·follov1ins; ·pu~HHiee givee · a.n 
idmi or his aspirations& 
°Cotaruoo.: will bo ·just, m~ I l. ett i t 0 hnlf tallow· 
and haltt to lH~ 14-orlctrl over. The ~nhal>1tnnts Fire like 
eo rna.ny melons that go about two by t''o as tlumgil by 
a m:i.raole. Tl1e~e ia a prieat tl~~t tills thair haa<h~ 
with a·lot.of n~ns'lnao. to aay nothing of anothorf!!an 
who 1 ·simply because he has a ff~w lantlu and GL magnifi• 
ormt houae, th1nka himself destined to guid~ and ad• 
vise the rest of the vU .. l~ise ... 1411 proeent myaelt'o .. 
with a hu.lt dosen lerithar•cove1'etl .English t1•unkg• and 
qna o:r tho firat ·thinga ·I •11 do ti1ill ·be to l;uild t·u~salf 
a .palatial. hcn:na ... a little later I •11 llBtte rnyaelt tt1e.de 
tuayor ••• :oooplo w111 doff thei:r hats. to ma ~ half leafu-ua 
away, •• whan the house is fbt!slied 1•11· tti.arey the most 
chio youns ·lady of tho villa.gs •. · · Fin~lly • I '11· 5 .. ntro• 
duoa all the modGm cmrtorns; I'll i'-eform ths ve~y 
thouaht r>t"ooeotH~l:l Qf tllaae bGck,~ix-c:1 people.-. the 
govarnment will pe:rhnr>s hear of my wortll• and••who 
lmowo? .. · Thcn.tfl EJ.re mi-i1-iy m·r~.;~"~n:leea in ~he \1orl.d. rcndG 
of be.oar metal than !f,Y owu· ~ - · · 
In A iM. inclii@, the author preaente otilJ .. ano.thar 
... 
side of the indtano. Not ot1ly does the search for easy · 
wealth in the nov1 warld lar.d, usually, to haal'tbr$Bk 
and dioappoin.tma.nt but it atuJou:rages emigration••& very 
l1aa pre.fl~ioo in itsalt. l~ereua'~ convictiona on 
th10 su.1,jftict aJ-e i=JOU110• b~oa.uoe th<! .pl!'Q.Otio•1.,, which 
a~t tho diacove~~ Qf A!:nor:tca blf.'id to be emJourrAaed 'by 
UDGOial imluo~tanttl .(ltn14 ,g-ra11t!1l; f7ae· 'Ptwruiu;es, nnd 
l'$l"tal ,p~1 .. \lona)' tinailly \h.lV<J10l/f~d" 111110, tl c;1:-ave ai tu• 
uticm.·· T.11.G adve1itU1•ous blood· e>t: tho t'~<Jn nho 1:rrm."l? 
pourin; out oa fQvaitn to• ~H".Hlk tht-;i11 tm:otunea 5 .. n ·th*' 
now 'lor,.d ~a J1;.ot .tll<a olar;~~nt. tho cotmtY.·y 1'1<>ot 
rmadmt. a little later. 
Attar t~1<l*8s• parsntu·1ltl·ve t.al:e1l l,.eave of him 
a.ml a:ro :roturr1ins to thai:r bcm1a, hia ·!~1othar :ln hor 
"can•t ·nalp apostrophi~~int& ·tlle earth '1he is 
treQC!ing. Q.nd its art>l)Qrant. St·e~iltty tlaat WQG dl1iVirlg~ , 
tts SQt1U a:wAy to anek in· oth~n~ oountr1ae that whioh 
their native la.nd cauld not s1 .. va thmn". 
"An unjus.t ohare;en avaJ-a PGreda, "and one 
that,t>.a'l'H~tuatsd in the tnoutha ot the ignorant, 
nou~ial1.es 1 .in, this PX'OVinc.u;,0 the plague of emigration 
am1 deIH"~uliit!lcn1•12' . · , · 
In Pnoh!n Gonz~ez, "NG)a.~ve m1.otber p~otura of 
a youth ,,ho )'tainted to l>(' ar1 ~1virl in.no. The dtty before 
he im to sail, he and his :motlier are rulrncul.ouel.1 
ea.ved from clenth in (111. e,q11os1on that killed hundreds 
ot otlle1• l$SS fortunatEt t'U'llOokere. ThQ next mtlrning 
he has changed hie mind Bbout aoing~·~HuJinB 11'l his 
sa.\vation a sisn f1.-on lloavGn•-.and one not to be over• 
.n1:·o·t11ox-. :1et tie ;tall 'YO·U ti-at all ·thoau t-al~• · · .· · 
tir.Julars a.bout my :P.tvuu1se are now to me Juttt lika 
la::; t ·g9ii~r 'a . ol"oud0 • ··Singe y,;~ tarda~ .·I 1m ·. a ·v,:tltV 
different P.e:ru.on, •. So111ellow. temptt94 ae I was bJ' 
t11a: dQvilt I \Viit.t ~flVOO and <$id:· not ·l'Gl" ·1"'o:t' tJy ·err:ror· 
wit11· those 1nnoo$nt ones that perished ••• What greater 
· socH.l fc~::-tu11·e? ;. ·Do· ;t ne$\1 rao~s p:rloot of wht~1·e uy d~uti1w 
lies? I want to J-eturn to the pooJt 11ttl$ oornei~ ot 
our oortum•ni t;:r ·and: wrk••foi~ 'bt>th of, ua••as my fathe:r 
did b«t~ore me, l1appy and bleosed by Ood. . And afta~ 
all,· whei:'a · 1:6 · tl:i•tJ:t"3 o.. · l;;;At t~:~l' iu.1ier:t tanoe~r · · Jll.G£U.H!d 
ie the work that siveo one l1onor and. paaoe ot spir1 t ••• 
but ·g~'l<~oo• .. tl1-v-it d~lair\~ fer xnori•3Y that· is i1tttv·i~:r oatis• 
tiGd••I ·qura~, lt as the rnoat dangerous pont"l 
111 no '111etanoa !SJ :flerooa•ai intolerance niora 
l.linni£0at tluln in tlte r~:atter of l>Oli tioa. ~his ts 
' ' 
to be exz,l;.talned•' bi a large 111aaau~'a 0 · · b1 the l!gllt 
of bio :cr«m linto1•turn~t~~ oontaote w.itli tll~ political 
agitQitic>no_ ot llia. day. As a student :1n l't1a.d:r1d he 
wa.u a •..titt1esa 'to .,the· Revolutitm· of 185'4. llio own 
. poli t:J.onl carecn;i as n f.l0!£1ba:t of tlle Co:rtaa was llish• 
1Y dietaistetu.l .to hb11 and he gives ua· a picture of 
then0 &XIH~x·i0nce0 in Jtpa ]1.W.llrll!nita •. nEow_ Thus, in 
. ' 
wltishins Pe1r~da'1J fl.ttltude l11 the 1nnttera ot politios 
and pub lio lite, it ie ldgbly essential. ·1t ''e Bl'e 
to d.o him Juo·tice, to 3uusa l'.1i~1 as onQ i11flue11oad to 
. . ' ~ 
e. sraat degree by an "pooh in whloh his oow1ti'y 
j 
llJ.'esente n piotu~~ or <U.F.tOJ'P.:an1rzat1on und oonQ!:.t'ion·. 
P:to'btlibl;.Y' many of tho coudi ti.r:n·1s .. 01· tnoae dayi~i can 
b11 t11or~ '{~oou1.,.rr;lteiy t0rn1~ the il'levi:table l,,.esul·t'of 
any iti~tiioui political ebar.te;.o~•ilot ·~1ooei)oa,.'lly ·b~ 
per t:Hti~•but_' thil:i it~" r~ disti~1otio)1 ·to· wtdoli I\9l,.t'3\lt~· ·· 
if.l l>1ind·· IU3 it;· !~is fll~:H;J'"'fllare ·inJa11 i;oii,rtad out; 
it··r1evo1" ,-iOu:td ooour to· iliw to" !uuilya·a·, then a con_. 
-''• 
<Jitions ·sQ1ent:t . .fitta1ly4 anu i
1ta· this· ran.eon ho oon• 
·at ouch a tempar~cnant \1i·t!1 G i"at.U.oaJ.1,- oil!lJ1sina social. 
o:rdei"~ S\veepins nwaY thr;) irw·bitutiot~ and· l)1•not:toea in 
·.r;hioh· ha inat1ilut1vely plo1oe<l al;:t· hia fu,ith,. 
· . · rro:t · wexti~ --hiGJ: itr~J.;1rr~3Gion~1 of· po:titios mare:ty-. tha 
result of l)auaive· oba·o:;;v·,rs,,t:tona• · ~~t.EJ a t;?.t)!f(llJOl" Q.17 1:.ha · 
Co:a.'too, ·.he led th~ l1fo ot an active ~oiitician and 
'offi«Je seeker. ·.On all' aid~ri ,ha 'OB\#/ oo~:ruption, · 
'llYl'ooi-:loy · a.11d, a tll'Ua.gos1mu,· · and his axpor:tenrles dis• .. 
·guat·sd llt?n· thoroughly. na stood.· for. tl·u;,. ol~l order· 
l . 
·r·ol1 tics. , though t1eceEHaary.- ere doneeroua, · ha con• 
tends; nritl libe~al vie\'ttli si110E> they ... cli~tu.so ·the . , ·. 
gel."lne o:f :Pol:l-tica.3. sgitnt11.m, toroo ·the oona5 .. der• , 
ation ·of 't11ase ieauea u11on the marJaos,. the vary oneo 
v1ho should no\ 1.ni:: up in t}100.e :r~atto~n. lt ta h1£l , 
1. Vide ·aupJMa1 ol'iap'taruv;·~i. ;6 
66 
idea that the oomrnon people are no more capable ot 
resolving political quaet:lona than they o.Jl'G ot profit• 
ins by higher education. The ldaal eooiety, tl'u3n0 i6it 
tor him one in w~ich a taw rule• and in which the rest 
aocei>t blimll:r and in good fa.itb all ot their lesis• 
lations~wu·not wiailina to havQ a band in wllat they lt11ow 
nothing about, It never 0001a'*a to Pex-eda that ouch a. 
state 'Of c-itt~ir~ is a hotbe<l ot unreat••a taot ve:ri• 
tiecl over and over again llis torics.11~. 
Politicians sat about, he contends, to dupe the 
'PBOple. and by working on their emotions and blinding 
them with glib promises obtain their own saltish ends. 
ln &,os hornb£2FJ -C-1£! 12zo, he treats ot this eu'bjeot of 
Gampaign promises hun1orouel1, but none the less 
ironioQl.ly on t~t aocount. Don Siro&n is eo11c1ting, 
the support ot the influential m$n ot the diatriot. 
Don Jaromo promises him tha vote ot hie praoinot it 
he can have the assurance ot a roadway from hie door 
to tha royal highway. Sim&n assures him that tlde 
will have his support, and that the road ls as good 
aa built. Don .rermno laugh$ and saye that this is 
exactly the emne way a.11 t~e oandidatea have talked 
to him tor th; last ta11 years, and that tll.G road is, 
j 
not done yet. He wanta soma sort ot concrete proot, 
and. asks Don Simtfn to deposit 03t000 against the tul• 
67 
tillatnt ot the ptedge. ·. D~n: Siiuon · 19 highly lndis• 
.. n&nt.;.;.;:lnae, aa Pereda would have ua :nell.eve~ . he 
does; not inte~d ~ver · '\\o · keep hie, promi•e-~and· · 'deolU'M 
thAt this' detaand 'is ~qual. to diatruiitlns him and 
··questioning his integrity.· 
No ~ovelist · h~ been rti11i ~~l~in:ed .. until we 
kn~w .e;omethins of· hi& ·t~minin• · oh.ilraoters.; A.· study 
i o':f·'J?aredQ.le w~rid; i•eve~l~ ,him 'as' i a:Ln~ia:rly unre• 
. spon~i ve . to . the· :EWiS•'Weibl:t.ches ~. aro.und' which,·. from 
. . 
t'he. t'im~ man' fir~t "began to 'writ~. l:l'terary. expression 
• ~ ' I ~ 
has '~:i.rclecf' to~· warmth; and 'inspir~·t·ion. Al.though such 
··a. tact"observed .. in a writ.er or·'Per~da.'e comparative 
"yo:tilln!fnouanes·a mi'ght strike the Casuaf Student Of 
.; l'iie1'ature ~· uriusuei, 'a 'ntor$ ~~retuf. analysis of 
··the man•s whole ph:l.lorroph.y will a·b.01' hie asoet.ioism 
' ' . ' 
· · on thia .·score· 'tij .be who:Ll.7··h8nnoni·c»us With hie gen• 
· ~rai ;oon~ervatism~· 
' ... ::;, One; c~n dedt1oa' :trom h:l.e ,rt,rk ib.at ·ariy .v:iolent 
.;cfis'p:iay 'ot'tlie' emoti'ons would have b~en' highl·,: dis· 
tasteful ·t~· him :t.n"actual ·11:re·~· ·and ·1n. t\11 his writ• 
':fnga;' ih~ p:robl.~ :of 'sex, the. gi'~~ or. pasaiort scarce• 
. !·1 'play. a;ny p~rt~ ' ·one oan 'atfi~ .wt th 'finality that 
they are never treated tor' their' ·own' lake, but :rather 
·-,, 'onl~ ·a.a .:ah a}oaeseory, or when. their. d!lscussion cannot 
I' possibly be• avoided. 'Even the mo're ':l.nn~ououi forms 
0 t innocent. lov$ atrik$ him onlt a•· ~ da.inty •.enchant-
' ' 
ment-~·· a thing which tht msn:a gerloua-mind.ed. person 
·w11i"·treat ·~:;,ith)i, 1m11e:· aa though oonacioua ot the 
69 
,} ,! ' '· •• 
°'·' 
pare• love pla~. ~11 1lfe• 1JUt as · tlloush A.mmun~ to 
its blandlebnentfl bbteelt. 
mieneva toresd to coiwlder a··-1o~o-soono in ·, 
b.ts novel.a• J•er(iia 1e :retioont and bigllly ztes t1,.nined. 
itedro· alnohez · ettmraf)ra tint\ utrugglas to daolnre · 11111 
1ovo fo1• Clare.t .and the· autbo:r,· as tho,1sn afraid to 
approach thtS. ecena1 brinss about the moat lngsntoue 
ei\uationst wlliOh pa-event Padl?o·ts hBVing 6.~ opportuni• 
·i:1·'to ·epoW-:'&1ona with l1el'• ·They end' b:t a eox-t of 
tolepatbio underatandlns. ·non t~aroe1:0. in Penas 
' 
~t*.&lNh la anotl1elt bashtul fellow ir1'. mGtte)."a of· love•• 
aln1oet ·afraid· to move · !li.e riSht hand fo~· toa1• hie ·left 
· will a$e•• ancl it ie cm11 aftd l1e is assurad that h:ls 
trt:~md tl1a dQotor. and tbe village priest approve tl$t. 
he torJ:nally add· td. th a.11 pi-opr1et'1' . ael'..s tor. Li tuoa 'e 
liand. 
In ,~t&2tt:liii• Pei .. eaa h.~e st.ven uo a plctu:J.•e ot ,-
bte .heroins $8. 1ovad by thfe~ n1en1 Andrea. tl1a son·.· 
ot a S(Ja oaptain, !ltulrgo, a sa:vase •. sonsuoue brute,: 
Oleto, a youtb at ·h.er own· sooilll ra1lk. · The l\utho:r 
makss it clear tlmt Andris 1oyes Sot!leaa veey tilUOh, 
althousl1 be nevex- ·tf.)11e her ot his 1.ave no1!' ootlillden 
rnareyi118 her until be lma plno$d l1er ln a corrrJ)rom1si·ns 
.... ' 
10 
· position. Sotila2a d6es, 1t1ot :. ratu111 llis iove~ · snd 
fro111 the tirat assumes tlnt the attentions or this 
· .. OJ)~s)r~SG :·Ot>l.lld. n~t .b$ $~7tlOUS B~ld tenninate in Gn 
· · b.oraorablo· aliia11ce. 
r~ue:f~o ·1ovea· Sotiieca 1n !lls 1'r~1itive way. 
' 3be' ts sttml6e1y. utt~aoted to h:lm •. ''antl al though 
elle parrai ts · hlm tri maul. hor about and to touch her, 
'' ln · i,lay.' she: doea' not rsall~t 1ove hbn e,1ough to . 
. ' . 1llt~l"'J11' him~ 
CJ.eta is her soo!!ll a~u~i. and ot thc3 tiu,ee 
· 1ovfira the· orio· t11eat· ·1ostca11;r .. suited.· to become her 
i1usba11d. · ·'llia!i.r ·r.fh-~ri~i&ge, however, la a iuattar ot 
I.... '6l~roogero~.mt by her foster P~lmts and Padre l"'olirnw. 
· ' :; : 'U0Whe1•e ·11 ·s; e~tdant aa ha:ea Perooa•e tnab!llity to 
'cope with teauinine psycilolosioe.1 analysis •. 1.?be inner 
· ·. eh1lracte1~ "o.f· ·1110 · hai~oine · htu! esoaJi'ed · hirn1 her roaottons 
'' i COtlld }U?;.Vfl been ma.de :the 'baa.1S· of B fruitful analytical 
stuay. but Pa~e<la shuns the ·tas1(." ettl'ler because tt 
is d:Lstootetull:to hJ.r!I or b~cause he ls· unable to handle 
· l t. t:kltllesa 1~ been pres13nteci iap · t<) her adolescence 
. . 
· aa ·a; n<>~al, it not praoocious• · youns wc>raan.· Helt* 
passivity ant1. ooldnaas· to :a14 her ·a,11tora has not been 
JUltt:fiea' by ·11~,.- 01~ractar· aa· :so tar· presented to us .• 
. . 
l~ot only is · ehe ooldt but ©ha io ind.ifte:ro11t, a11d 
lovit sl~ould hat)~; been ra.t..ller r110Jts eiG.,;;,if:toant to 
.' \ I 
71 
tiehei .. ~six-l ~ . 
· ~11~ouetmwt ld.a t~orl: Pox-aaa· e.dhoroo, ttf the li1oet 
.. , fOft;~Ql, and Claooto ·Opanisl\ t1•adit:ions irl the .tl"C•)tf::u~nt 
cf tlie lov~ th0ttl$. Atitar1cee ~re ·arranged 0~1J.y af'ter 
, ~JUtim.1. OOfaSidei~nttot~ Of tllG feS.tlll\es O:f the· .young 
' . . people involved; . tbei•e .f.·s iittl~ or i~othing ot oeoret,· 
: :ton~nt· ·.:en.·· .,.i~udft~-"'1~•·~.~ :. ·In !)011 Oo. nsl!lo 'G"11et£tez. dA la ,a.,,... ,.""' ""- •v~... Si 1 ,;,; . 1 • 11.~..., · ;;:i -r 
f.!·u~zr~ie;:~!• ·non Fa11on•a ·tl~ughtor ·1~ac.l~ie~a hnn ·sc~en 
'~Im t~1en 111 love. with Deni ~vm·o· de la Gt\eri~a. 
·A shc»rt·· t1t1tl after tlle tt10 ycuns people 'ha.ve · etioke!l 
' 'together. caeurilly at tatra ' l!.l'td ' other ;public' meetings 
' I rio11 ruuntfn,' eu~pactir1B f)r'Otn' the ctri •s a~'tiomJ that 
.... ·.she 'is w!.tlihold!ng 8f>t,1ething fro:to ll:bri1 . qu'Jstiorw her. 
' I 'iJht$Jl "ube oonfoso~u he~ love for D()rl AVa:.ro, tbQ r°'ther 
\• 
makes .t t Q1en~r that tl1e aff~t~ could tlGauroum~y liava 
. cone no :fnrthci~' till ihout bts ·l~novi!ng: ot it.' and :in 
ftict deolarea tbif she muat ef.ie r10·,1i1ore ·of iier sweet• 
lletwt' .ui1ti1 tl:1a latter•e rather hua i'orr;anily dauandecl 
\' , . 
Pe~ada be11eved that the . fGt.!Uii:v ~1~0 the main 
avoke or the'· oociQl '1liooi,' a.ml·· th~t· wor~.it •s I>laoa ttao 
there a.s an 1d.<l ·to hor husband. Ut-J' may be es.id to 
heve :tndoreea tiia adage "La mu3er ilonrada,· la pterna 
''\' 
\ ,, . 
. C£uab:rad~ ,.~ e~ caaan.,. Ctilitt!11~ t~~ ·crud1tu .of. thia 
eny1n!$•: lt. e~roaoos the ?!oh..~~$de.n flavo~ wl'lioh 
pel'IneGte5'. hte '.th$oey ot woman~~· ,e:phe%'a• .: !t'lle modern 
aonc$pt1tni of worra..'l'S place tn ~l1a· \VO:!!'ld .nnd in the 
' : 
fam.!ly 'Wl\ES uri..'tt?lown i$t) Pe~etlai e~e ta .:Pictu!'ad as 
' " . . \ ' ' ' . 
r!\ahtl.y. s11bsQ~v!ent tn her husb~n(l. ~t all. t1r11aa, and 
trhGtevoJ- r,aco~~t:ton aha ht1:pea to win trom.h1P.l ahe 
. el1oultt. eee~ ~o. (lOqtti~e tJ1rot15h .. t~e. -Bt:renstl1 ot her 
. tGmtnlne ; lnfl,ttence J'ntha:r tllnn f!'om a,ny riahta 
a.tto:r(!Gd rhe:r by .the civil. ood0. One ot PGJJ-OOB 98 
c}'~?,rnottt:r~ . oa.ya s . 
. '*The rnal*riaae in .wll1oh the liue'br~ncl doe~ not 
kn.ow !low· to aua:rd l1ie poeJi. tion · 10 · 110 111arriaae; n.tl{l 
thia 10 b~ot aua,rtlotl. trThen the. huab~'lt.l ea1111ts for 
1ucat in the fmuilY••tllat is to : ea,. 'be1n.e· lord m1d 
, ma,.«Jter nt. hie .oouao;. not ein1r,.l.y baoeitae h£l la . 
oti-onger but 'beoauue ha understand$ b$tter all thnt 
, . . touches the ephero b.a Qnd hie wlf Et O(lCtll'Y"·· 1 · · . . 
' 1, ' ' ' • ' '• ' • ,', ' l ' ' ' . • 
,, i \ 
ties.0 B?ltl that: the export mrutsqinE": ot a family ie 
s-sther an hono:r .tban a tl'k'1nlt.;\ose. oln.vieh taslc is 
here AntU.cated ; 
I 
"Xt !o . my flrn1 oonvicti~n : th.g,t ! t is rao:re ditfi• 
cult tQ manruase a ta11111sr so lha..t none of its· in~nbe:rs 
go eotra.1,. or that thei-e not be, diso.ord in'\ the group 
trGtn tuns· ·io tin~e, than to e;overn a. state'~ 
n~t not only should ea· t10man keep· her pla.ee in 
.............. 
1. :,'"'t.ul,lo, )n ,m. · ~bor de 1a.!.&prru9p.1 p~ 194 
a. P.s ta1 pn1o 1 tal aotill.!l p. 119 
73 
I ' I . ~ • • . ' ~ ' '.., ' - l " • : • ' ' : .. " ' ' • . - ' ' ·, I I ' l 
tha. f'a"fl:l.171 but· thnt Q l1uabund. ahoUld tHlS to :lt 
' ' ' . ' 
' ' . :·. ·- ,••, ·.•• ; ·'. i ··.•. ·. ·.·.; '' '•.:1.. ' 
.Aftor ·Dox-l!l. ,;b.bina•a tllougll'tlasa a>meruli tures have 
<b'i .. ~~~l' h~~ : ll.uol).a~1~l ~to. 1:;ai11i:1-i1p.toy· l1e · e'c:,es. th~h~ al.4~or 
and. dac,lriroa: · t~1 .~l1$.s :r.an?>~·t1 
. *'That,(!! . .,"·· ~1ot baiting n1a~1aer3d ·rr:~r .o~~~ hnu.ae and 
r"su1~atod 1 Your e~end!tu.ree) 1e .v~eotael:r the sin at· 
t~ wa~~nelie, a a.~11 "l11hioh \-Vit11 yt.,,.il'fl hu,.9 l)l"ouc.~ht dis• 
aater upon· my l1oiui.weVl . 
In I'f!.:~_ai.~ Ramin ·1'~ s visit to hi1J 
b,.-otller ca~).~a ~nd hte wtfe xaabel * . Tue fmfill~Y ls not 
" lmpp~ e>:ne~· oar;tos does n~t 1'lt1y. ~he "m~i~·•a· r-art, and 
. Iee'bel 6t>ne ~~r ovm WBY• ~Jr~n .ask~ .hie- b~otheri 
. ' . ' 
,, .· . . 
a:aut would ,.:t not ba, batt~r. fo~ Y.Ottl' wife to 
aoopano(ln to he:t~ e,,. t te 1our. . ~mys? . · · . · 
"And wey, answared ce..rlos, should l not. eccornmo• 
t1t1ta myself to lle~s ~ X have bea11 dotr13\' . 
~Eecauee, Carlos, tMt ta not what the law of 
Goa . ~!L"'da .. in~. hut i1.r.~t11ar. tha otller"~ .. , · . · 
,When .lo~l)el l>eoo1noo tnvolv:~. tho~1el1 ~~m>oant1y 
enoush. :~bl f.~:mt. 'v:tth one of)1~r tMiny: rultJirera •. tho . 
VtsOQttnt of Ci~arzp, . OB1~1ou tel la l1e1•.1 
nTha. i'H)llt O'K litG ~OU at~e lflOi<lillQ;• l\Wt1:1 ;~lOt'.l tne1 1t!t the pt\th which ,,.ea<l9 inoot quioltl.y t·o the Aibsolute 
110(1lent Of .al#l ~mu• wlf<!tl;f dut10B, Tha r~mMn \\ilO 
devoten her0a11~ to the trivial tr!tmtplm ot tlle world 
te vary n!1t to. <lrna tl:u:-ouell tl1e. $alon~ not onl.y llel° 
ovm 11onor. but th~t o t he:r bt~aband es well , .. I :tiave 
.nova11 ll<'lfl 1~11e eom."t1n:iJ to s~~ to y<na • ~inoe :t am u1ui'ble 
to adJust, •elf' to yov>:J n1ode of life. ~~r1os there ts 
1. ~1·011. t?Pt' .• 1 WDf.2l (tn Booeto; al teinpl.e) 1 p. 162 
2. ,,_.a mu~~r ... d52! Cg§BE (tn Dooetoa al ternpl.e) 1 »• 17 
74 
no p1aoe for me ln 7our 'W'Orld, ad3ust yourself to mine 
and we shall thaan try to tntll'e or our hoins. a bi<lin(; 
.Plaota tott true lova and 11app1neas, botb of which we 
might tllen wall hope to attain• .... I we.; unable to 
say this to you tor tear · ot oftendins you, but all 
tha tune I feared appearanoesi the world bas a •iy 
· ot burning a11 that neare lt, and tarnislleo wlmt it 
cannot bur11• .. 2 · 
For a wi:te to be virtuous ie not E!lllough in 
1 taelt. <lal'los tW<es the blame to'I! not having 
g:rappled. witl"1 the situation sooner, and daolaree 
that: 
•in thaae ti1nea. n1orG tbarl ev'r before. wornen 
mbould be rnatle to understand tlmt lt d.Oe€$ not auffioa 
to be honorable and virtuous, but J'ath¢ir, like Caeiar's 
wits. they muat ~Qem so tn· the eyes of the wo~ld'i. 
1. .;idemt pp. 99•100 
.2. lttemi pp. 119•1:20 
The desire for riches and their disposition 
once they have been acquired are problems treated 
repeatedly in Pereda 1s writ.ings~ Had he lived to 
see present day fortunes as we know them he would 
have been amazed and distressed, but at the same 
time would have rejoiced in modern philanthropy. 
75 
He considered wealth a trust, and its wise manage-
ment for the benefit of society a noble accomplish-
ment--a position still held by enlightened conserv-
ative opinion. Don Celso in Penas arriba is a good 
example of Pereda's ideal administrator~ Possess-
ing an adequate fortune, he was content to live a 
simple life, and used his means frequently to aid 
his less fortunate neighbors·. 
Pereda did not look with scorn upon the honest· 
merchant or business man who through faithfully 
serving his neighbors amassed a modest fortune. On 
the contrary, he advocated at all times the utiliza-
tion of. those means near at hand for making a good 
living. He knew that if people stayed at home and 
tilled the soil or engaged in such business as the 
village communities offered, even the relatively 
most prosperous would not exert a bad influence. 
76 
The very temperament of the people and the. op:por~ 
·tunities at hand w0uld be natural
1 
checks against 
the abuses of wealth.· · 
It, wa.a ·the b1diano i.n part.ioula.r. aga.ina.t whom 
• 
he is moat bitter\ Here \vas ·a. type. primarily dis-
contented with· the modeat oppo·rt.unitiea at home.· 
who for 'that reason \Ve11t awa.y to amass a. .:fortune. 
In many. oa.aes t.hia weal th was acquired. quickly• . 
and when· the.· indiano ·returned to. his native villag~ 
his one de~ira was to outshine hia·hard-.working 
:neighbors. ·we have· seen ·in ·Don Gonzalo· Gonzalez 
' ' l I '·,' '' '•' '' 
de la Gonza.lera · how a man of· ~his type retu~ned 
: from the .New W9rld · with great weal th,· and. how his 
one a.1nbi tit.on vrrl.s '.to ilnpraaa ever·yone :in the vil· 
·lags. Mo thought of: helping· his neighbors ever 
entered. his mind •. nor. did .it o oq·\lr .to him .th&.t hiQ 
pretensions. might
1 cause unha.ppinese.,to those about him. 
The desire to liv.e on a seal~. beyond one's mean~, 
and the resul ~(ing unhappiness this· will entail a.re . 
demonstrated in Oros son triunfos'.. When Dcnia· Sabina~e, 
'"'' 
husband tells 'her that' they a.re ,011 ~he verse' :of bank.~ 
ruptoy and· ~ha1i· they .will have" t") deny themselves . 
! 
ll. V~de supra,: Chapter v. p.62 
77 
uhe shouts 1.n a fit of an~er: 
.. In1i~oeld.blet Your house oa.nnot talll I .sir.a.ply 
· oatm.ot and w111· not oer~e b~ing rich.. I· ara u11abl.1 
to J1eduoe royaelt to tme pet·t;1r econo1'1'11efl ot en orclin• 
· ar-:; won.•. · You l1rt.v.-a a d istinet ol>ligQ.t1.on in this 
llatter, iw1d <lt.'n1•t fo~set it. You e:x-e obl.if~ed to 
overcome t1~"lte'\l'~r obstacles inay s
1
tand 1n the 'va'Y 
ot your tamily•o socio:1· po"i1t1t>n: · 
Tbe old story ot a youns gi:rl 's snorif1oina 
~1ei»e$lf for tnoney ia 111uatrated ln 1:!.J.Jontd;;vsa. 
lU.o• loves Pepe Guzmfn but be hM. no money. The 
social scale on wh!oh the family has lived tor so 
1011g can no :tonger be. tr41nts.tned without a eub• 
etant:ltil t:tnal10lQl booking. Tbe rich banleer who 
wants. to marru N!ca w1,.l oolva tlla p~oblem, and 
Pereda L1hows .. 1.1ow tb:ts -Y out or e.11oh dif'f!cul ti ea 
aM only ~..,sult t~ tnllJa'PP.~b1eas and d,isgraoe. 
Al1other angle ot the problem of weal th ta i ta 
effeot on people wholly m1fitte<l by nature to appre• 
; oiate its value or apend 1t: judiciously-. In l;ara. ft~E 
l?.l!ml.Jlni.tza we have a picture ot tv10 contented v111as• 
I ers, Dlas and Paula. Tl1ey erx-e not we1l•to•do, but 
still :have enough to live aomtorta~bly. An u11cle 
C)omes to live .vrith thQ'.'a and upon hie death leaves 
. them a large fortune. Their tiret thought is to 
move into a manaton tar beyond their tao<leat needs 
I llW 1 110 
a11d to en~telt themselves ·with the luxuries they 
hava never bafora· boen a.bl e to ttt:t'tor(l •. •· .i>-r.ionge 
. " "" , . ' ' ' . 
Ca'ke i.~nd,1 ;Vflli t~:r "itle \ttO:t}C .theb"i tU'l\lOir.tB•: · I'..ehinl\ 
•t 
the.··ratlu~:rt lt\,nnorQUG ·e1,e,n,·tr:H~11t zi~r~~da · littm.r given tQ 
. ,, · tl~ia ntoey • • there is t& \1!1ell tlet .. inE~1 rno.r~a. ~~hi ob l1e 
e:t:v.ress.ef!l in . tl1as a '~1orc\s i 
' ' ., '· .. ' , . . 
··. "! b~ld t:t.Jt:.\t1 . hat:l tlla heirs .. or ·tiv.l iJ·ia!tano 
don.e wlu:\t a oert~1.-i1 3~'-l.borer ot cas:t111~ d!d.''.,wiien he 
won a :ro1•t1.tl1a in the lotta:ry,. t:f4.q,t is• lmy a l1orse 
\Vi th i:m,rt o :f his money, . and J'l(le to. hia . cus tomaey 
wurk !n tlu~ £!.elds,. they v1011ld have l 1 enll.?.ined llttl'>PY ... 
.. ..:t otter th,.ra a.a advioe to· tho~le,11ho,. ~oains 
htl;pI1~" and ecmt'fmtoo in t1·1e11• JlOVa:ri1y,: a.1"a visited 
l)y a{;\1,ricioua fo1•tuna1" :for, experience llaG clarnon~ 
i;:~ t1~~tetl thn t. it i~ 1·~1· mo r~ dit1~iaul t io ap~nd a 
fortune Jtttlioioualy tl'llln to ear11 one*'.~ · 
Thus 1t will .. ba r.u;,an that P~roda1s a"L'ltld on the 
~io.tter of wealth: is oonetatent ,,11~11 laie (!:Cllf.l!'&l con• · 
aorva.t1 .. sm... ·Me would ha.Va ;people use sood senae· and 
rnoderat~ .. on in tl'lia roatter •.. If thoir 3'1naral aims. 
and . i<la:lls are wh-at they should ba the problerns ot . 
weal tll will not a!'1se.. It is when sreect,. ostentation 
and, oo~nption rule. their l!tvos tba~ riohr>a become 
n li'Ower f.o~ evll ant\ unllRPl' iness. 
Wt. I I 1$¢ 
• 
79 
f o Education 
Pereda shows himself to be opposed to any ao:rt 
ot ·education except that which may be neceesary in 
order to earn a modest ·living •. This attitude dove• 
I 
tails perfectly with his general antagonism toward 
scientific .advancement and research~ ·scholarly in•. 
vestigations he dismisses as absolutely useless, 
and characterizes intellectual curiosity in general 
a.a little more than people's des.ire to mix ·up in . 
matter$ that do not. concern the~~ To him the most 
pitifully l:UfiCrOUS figure Of all is the learned 
prig ·who affects to embrace the whole range ot 
\ 
human knowledge, and who exults 1n a.iring his assumed 
profundity in erudite controversy. He says in this 
connection; 
"That is why I am so fond of erudite people: 
they trip themselves up in their investigations and 
fall in a bottomless pit. They then hasten to cover 
up their mistake with a resounding phrase, and liter• 
ally jumping on 1 t to counteract a· rebound that would 
mean their loss. they go. r
3
o:rwa.rd as though· their path 
held no pi tfalla tor them. 
This very dogmatic stand does not do Pereda 
) 
oredi t, and we oa.n only make allowance f'or 1 t in the 
1.· Vide supra: Chapter V, p. ?7 
2, Vide supra: Chapter V, pp. 77.;8 
3. Sabor de la tierruoa: p. 43 
1.igh\ ot ld'9 · se11ara.l prejtuU.oes • · lmythins beyond 
the most rucU.rnentBJ'y. e<lucatiem he, ·oo:ns,idered. the 
·leaven ot social unrest. -lle lUle demr.mstJ'ated how 
comp11Qatecl poli tioa,l thaa:ciea . o~n wo~k: bavoo ln 
a .oontentatl s.cotety becauoa they a!t'e ~oo advanced 
tor t~he villsE~Gl's~ and h• obj eoted, to higlle~ ed• 
uo.ation on. thG smna a~olu1d9 •: Giyen 1ite. u he 
knew i \ 111 the ~om1\a!n dis tr-tote. ot his· n~ltive 
' . . . prt>"vtnoe,, he wis'he<t abova all. to k~~p it 1ntfict. 
'Education would make peopla dtscqnt~nted .with 
80 
~heir atarround ins~ and might ~v~n e~oou);tage ard.g~o,­
tton, ~o:ial. ur1rest1 armther_ ~-yil;: ~ .sreat .aa emi• 
· gration. rdght result if people, after i-eatU.na and 
, ' .... ' ; I, '·• ', ', ' ' ' ' \ ' > ' • 
. etudy ahould aeek .tt batteri cond1t1ona as they ware 
" 
1 i ' ; ' ' ' • : 00 • r ' 
at hotma. , · 
J>ereda oonoldera lthe home to be the moot sis• 
t' ' ' : \ ' 
nifiaant etl~oatio11s.l force ln _oooiety.. . \V1 thin 1 ti) 
. srantina. l t to be a no:rmal . onl!t• .. ~re to be found all 
the elements w~ich tnelt$ for good_ character and use• 
tul o1t12en~hiP+. · Mica tiontdlveB .. realtzee tliie• and 
.thuo pa.ya trlbuta to home 1nfl.uenceei 
"Jmdly l lfe, thG attncu~l?here ot the. liorne •. the 
care Qt children. str1ct a.ttei1t:lon to domeatio duties, 
with God in the heart rather than .ln.epeeoh •-. this ia 
all the knowledse1 all the soienc·a raquil'ed so that 
• i ~ ' 
). . 
'·' "' 
' .,: 
Bi··. 
=:e!::f t ot mo.niase ma.y 1:1,e \lfleM men and honest 
· Thtit .. ~· ohlld •a tra~i1tns Vf'ie t·· s"tart' . at ~ome is 
elsewhere indicateti i'n· La J1icfr1t~ixm~ as are also the 
at.aastrotis 'resu1:ts ot pare>1tal neglect· in 'this rea~eot: 
"fhtfl leas't 'd&ngeroiuf 'and. most· ca~eful education 
that $.young l.~irl can havs will ba . tl1Qt . in wl1ich there 
ta felt tbe loving ·oara of her n1other, ·it" io her good 
fo>..-tu.na ob~ . he.a, . a .. rootl1ar antl n. \Vtr:r~hy one« . · 
Mio.a Mont:tl.ve~ vn~s sent away to school at nn 
. : \ ' • ; . • ' • : ' . • :. ' . . '• , ,.. ~ 1 • 
a~l1, ae:e . l>.eon.use ha~· }'la:rents. :d.14, not. ~ara f'or her, 
tu1d bf1)0t:iuea they 1av:telled. all tll~ir af,*feotion on 
~hoi:r son~.. l~oi·i;t J10.:r. reoult1t1~ clm~(l.ctar, .. Pereda 
shows tl:iat, suQh a l'~a4otioa is Ut~wta.01 .sinoa at such ·. . ~ . \ ' . \ ' . ' ' ' ' 
se:riouoly ,'!al'Petl:t .aa was. that of hie .heroine .• 
· Xn .·~! ... P.1~~.~.o{! .dell.:i~..e.U.I J?Qreda ~e .siven us 
a plotu:-e. of the street urohi11SJ of the cities.. With 
! ' '., I ; ; ' I ' ' ''' ' 
eome exceptions they all drop sooner .o~ later by the 
' . . "' ~ . 
wa.1side £ro1n .hunger. cU.seaae o:r, tl~a results of crime.. 
Pereda, seeks . to show that t~a root ot the rnatter ls 
to be found in the laok. ot p:rope:r ~· enviromnet1t 
and eler~a11tar~ eduoatio1u 
0 Tbey are, finally unfo:rtuna~e. onee,)·those who 
· ·· · have· never kt1own how much conaolatio11 ·and.· help there 
te in a. tuther•s euidanoe or in the o~resses• pJlayera 
and attentions of ·a. lovtng tnothe,. .. 3 · · 
1. z .. n l~pnt~;zez; p. 479 
2. 14J!n• p. 29 
Oonoluaton . 
losl Marla de P1.9reda was an exponent of tha 
trad1 tlone ot aeventeentb oentury ·Spain. nts wo:rk 
shows him to have been ar.118ervative11 intolerant and 
prGJud.ioed. in bts vlawa. Hla mie•ion a.a a writer waa 
to plead for the ooneervatlon ot tha r1br1ple, provinotal 
life ot old Spai.tt1 and to pr.oteat bitterly age.1ntit 
what he oonaidered tbe tUaturbing amt cr>rrupting 
moral tendencies tnharent to both. intellectual and 
mate:rlal proaraao .. 
His plliloao1;ny waa bQGed · on lite as ht lcnew it 
tn the ise>lated v!11$a;es of his own ,,,,.ovinoa. This 
mode or life lle 0()11sidered ideal.· and he opposed every• 
thing that t$nded to break 1t down. Scientific progress, 
the telephone, the te1esraph, rallwaye and atearnsl1ipe. 
he oondetnned bGOBUSG they are tlie q11:lOlteet tneBM Of 
epxaaooins disturbing progJ1a0siva tand~ncS.es. 
Not content merely ·to p~alse life in tha small 
villages, he 1aunohed b:lttar attacks againf:lt wha~ he 
tenned the universal clapro.vtty of large ci~!so• and 
attempted against sucl1 a bt1cltground to support theses 
ln defense ot him very marked moral, r'3ligious and 
pol:l tioal idaals. 
He displayad a race p~e3tulioa tllBt wao blind 
to at1ytl1ins no11•Sponish, Rls lit0ral"y !nopiratitm 
i '' 
WB6 Im. $i*Gitlon Of those ideal.a the· world .lla$ 
·at~pe~as'diat:lnotly Castilian~ ·lia··1a··at all 
• <, ' 
times bostilf'!J to foreign nations o.n(l their in.fluencee. 
Pereda•a· w.o~1'·'at ite. b~ot ·is charaotarirnMl by a 
virile realism,· ·aml · the autho~ showed htmselt well 
titted ta· ~dvanoe the standard raised by ?,~esonero 
Ro~noa. l11qre$~ Larra, Trueba ·and Fernan caballero. 
·Pardo :naad11' de0lnras···t.1mt. tt Pereda ··1a··not the moat 
:i*$al!st1o Of Spaid.Ill writers. ho is eurel~ the least 
idealietio.2 She' says' turth~r:'" 
. "Pe:reda. proceeds, ln. tha· man11er . Of. o11r alaslfiC 
' \ '.•' 
. aritorc,. our:: 1rGB1!ats,, rno:r~ eo'ber, and lass~ daeply 
lmme1 .. soo than tbe modern nuturalistsa he has a strict 
. "enae ot objeoti:ve. renlit~t and he ~eea with !the eyes 
ot. a well•balanoeti · t9mparament. As I·. picture Pe~eda 
f~o.tru. w.~ •. th t¥le nooeasi ty of dsao~,ibir-t3 ~l'.le. death of 
· ·a little child• l tmae:ine his usins some to~r· or tiva 
.. · .. r0atHlrmbl.e• mxprec~1:ve, cor~eot a~d an:~raetic aent• 
enoes, o~ at least without exagse:rntton wo:rds which . 
carry ua but a 11 ttle beyond, the . o.l.role. of our usual 
thoughte. Pereda'a. rhatorio ls tlla~ of oon1rnon sense 
illum!\nt;,.tacl by tl1e olBri ty ot l.ll't~ •. . .. . . .. · . 
1 "lie is acouatomed. to proceed by reasonings rath• 
er th~n b~r. the. fJtudy of the not.ions .of .J1is. oharactersi 
end the nsw art· el1ovm bow to ravaal thG intflr!or movs-
. menta ot the mind .l,y th9 acta th~t · tll,~y 1nat>ire: tbue 
and ln no· other We.y is r~ally rnanif~ated the psychio 
l1fEi1 given tha.t vie nae Bvaryone mova and see no one think" • 4 . ' . i 
"One ot tll~e·. n1os t Spanish ot. the wrt t<lrs wl10 flour• 
1shed in the pr~aent. (19th) oentt>:?.'J.-.-·J~enendea 'I' 
Pelayo: pratae1n to l?ttbl~ahed Wo:flm• volume. 1, 1>.30 
a. Pardo P.&zrfnt J'oliSpdcas Y eatmU.o~ Utsrnr&os, Obras, 
VO ume VI, p~ 12 
3. Ibidem •. 
4. .Idema p. 22 
84 
shQvm himae1t willing to be-·· olasaed .at a 2'ealist. 
'bu.t within· certain· v1e11 det!11ed··11fd.te1 · 
"lf by'raalium ia to be UrtdGrstood the de0ire 
to pre~ent in books paseiono and human oharaoters 
and pictures. of ·nat~e wi tldn ·the decorwn ot art, 
l a:ma raal:l&t and hold it to baa gJteat honor: 
'but if by.suo.h M s;gpe11attve tt "is wiehetl· to a.ffili• 
Qte me •• as baa often been done, and with the idea 
ot co1,1pli1.1h1?ntins ma •• unda:r• th<* banners of pl*eaant 
day triumphant but obscene naturalism which dalighte 
in depicting the rava.ses or alcoholiem and tho ob• 
soanitiee. ot the brothel, I proteE1t Bgai11st the 
insult ot .ouch a olassifioation •••. I· renounce the 
slo:ry of being a wri te:r such as tll:le • and moz-eover 
Ce).11· attention to how little I belons. to th$ above 
!ll()VS1ner1t, hav!ns entered the field or art es l did 
1011g be.fore it apr:u9aroo, 3ust ~ I am now, and without 
m1y othe~ · attil iatlof or "sohoo1 n than my· peotlliar 
li tex•s.J13f complexion., · . 
Peretla •s a11tagonisrn to the r1atm:.aliatio move~· 
rnant was due to two things• 1lirs t, he was· not inter• 
ested enousll in it to study it without bias• a.a h!a 
swaepina tlenunoiations 'indicate. · Hie avo~eion to ·· 
tbs methods of thi.a sol1001 aroae f1•cra a nntural dis• 
taste fOl' ·the more. palpable of its ·aetr.lote and suob 
abuses as were pel'!Jetue,tad by the .less onpabla and 
a101•e rn.a1,.oenary ot I.ta writers. Secoru:lly, bis approach 
to the sub3 set ot degraded. impovarialled and sufteX':lng 
huruanity 1nUi 10 inuoh an emanation of llia own myrnpa• 
! ? 
thatic olmraotaa• tllat hie pioturos danl rnorf:l with. tha 
results ot sin than witll an analyaia und detniled 
account ot the acts tl'1el'llsolvQth ma baliev0d that: 
, a•t I 
. . ~ " . , ' . ' ; . . . ' ' 
nothing can be ga.tnad by- throwi11g too n1uch. liaht on 
' . ' . 
man's "V'~cio1.t.S11ess. No one lcr4~ bette:r then he that 
rean ·hue lits ·ignoble e1de,. lmt in •so tar ·as thio llBSJ 
:to be ccmairlered in his wo:.rk!J, ·it is· l·1aaa1Gtt· rather 
by a· 1natl1od ·ot irnplioati.on tl'lan by ·objeotive deaoript• 
ion. mren· ln ~-~J~gnznlq;.U9Jlaa~_sl-_tJ..~;r,01}!.(}.lera1 
wh~1iis 'wa ltc,va· no~m. cu:mtentcd villat~<1:ro C'!Qr•verted · 
i11to baas ts \tl~o. etoot~ · e't'an to· dJtt1nkGt'l nmrclel't the 
'• 
imprasaion we: tleriva fl'Om t'11e whole is ·one· of sym• 
patl'l.Y for tl1ei1e rnieguided paop1a·, · Syni1')ath,-, then, 
anrl not peaaitni'sm ti~Y 'bll said to l>e tllo backbone 
ot hio :rea~listio · t1rnatrnant. · · · 
That· Pereda "11oti) .. tl i-athar ·navel" tU.aouaa outrages 
against deoe11Qy ·and lJJ.J}alrlf1a14·1a 1nd1.eatatl in t<'!Biiy 
lnato,no~a. . In Pt1r1£0 ;3t!n911pa the !~at.tar at Clara •e 
:•I• 
adulta1~ ts· pJ-esentad and distdsaet'l·in· a tow 1rords, 
m103.0 e oth~r wrt tera mia;l1t · l'luvo devotar1 ··pngefl or even 
cooptu31•s ·to the devaloprner1t of· thio incident, l"er•~a 
' ~ ' 
eta.tea it aimvlY't' witl1out rni:al:ine ·too .mucb or a· p<>int 
of it fo1,. ita own &1aket nrid tho J"ealiam does nt>t 
.f .•• ,,, 
suffe1,.. thereby 4. Iti · taote 1 t ts· by vi:rti.1e of 1 to 
MQ~tlety m1o:ra . co\1vim.'li1ta. 'Xhat Pereda>& ee?te · to 
show :le tho ef:foot. ot. this disill.uuion ·upon ni1 
lloro•s oluiraot.-ar,. ~i1ts he J.msclone, ·and two or thl!'ea 
·lurt .. <1 oi.w.pters 0 :· enctmbsffl\ 1.Uith f~ m:ass ·of :detail, 
\ .... 
,, 
' 
would 'oni:v>iiave shifted tlle «npllaa1a ln t11e wrong 
cU.raotlo_n an~ bltn.14re<i_ tho picture. 
·. , Anotb$:r S!b1iilar. treatl.ilGnt 1.'s. glVan. th$ subj eot , 
. of: ~dul:terY · in Lt, 11.;~Sll~YU. ritca flt.Ake~ · her lmrsnin 
··with lite and. decideE) to marry one tman wld.la sha 
g!vee herself to anotlle:r. All _tbio is str.\t.ed l?l.a1nly 
enougl1, Atte~ h.$r marriage tha ~\Utllor Sllm:CtiU~izeo tlte 
oone1mirrla.t1cn ·of her pact ".witb .'.P:epa Guzmt11 in n scant 
· quartei.' o:r 0 IlBGE!t Hls pu'.fl')oo.; has lJaen am:Jo~11tishod, 
·. the eha:racter 01~ l:i!~ l1eroi•~Ha defini t~ly demonstrated• 
aricf he b.~ rn·) deei.re to follow he:r and· her 1oveyr be• 
Y.orid · the ·cio6r or her 'boudo it' and taalt~ us wi tnese es 
·o·r ihei:r · libidtnous afta.ir. 
1,' . ' 
Zn tbose cases wh$rr.t Pa!'eda ·1a una11aurnbared by 
·. tl14!) weight ot a 't11asis. bla 01~ .. rnot~rs e~e drawn true 
0 I • . : '. ' , , , I '• , 
· to life ancl tU'G free tro1n overa!mpl!fication. · He 
' \ l , I 
never idealizes. ln the :raoe ot tll~ nt11neroua socinl 
· probl·ema· for· wh1c11 he souaht a eol.utio11. bs 'was. too 
·a.<aeply · irnp~eaa ed · by tha need to"r. tmp~ov~ent ·to give 
' . 
'us a rose. tinted. picture~ The lteynote to tlla tons 
·of· h:la reali$fn is a eympa.thy top i'oWly types, a de• 
I ( • ·•.,1, 1 • ' ' l 1 , ' 
sire 'to ennoble tbe vUl,5Ar and penetrate to the verY' 
heart ot oon'ltnonploc.e e~d.ote1~oe~ In wri tb1g of ·the 
fisbertoik ot Sa11tamle~, he wrote purel.y from a love 
of hia sub~eot, ami· tha i-asultillg picture has the 
1. ' ' (• . 
ii1"\hose cr.&o~~ ·11hor0 1.,e1•ooa •e rea1:U.LJr~~ io handled 
most. 8.killfully and ''h.~re ·· n9 moat · noo1'lY ·Btt1),.•('1)aoheo 
the SbtU!rO 'of .tb\l .f.it1iebad, nOV$llet his VX>!'Jt laoke· :' 
li <ll•wx4tic qu~lJ.·ty. lie orea.·tc3fr no ~eal.l.y b~l'SJ.liant 
fJCJcial· e<Hm~'SJ · shtnm: a:tl. 1?otaimt1t. situAttono e.x<:Hll,t 
\ 
those ousgr~btttd a·eoom.iarily ow. ·'by· inqllioat1on; tu1•11c, 
I 
in:Jti1:ict1~,s11: from tne mialy~io ·ct li::re•aa s1·e~1teat 
n1<nrf\'hta1 from the·. eo?n11·ilenitiea of sex·· and tho deep 
dr.awatio rnovsmants of J;>!1tHd.cn. . Jnu :t>1!JiLEUJ.&f!-1e 
t11e le~t drmr.o.tio of .bis taove1a•: It ie at lJeat a . 
sories_ of pioturea•. pgfr!\o ar&-&t?J' sb<nva Peredc-t to 
be evor · t:h.9 ',gpa·fiJeaJ2rjsta~ , Tlle brilliant deacript• 
10111 ot nntu)ha B11d · 1 ta· effect· on the· l3l'otagoniot •s 
clmr,~0\01•. ere oonv:tncina but not· dr~Jetlo. The 
lack of tbia qt.n~llty tnal?'s B!);ti~Pifl• Pereda failed 
to tell liis story di-wno.tioall:r. and wlmt W•l aet 
from th~ novel is a good gerte~al ·iopreaston ot the 
li'fea or tho fishertoll~ \d.tb d:rani.4~ play1na a aaeond• 
ar~t role. 
Returning ·to a coneide:ration ,n,f th'! s1nm:tinity 
j 
( 
.of the el~llente which OQmpoaca Pereda•m art, it !tlti1 
\ 
bo said that herein 11~~ the a.eorat ·of bia 1:reailiatio 
foroe• Abno~l · t~rpea are aasie:r to pif)ture• as a 
·r1111 •. aml are .mn:ro a1:.t to l1old the nveri~ge x-eade:r'a · 
88 
attention than no~l onee, To take that wld.oh 1a 
neerea~ at ~aml. most fmd.liar to both artist and 
reader. and eo itnp:regnate it with the opa:ik ot real• 
tty that it takes on a new life and vitality !'equires 
the lcerttnest of olJiuarva.tion and feeling tor s1gnit1cant 
detail; ot fact. Paret'la .Jlas dfJ:nonstrat$d that he 
pcnuaessed this .ditttoul t art ot reproducing the 
primitive, familiar and picturesque epeeoh and oustoms 
ot tlle peasants and fiehar folk. without by so doins 
$!ltllar impairing the exclusive quality o:f his vJOrkrnan-
ah1p or giving his humble types an air ot 00lt•oonscioue• 
nees. This sublimation ot the siropla and familiar when 
artistically handled results 1n a more last1ng1y con• 
vincins picture than the depicting ot abnormalities. 
Pereda• when ha lays 'bara the raaigna.tion and suffer• 
lns of the fiellermai1 ot SBntander. becomes ut11versal 
ln appeal. Vie· tore:st aa we rend these passages tlmt 
they are oonc$rned with a mode ot life fore1gn0 in 
1 ta outward inanifastat1one, to mo.st of us~ v'?lmt 
Pereda drives home ia the universality of buraa.n 
struggle in the face of adverse oondltiona e.nd ad• 
3uetmento to environment; he helps uo discover in 
ourselves the same santime~ta that play a pal!'t: in 
the lives of his beat drawn characters. 
Pereda chose hia ~ath and followad it* convinced. 
:,S,9 
ot the aoundn.ees of hie prooodiare. l:n ·aontraat to 
" . . . ·.' .. · .. ' ' . ·, .: . .. ' ' . ' . 
Gal.do.a,_ who .had bl• hand continually on the public's 
pulse, he set about tfJ educate hit readers to' ma 
appre~iation of 'hie re~limn. Thie J'Gal'lem 'Was too 
ha:rsb at :ti.rat, ·as ie evidenced ·by the oold. recept• 
ion accorded· the 'early' editions of the ;mscsnas. 1110nj<a• 
. nes~e·~· The .beauty a~d \ralue of his ·work may .. not be· 
apparent' after 'a' c~ual ~a&dins •. 'The' subtlety ot 
a'olor and "8"tyle oa1is" for. a serious study if it is 
io ocnvey the. whole Of his tilGEUJaga. 
· In raa11st:i.o · proceduJ*e Pereda ie obJect:tve. 
The. 'reader "deduoes the·. autho:r•e thousnts t:lnd · those 
:ot hie ·character~· from their overt aota. The most 
'striking exmn1'1e' of this p~ooedure ls to be found 
1n.Ee<lro )3~nonez~ fha part of tbt ··novel. daaline; 
·with P~d~ota .gov.erno!'ship is px-esented so· that we 
see nothins o"t bis inner thoughts or opinions "upon 
t he lite about htn1. 'but thl*ough an analysis ot his 
act:lone' and h.11· >r~actiona to hle :environment, wa are 
. . 
easily able to dsduoe hil ·convictions concei•ning honor. 
love and riam"11y oblisationa. 
:tn ~tilgza, ' in 10 far au 'ther"e ·· 1~. an analysis 
ot olmraotar it ia objective •. :·Andr&l9 te~llns tor 
the heroine undergoes a change and evolution, and 
l. Vide aupra1 Oltapter X, p. 4. 
90 
thast tacts are gleaned f~o~ his alt1one. We do not 
follow ~ith the author hie mental struggle before he 
went to Sotileaa•s home on the day he oo~promised her. 
In !!i?oinas montan~ th~re QJ.$e nutn$rous inetanc• 
ea ot this ob3eotive realiatia treatn1ent." In f.· l%f1 , 
.;tndi!:l the tull toroe of ·the sac:r1tioe the departure 
ot Anclres for tlie new WOJ'ld entailed• aa well as his 
' mother•.• grief at his m>ing• are conveyed obJaotively. 
Polit1oa11y he supported the old monaro111 and 
believed that the ideal a:rransement was a feudal 
aociet;v in whioll a contented peasantry lived unde>:-, 
the oare of oQnsidera~e landlords. tte held that new 
and liberal ideas of government onl1 oausa unrest and 
suffering when thrust upon people who are unable to 
understand and utilise thein. 
He oon&idered the family to be the n~aineprina 
ot an ideal sooiat:v. His ideas conoernins the rela• 
tiva responeib1llties of rnan and wife are made clear 
ln numerous pla.Qes. There is a distinct ?1Tohatr.m.edan 
I 
flavor to hie theory :regu:rd!ns wotnan 's plaoe in the 
home,. s1not ha piQturee he!' ae eubservient to her 
husband at all times.. The latter ts to be truly 
\ 
.} 
the bead of his house, and ia to be respected as 
a po.triarob, 
Pereda's via'WS on wealth end eduoation are 
,, ,1' 
91· 
. oomu!rvativ• and $.n keepiu,a with the .wbolG · ot .bia 
: soc!$l. pJrd-lOGtQl)11y. -Thie ph11osopbV •e evol;voo tram 
his e~ipe,1eno$a tmd tmto!'tm'l.(~te eo.ntaets ,,1th a chatlS-
ins aee. ·. Het!rOO. .&ts .a O~tholte. 'be lltad .lea:fnf!d to look 
witll diet~atrt .upon al,.., !U.lJea-al vie1~J,th ; , .:aesidea, ho 
1iv~d inostt o~ · hS,s l.-if<a. tn ooro.p~rativ.e 1aolati011 and 
, , . bad no. opportnni ty to cotnpnre 41t~ei•ent eoe 1etloo. 
ru.fl consa:t'Vnt1onl. onn moret>ve1:- bo e~l~inett in. the . 
. . llght of eco11oro1e s oouri ty. ne wa~~: ~l1•~. i1013s ensol? 
ot an adequat<J fortune. wae contented tVith hio lite 
.cal.littG and bsppy !n ills su:rrcmndinr;;cf.. A el1a11ge in 
sooieJ ... foltln oou1d. not hnve banefi ted him, •nti so :t\(! 
1WBS 10GiORlll'' Ol}!)0£J()d to , .. ~.1)0\"'la1,~0m. 
, As a ~m;tta~ \'10 om1o:tde:r him under t\TQ l1ends: 
as. m s_qp.tiJm!l?X';&,.f!;tJA v:rover nt1d ~~.a novelist. . Th$ 
latte~ ·Stn5s is·· in rsal1 t~r n. dovelopm~nt of the 
tol,'ntnr, ma ne'f~r looeo hb1 tlal .. ,ig~1t tn tha t~iaat1ne11t 
ot natu:ra, . :n:ve~1 :ln tboae inotnnc~~ in which the 
ecenes of hto worka a.J-e r~ovetl . fl'Om h1.e iiati va 
,_r 
1>urroundinao he a·ttl'11 show. a mti"lrsd .. l~n!nr; toward 
SJl~~·.iiQ. .tre~tmet1t •. Thia• J.t rnay, ·ba aftinned 
. with oon,v~ction., ma ll1e nappies~ mt>r>d •. As. a pa$.nter 
' . ' ~/ ' . 
of tam111~ typee from among the humble nativna of 
hie mountain p:rovlnoe he enjoys an enviable position 
: 92· 
in :thEt f:l$ld ~t. Bpaniel1. lattar;, HQ .l-ms. 1a:ld bar<1 
.tbs oou;Le . ot the B..1"lnt~""lde:: . t:lollerfol.lc antl . ban troit.tfld 
tho;n wit~1 grant ~ympatl\Y, kee~1 .. 1nsiaht a•1d absoluta , 
tideli.t~ ._ :· .Th~s trnpo;rtant phnao r,t lli:o. worlt tu.\8 the ... 
t:rrua ~tng o.f r~nl1£Jtio oo~v1o~ion; .. ·.thQ :u.vaf} 1J;nd 
. atrticaleo ot tbt31cl poop1e a~a raised l>y Peroo~ to 
. 0; p1ru·u;) ot universnl tsletnlttom1c~'u~. B:/. virtue ot 
. :the very ~ntene:t '&Y of tr<aEitmant .. tllo.t lle · l'lfla gl ven 
, them, .th$y o~:r:ey- us beyond tho 1:tmttu ot tlle L1pntena 
and , beY,~nd Spain· . 1 ta e1t. Tho 1 i~ee or :r1ehorme-A and 
:1'.:t~met1ts. :·ars .much tho e~e the woztl~d ov~r, ancl a study 
• J ' • 
ot Pereda•a· work. leaves ue ,,1t11 tble ocn1v!ct1cm. 
Unfortu11')tely ·Pereda heltl. tbt\t .tu10 of the missions 
ot tu~t la d1<laot1c.iunn. A oon ot ~lstd tnox-a:t p:rino ipale • 
lt~~11l.y SJenQitivo to the waaJ.l!neoeaa and ta.u.lta ot the . 
. S!Jcie~;r-, ot h~ .. a ~ay. ,he attempted .sevax-al times to 
, .. ~E!'l1ed7. 0011ditiE>l18 .. throuf!ll his \tr! tin.a. . VJ.hero another 
'' ' 
writer rni3I1:t.11Ave. euppQ:t'ted a thee.~ witllout edloua 
detrilnent to .h~a t~ohniq,ua;~Pereda tailed. When once 
his tl1es1e .Jtq.s. ta.ken poseeasiou ot bj,m it QGX-:ties him 
alona ~a tho~ .. i1e were PO\farl.ea~ to d:t:raot ll!s storr 
turthe1', o~ to i<:eep .1\.t within the: b9tu1ds of artistic 
tre~trnent.. Vh*'n .tn this inood Irie does 'not hasilate to 
overs,.m;plify his cllaraoters _in any .. cU.reotion d•lred. 
For tbla reason hts didaotio novols prove little or 
93,•", '" 
,, '·' ·, ' ' 
noth!ns., and are no~ ~Ga11attoa1ly convincing. It 
' ' 
WQ9 in Pe:ted&l the ·J'O!!tl!PJ?.EJ.'1.£!.t th$ 1ntorpJ!et$1' 
of th~ h1imbl$ types oi' the Mont~ii!l, tJmt the 
spark ot ·sen!ue efhont moat b~iS11tly. Ho ·clesQrvea 
tt>·. :r.anl:. with tho tiret•rate :l'eralistio "writers. or 
' . ' . \ ' ' 
the nineteenth century• bu• & dispassionate study 
ot h:l; works AS a whole indloatee that as a novel• 
. iat hG bas been avereatiinatad ... 

94 
BIDLlOGnAPmr 
Alas .•. Leopoldo (Clarln): ~sa;z:oe g m:eviatma·. !ifa<l:rid·, 1892 
.,-;o._ ....................... , ~·~um oan1Jla.na., Jt:adrld·, 18B7 
••••••••••••••••· .. •·••••: ?i~adrid·, 1891 
i 
••••••••• ... 4P••••••••••••·: 1flemffa 1u1rtl&dpi, t11adrid·, 1ea; 
l3aaaett., Ralph ·mne:rsotu Padrq, &-!nghes, l'tew York·o 1916 
Chnttrel°ab·, Ru.ital ~\ftmGti_as fla !!Q ,SJ,9sefmlo£&~, !~adrido 1917 
Estate. Rmla, oonstanolo~ :: ... :·1~11srsiu%t~,·X z.i·1'k~~t2§t& . 
r~~d,.ld, 1914 
~. 
114 t:aroau:r1oe•Ite11y, Jtamos I 'fl He!" H&stgg;z of ?;enrd.eJ! 
'· :.:: . : . " ; · · · .. : .w:(:);ctyf;,Ji£st. Oxford. 1926 
Gcf:nea de l3aque~()t F.dtta!'dtH J! t~negitnj.anto. de }ft nox@2,a 
' 
!; ; : , ' 
Lomba. Joa & :f.l, ' . 
a,J;,l ···~,1s1o ~xx. ~ftadr:ld. 1924 
~l~~~s. n&x:os Zr ~sllezps d@l 
~Js pom_~ Ja rtonta.np 
. J?l!J..,V.rJl>P. J!O£,,PjJ'.~~ J!J.a. d&QJJ:e 
1W.ct .. ~Jil. · l rJlral.~1.~~.P:&~ 
1: • 
si\tia1. &Antandar,' 1907 
. in 9J.,ll t31Ff;!i,,lf)Jnmi2ia. 1vradrld, 1906 
',L~~l'.1·. nant~• · · in .2!\1)1~~-lJlSl!~tt ;·Rt}3ptm;q11 volUtfle 96. 
Februn!'y• 1896 
?~ta.ya, rzaurinai . A~sl.W..a111~-J-l~~tl2li"A.~*w .• ot th1.. 
· iJ10flta, g f ifC?S § J!ft!'{§ . dft Pft£Mfd, 
ca11ton, 110,. 1926 0 voltm1G 2, 
nUtibera 3 & 4, Culve~·atockton 
Qµartarlz,r. 
j\nganao x. psnsnrnlA• i~tadrid, 1897 
IAeuerinde:J .. .,,..Pelavo~. M.1. n.t»SJA~.~-lr~o •. ,.W1~si~ ~D· · 
~J?J»1fil:~: Ap:ri1 26, 1906 
. w. VOltWie · l,: ObJ·mi CG111plstas 
d a Pei*ooa •.. 
Tl.ta Ot1ut10.!'. ,It• voluro. ·e 89, '*""'MrllG• .1 ilti 
3Una 2711. 1908 · 
18 Sll~4jt&Q:a pn:J.;p,&;tarttsi. volume 1.· 
obret1 ccnt~list~s. ~uidrid, 1891 
P9lj!1iof!A z 1 }Jsjt1t;jiog 1;1..1U'A£nr&o5i, 
volui:ne 6, tfbrss com:olet~ • 
t15.tidrid •· · i.891 
D&f?CUTS,O · 11£4,P.)~ri;tt!) l~, R.~ra 
!~tfS.fl!Jiia· ,r,Jl~ial!. t.~adrid• 1097 
•0lU?nml X • XVIl 
wmimo; lfihtLQ..SA,?~9 2~B NfUll 
PeStl{lmJg, 1Jl?~1 •. l~adrid, 1897 
!!£91S!sna 'to m· §!bff£1 fl~ &a 
i,1armtt~ · Ob:tes · coinpletaa de 
Pereda. voluma X 
~1!1s lI&s:ean!gtl~· volumes 
1 & 2. 18~4·189; 
, . ,. 
Tamienbers, l30ris ti.et ln 
,, ' . 
••••••••••••••••-., •• , !\n 
l, . Ptir1JJ t : -~ 90 3 
~~~~~"·s~11~t.~ volwna v, 
i ~· 
169~·. 
1.-nos~~an~.~&itim on 
--~~~--iitlM·e~d~a•: _in Publie• 
• ' I ' ' • 
e,t~on of thi;J rzodern Language 
ASso~iation, volume .XXXIV 
&!SS 1t!J.~~:~r.oo pu !'J?.1i~ ss;pam1~1 
... ' " . 
S!at&9Z~~,~ Pa1'1e, 1907 .. 

. AbeJ• montaneaa, la 
Aoadan':f. Spanish 
~ , primoit. j?J!01Q 
Alas• Le.opoldo (•01~ln") 
·Alfonso 
A1manaque de las doa Asturias 
"al ta novela" 
Ateneoclentltloo·y lite~to, el 
Ateneo ohioo, el 
:Balzac. nonore de 
!ftiios ael. e,nrn&nftr'!.t .. la! 
Bernabe, Don 
~_faagpga. x tat,_, 
!.t'.9.t,tgs t:al . 192:4 
i}l!~ StJ~$g. Cl 
Bustillo, ltiuardo 
Caballero, Fermtn 
c 
;. 6a 
3, 6 . 
7 •. 11 
10 
9, 43 
6 
6 
23 
s 
3 
;~ 
6 
l 
9 
>8, 61 
a, 31. 
3 
97 
;i. 87 
0tW11ats 
Oarlo1 1 »on 
oervantee • PU.gu.el d.e 
Corre;pondenoia de Eapana, la, · 
Ool'teaJ 
Ch 
J) 
it ts)g na~o, '§al,,as;t&2:le. 
60 12tf 
13, 14 
1; 
· .. ' 4 
·. · .. ·,12. 64. 6; 
lli@O!l£80. d! iJlS£9BO a la real acaaemla 
I.. h ... . ~-~~~ ~.~ 
/'' j 
~~ ph~e 20 16 
·Education, attitude toward 
:&no t:lons • ti-ea tin ant ot . 
i!'?ffb10r&O§ ~· rM£m?lO§. 
' N Jfig~nas.mo~~m!.iSf!! 
Esmeralda, la 
:mspanolierno 
J 
Family. attitude toward the 
79 
6B. 71 
'?1 ;9 
4, ;·. 7o a~ 30. ;r; 
2 
60 
71, So, 90 ' 
.~~o· ·~sturiano, el .. 
Fltmnaurioe•Ke11y• Janles 
nores, Antonio 
4 
4 
4. 83 
99 
Foreien intluenoes · : 21 .• aa. 60 
QQoeta dal oomaroio, la '} · 
oonsm,\O ppnz!(la; de l~ Pct?J,EQJ;.~ta, .fl~tll ' 9. tJ~. 62. 76., a, 
Gu.tie1•raz de la Tone. ca,eto~ . 3 
He.J.e"Q' . 
. F.artzenbu0che rusenlo 
1:1omb1as, .tiS2, I?t2• J:oa 
:tnd1ano,·the 
lnatituto CantabztQ 
~T~ndai·q. ti 
JournQliem 
I 
J 
Jubara· y Ban Mart!n 
42 
42 
4 
'64 66 
, . 
61. 76 
l 
3 
~8tt' 
4 
2. 16 
L. 
i.arra,,, ?i~ariano Jose da 
~lfU:O!m£ S!Ul,.il @1~\2. 
J!end'n(h~12 y Pelayo• M. 
'·'on~.vmz. •. &a, . · .~- ···~ 
uontana, tha 
rio11tero 0 Jose 
El\1<jt ,dt2o Ph!mt. 1& 
1~~und~. a:nor :t mn&dad 
Itundo. unlveraa1 0 El 
u 
liaturultem, attitude tomn-d 
H11Ja~,gg .!i~~'2. · 
Pflohtn oom~aiam 
pe.}ge .. mn n eoo 
.. 
' 
100 
42 
3 
7, 11. 
; 10., 440 
29. 36. 
1; 
a· 
3 
;. 
. 11. 63 
3 •.. ' 
60 
;a, 
4,, 
a1, 86 
, 
5'0., 92 
Para .aer b9an• ar:rter~ 
Pardo Bas&i. Em:Llia 
Pa ti-1ot1sm 
p 
Pelayo, Juan de 
Pdas.fd~Er&bi 
PeJ'ecla, Juan F.ranc,isoo de .... v HaJto 
PGX-eda. Juan i:.anuel 
Peres Gald&s, Benito 
Politics 
~rimavsra. la 
Psyoholos1cal analysim 
£.i1011e;ra1, &!l _. 
Q, 
Q.uintan111a, Sinforoao 
Bea11ero. 
Regional. novel 
3 
83tt 
16 • . 18tt 
Revilla, Dona Diodora de la ••• ':I Hu1dobro. , ' 4 
Revista.de mapana, la 
~ab2=a1 I! 
6 
; 
Bornanoa. J,!11onero 
Romii;fa di. Cax:men, lit. 
s 
,eab,or · cia Ja · $&irEJuu1, ~• 
l 
so.ience, attitude toward 
&;ciai.piliiosoplly 
apt&1t:?!f1 
. . 
~snto t&an~s. tan!£o vaisn 
. Terron@s z, J?§tsamlnofi. 
f!!e .c~itano.,, el, 
t&poa . ;trash1gants! 
:.r&noa z .ner.1s!fb1 ma 
1 
'.rrovadot, et 
T:rueba 
u 
United States 
,V 
102 
4., 17., 83 
6 
·9 
!)6., aa 
;4: 
9. ~ 28 •. 37. 
;2. 87, 89 
9 
3 
3 
. 3, 6 
B 
7, a 
3 
4, ;. 83 
3 
" Women, attitude t~ '72 ·. 
3 
103