Religion and Clericalism in the Nineteenth Century Novel in Spain

Religion and clericalism in the nineteenth century novel in Spain

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Authors Celaya, Ida Isabel, 1898-

Publisher The University of Arizona.

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Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/553165 Religion and Clericalism

in the

Nineteenth Century Novel in Spain

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, _ ^ . , Ida Celaya - - . '

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the ■■ ■ . requirements for the degree of v:,> / ;:7'

lister of Arts 1 ' t J / ' ' ASr?n77 f .. . in the College of letters, Arts;'and Sciences,, of the University of Arizona 1933

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Chapter Page

I. Introduction! Religion and Clericalism 3

II. Juan Valerai 6

1. Pepita Jimenez. 6

2. Las Ilusiones del doctor Faustino. 6

3. Doha Luz. 11

4. SI Comendador Mendoza. 26

5. Juanita la Larga. 30

6. Morsamor. 37

III. Benito Perez Galdos: 43

1. Doha Perfecta. 44

2. Gloria. 49

3. La Familia de Leon Roch. 55

IV. Armando Palacio V aldes: 59

1. Harta y Maria. 60

2. La Hermana San S ulpicio. 63

3. Jose. 66

V. Vicente Blasco Ibanez: 70

1. La Horda. 72

2. Luna Benamor. 73

3. SI Intruso. 74

4. La Bodega. 81 5. La C atedral. 84

VI. Conclusion. 94

VII. Notes. 96

V III. Bibliography. 115 90542 3

: . RELIGION AND CLERICAL ISM ; : ■, ■ ■ 1. : :.'v - ^ v IN THE \ :: f •. v % NINETEKTH CENTURY NOVEL IN SPAIN. ; 'bri:--: • V”:.: I ; I . INTRODUCTION * RELIGION: AND CLERICALISM.. .. u : :

: .Religion is the inward experience "by which men recognize the existence of a god or gods who have power over th e ir des tiny and to whom obedience, service, and honor are due. This is true whatever belief, is held and under whatever clime. It is my task to deal with only one.phase of the subject, i.e.v the organized means of giving expression to religion as it exists and: has existed in Spain for some centuries back. ;v The;Catholic religion has been and still is, the predomi nant religion in Spain. It was established and took deep root in the early beginnings of the nation. It has played a

- - prominent part in the life of the nation. Therefore it is al most impossible to- find anywhere a piece of lite ra tu re or a piece of art that does not present some religious aspect; or, to state it otherwise - very few pieces of Spanish literature or of Spanish art can be fully understood without an intimate knowledge of the religious practices that are the outcome of the special religious .beliefs of Spaniards. ;; ; Spain has fought steadily to maintain.her beliefs and thus religion has become a strong element in the character of the Spaniard. Religion is not presented in literature or 4

art in a critical manner. Rather it is presented ae an in evitable and necessary concomitant of life that reveals what

/ is innermost in the soul. In the works with which I am to deal, it will be almost impossible to bring to the reader's attention every religious act contained therein, since such acts are common in the ordinary routine of life of the Span iard. ; ■; ' - ' • ' Clericalism arose simultaneously with religion and govern ment, and played a great part in the political life of Spain. Clericalism is an element that stealthily crept into power and has exerted more influence in the affairs of state and in individual lives than kings, prime ministers, or soldiers. Spain has from time to time exerted her w ill and has revolted against such power, but it was net u n til recent years that she has succeeded in freeing herself from its yoke. Let us see what clericalism means. In England, accord ing to Hastings' Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, cleri calism is synonymous with priestdom, priestcraft, popery, etc. This word appeared in that country during the last quarter of the nineteenth century with the above meanirg. There are how- • ' ' v: "' ' ' ■ . ever some cases wherein the term has a more sinister import, which1, caused i t , to behapplied to all' th at. "conddces.l to! the establishment of a spiritual despotism exercised by a sacerdo tal caste".^ The term is also frequently used in England and in this country in another and milder sense. It is used with reference to clerical propensities which are not so acutely 5

dangerous "but are nevertheless elements of disturbance. In Spain clericalism has a very definite meaning. Ac cording to the Enciclopedia- universal ilustrada of Espasa. "clericalism i s :the supremacy of the clergy in the govern ment of the s ta te " .2 The Dictionary of the Spanish Language by Jose Alemany gives the following definitions "Clericalism is the excessive mediation attributed to the clergy in poli- tics and in the government of the State"Other works where in one would expect to find the word treated do not even list it. This non-appearance of the word leads one to wonder . whether or not the influence of the clergy is responsible for the omission.• v This study will be confined to the novels of the nine teenth century, dealing only with the works of Juan V alera,. Armando Palacio Valdes, Benito Perez Galdos, and Vicente Blasco Iba&ez. It is my task to find therein evidence con cerning the clerical problem in Spain, in other words to d is cover what differences, if any, are felt between religion and clericalism. 6

II. JUAN VALERA.

Juan Valera waa born in 1827, at Cabra, a village of the Department of Cordova. His father was a rea,r admiralV his mother the noble Marchioness deila Paniega. He was educated at two religious schools, one at Malaga, the other on the Sacro Monte at Granada. He very early entered upon the ca reer of diplomacy. He was secretary of legation successively at Naples, Lisbon, Rlode Janeiro, Dresden, and St. Peters burg; and later was the Spanish minister to the United States. He was also at various times deputy to the Cortes, high offi cial in the ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Agricul ture and Commerce, and a life member of the Council of State. He was a correct poet and stylist, an accomplished gentleman, a subtile critic, a highly cultivated humanist and a conver sationalist without rival- in Spain. 1 7

1. Pepita Jimenez. ^ Valera’s.f irstnnovel,7:Pepita jJimenez, reveals the great genius of the author. He wrote this book without realizing that he was writing a novel. He confesses in the Dedicatoria of El Comendador Mendoza that he had just finished reading a multitude of pious books and that the poeti cal element in those books had him facinated but not captivated. He says, "my fancy became exalted with such reading; but my cold heart remained free and my unemotional spirit kept itself within the bounds of cold reason " .4 From this sincere con fession one may infer that, far from being impelled by critical 7

or irreligious sentiment a, he was actually inspired "by reli gious works although at the same tiae he was led by reason; to express his views and convictions. The author answers the c ritic s who assign evil motives to his work.. In the pro logue of Pepita Jimenez, we read: "The malice,• which some critics presume to find ‘in the.narrator, seems to me to be more in them than in me. The Dean, and-not I, is the one who narrates; and a l l that which sounds like mockery in what he says, is directed against the youthful petulance of his neph-

•• ewy against the lack of firmness in his purposes and against the shallowness of his vocation; not against the vocation itse lf* . 5 '• v ■ ■ ^ : :■( : Don Luis de 'Vargas, the hero of Pepita Jimenez, is a young man who is endowed with wealth and good looks but whose greatest desire is to consecrate himself to God. His early education, under the supervision ofihis uncle the Dean, turns his thoughts away from the world. He leads a sheltered life, free from temptation, and his spiritual life develops unhinder ed. . Before taking his final•vows, he is sent by his uncle to his native town to visit his father, who is the personifica tion of all that is mundane. It is here that Luis first comes in contact with worldly influence. He meets a young, beauti ful, and attractive widow. It is she>who‘first begins to undermine his firm determination and cause him to doubt his vocation. He rises to the occasion and combats .the new enemy with all hie strength, but fails. He is just another mortal 8

who succumbs to the darts of Cupid. It is quite evident that Valera is not swayed by mysti cism but by his practical nature. The spiritual is in con tinual conflict with the worldly, the latter being ^victorious over the former in many instances. The author presents the conflict of the soul with human weaknesses, but that is not all he does. He also presents clearly his idea of an ideal priest, the one who has a real calling to things spiritual. The hero of this story is placed in an environment which is almost ideal for the fomenting of a religious career. This is true also of a great percentage of the cases of individuals who devote their lives to the ministry. The wills of such individuals: are influenced in early youth and their lives are carefully planned to attain a goal, which perhaps is not theirs but that of some fond parent or relative. Parents so often try to realize their ideals in their children. This results disastrously in many instances, or causes failures which could have been avoided. This characteristic desire of parents or relatives to shape the destiny of their children plays havoc not only with those that follow a r e l i gious life but also with those who-intend to follow any,other line of work. Nevertheless, it seems to be more common moag those that devote themselves to the Church, be it Protestant, Catholic or Jew. This is ! 'probably^due to'thecfaet-'that ^these individuals will have to deal with souls and not material things. This training requires more thought and natural in clination. Worldly things are too apt to detract from such 9

a high calling. -.r fc, ■: ;■ c, . This/book proves beyond question that temptation should be the: greatesti.test - to prove the;fitness,,of the individual >. - for his chosen profession. What would really.happen if. this acid test were given to all those who intend to enter a pro- feesion that requires so much sacrifice and real, vocation? This vital, question gives food for thought. . Who knows? Per haps - few would be chosen out of the many who believe them selves to have a calling. - . : c . : ■ - V , At the beginning of the story of Penita Jimenez. Valera brings out this; great- truth in the mouth, of Don Luis, who. says, "I have often thought about two; opposite methods of

education: the one advocated:by those who try to conserve k ; innocencei .confusing innocence-with ignorance, and believing that an evil not known can better be avoided than that which is known, and the one, advocated, by those who, boldly and as soon as the pupil arrives at the age of reason, making allow ance for the sensitiveness of modesty, show him evil in all its horrible' hideousaess and in all its frightful nudity,, in order, that he may hate it, and avoid it. ;I understand that evil must be known in order to esteem or value better the in finite divine goodness, the ideal and unattainable goal of every well born desire". os . ^ . : Incredulity and materialistic tendencies’, which are so ; common today, were becoming very prevalent in Spain during the life of: Valera. Owing to this, he brings to our^ attention 10

emphatically the necessity of a true calling for a spiritual vocation. Don Luis writes to his uncle, "Can the had doc trines be in the a ir , lik e the miasmata of an epidemic? Per haps (and I regret to have this evil thought, which I confide only to you), perhaps the clergy itself is responsible for it. Is the clergy in Spain fulfilling its mission to its utmost? Does the clergy go out to teach and preach among the people? Is it capable of this in all its individuals? Is there a true vocation in all those that consecrate themselves to a religious life and to the cure of souls, or is it merely a manner of living/ like any other, with the difference that today only the most needy, those most without hope or means of support, devote themselves to it, for the' very reason that this profession offers less future than any other? Be that as it may, the scarcity of well trained and virtuous priests excites still more in me the desire to become a priest".? It is quite evident that Valera protested against lack of vocation in the priesthood, but one cannot say that he personally lacked beliefs thoroughly Catholic and orthodox. The sp iritu a l and the mundane fuse into harmonious unity and his views never contradict his most heartfelt beliefs. He says, "I well know that the impious of the present age, with complete lack of foundation, accuse our holy religion of moving souls to abhor all the things of the world, to scorn and disdain nature, perhaps to fear it almost, as if there were in it something diabolical, confining all their love and all 11

of their affection ia;that which-they call monstrous,egoism of divine love, because they believe that the-soul loves it self by loving, God".8 - - ; : , v: ; ,L:V V; ; z But he-goes ;on. to say, WI well know it is ;not. so, that this is not the true doctrine, that divine love is charity and that to love God is to love a ll, because everything re sides in God, and God;is everywhere in an; ineffable-and lofty manner. I well know that I do not sin by loving things through-.: then love ..-•of: God,; which-: is to love, them-for their sake with righteousness; because, what are they but the manifesta tion,- the work, of the love:of God?.; . . I re a liz e tth a tra ll these m aterial, things are like the le tte rs of a book, they are like the signs and characters where the soul, absorbed in its reading, can/penetrate deeply and read and discover the beauty of God, which, though imperfectly, isc.in them as a likeness or rather as .an emblem, because they do not paint it - .they represent: it".9 ^ . : This; thought - of being able to serve. God well in any; station of life gradually develops in the character of the hero. This fin ally leads^him to abandon his purpose to pur sue: a religious life and to adopt the role of a good citizen and father of his faunily. -. . v , ;; :

2. Las Ilusiones del Doctor Faustino. Valera’s second novel, Las Ilusiones del Doctor Faustino (1875), is perhaps superior in humor to its predecessor, Pepita Jimenez, but it 12

lacks the unity and interest. Both the story and the maim character lack color, strength, and baadfy. ZZlddotterlTaus- tino is perhaps the result of the age in which he lived. In -him we see a mixture of the vices, ambitions, dreams, and skepticism, which are so evident in modern times. His entire being is saturated with vain philosophy, political ambition, and aristocratic ideas. This last makes him a pathetic figure and the other two a total failure. ^ : Don Faustino Lopez.de Mendoza descends from a noble fam ily, proud but impoverished by bad management. Don Faustino receives a good education, obtains,his title of.doctor after years of study, and re tire s to his ancestral home, to. wait for an opportunity to become famous and to add lu stre to his name. Days go; by and doctor Faustino begins to doubt his ability. . His mother finally makes up her mind to marry him off to a rich cousin, but utterly,,fails in the end. In ac cordance with his mother's wishes, he visits Costanzaaandd falls really in love with her. During the visit a curious event.happens that changes completely Don Faustina's life. He receives a mysterious letter from a woman admirer, who calls herself the Immortal Friend. She declares her ardent, love for him and finally succeeds in bringing him to her apartment- where she again declares her love, but refuses to disclose her identity. He is puzzled and curious but does not fall in love with her, because of his love for Costanza. Costanza does not return this love and finally openly re jects him. She aspires to wealth and power and her cousin 13

cannot give her these things, so she gives him up., In the course of time she marries, a man of position and .wealth. , Don Faustino goes /back to his home in low spirits and decides to make the test of his circumstances. He meets the people of his.home town, from whom he has up to this time kept aloof; and forms an acquaintance with Rosita, the daugh ter of a rich scrivener. Don Faustino*s mother objects to. this friendship, but it is the Immortal Friend who really dissolves it. This mysterious woman comes into his life ; again and makes:him fall in love with her. Their interviews occur by night and are as mysterious as the woman who had prompted them. R osita, incensed by rage and jealousy, sur prises the lovers and creates a disagreeable scene, from which Maria, or the Immortal Friend, flees; Don Faustino runs a fte r her and-during the chase is captured by bandits. Unfortunately Rosita recognizes Maria as the daughter . of a bandit who ■is well known throughout the countryside, and it is not long before the whole town is informed that Don Faustino has eloped with the daughter of the bandit Joselito and has joined his band. : : n . . .. 1 ; - Poor Faustino is unable to communicate with his mother, ■ Doha Anaj who is assailed:on all sides by worry and humilia tion. The absence ,of her son on theone hand and the pres sure that.-is brought to bear by Rosita*s wealthy father on the other finally make her ill. One night, while still in captivity, Don Faustino is told by his captor the reason 14

for abducting him:' the latter wanted to see his daughter, who always fled'from him as from the devil. So he had devis ed this plan to "bring her to him. But that night a'tstrange messenger had come.and told him that Maria was not dead but beyond his reach; He therefore releases Don Faustino, who returns home to find his mother dead. ' . After his mother’s death he goes to Madrid to seek his fortune. There he again sees his cousin Costanza. They again become close friends. On one occasion Costanza’s hus band surprises them and challenges him to a duel. They fight and the doctor is seriously wounded. During his illness Maria, of whom he has not heard since the night she disap peared from his home, comes to him. With heir comes a beauti ful girl Irene, his own daughter by Maria, of whose existence Faustina did not know. Don FaustinoVand Maria are then mar ried in order to give the daughter a name,,and.the happy re union brings quick recovery.. Costanza and Faustina, neverthe less, keep up their relations secretly. In;the meantime, Rosita has married a general who exerts quite-a lot of influence in the capital. Amidst her wealth and power she has not forgotten the insults; of the past. She finds out about these clandestine meetings and loses no time in informing Maria. Maria dies heartbroken. Don Faustino then kills himself. . : • In the story we cannot help but see impersonated in Don Faustino the decline of Spain. We find embodied in this ' 15

character many of the causes that brought ahout the total collapse of Spain.■ This has been a favorite theme for w rit ers and statesmen for many years. The causes usually as signed are exhaustive wars, economic ignorance, false pride and political folly. We find in Don Faustino economic ig norance, false pride, and political folly to be the cause of his decline. There is one cause of the nation’s decline that is not embodied in Don Faustina, and that is religious superstition. .L " v : •Let us look back a little into the past. From the early beginnings of the nation, from the sovereign down to the humblest subject; religion has been the one factor that has exerted most influence in their-lives. Isabella was pious. Charles V ended his life as a member of a religious order; Philip II squandered the wealth.of his empire in the same cause. Philip III is known as el Piadoso, Philip IT was aided in the direction of his kingdom by a cloistered nun. The conquistadores were governed by religious zeal. Intellectual men turned toward religion to obtain honor and glory. Some accepted the dogmas of their church as a means to a higher lif e ; others to escape punishment meted out by worldly authority. ! Forms of worship reached such an extreme that very shortly they assumed a pagan aspect. Local saints became the idols of the people. Although religious superstition is totally absent from the character of Don Faustino, Valera 16

does not fail to note it. We get a glimpse of this mysticism, so far removed from coamon sense, in his description of. the people of Villahermeja. In the introduction of the Ilustones del Doctor Faustino he says: “They "believe, moreover, that the Patron Saint' of the town is very zealous and active, and that he is always interceding with God in order that every thing may prosper and improve. In that manner, and in no other, they attain, according to them, through a special pro vidence and a divine mediation, the wealth and the beauty of the paradise in which they believe they are living. The image of the Patron"Saint is made of silver and is probably not more than thirty centimeters long; but the value is not measured by length. According to pious trad itio n , in an adjoining town they offered once for this tiny saint fif teen carloads of other saints of all kinds and dimensions, and the exchange was not accepted. The saint repaid with interest the love that his proteges profess toward him. It is said that those that had offered the fifteen carloads, seeing that they could not obtain possession of the saint by fair means, stole it one night; but the saint escaped nicely from the place where they had locked him and again appeared in his niche the next day; Since that time the niche is pro tected by heavy iron bars2 And dont think that these pre cautions are taken because of the miserly value of the silver, which the saint weighs, but because, he is the defender of the town and its refuge, remedy, and protection in a l l evils, 17

adversities and dangers. r I confess that'the critical spirit of our unbelieving age has penetrated also in this place, lessening the enthusi asm for its Patron Saint; hut I still recall the frenzy, the profound affection of gratitude with which they acclaim him, a few years ago, when they took him out in procession and when the fervent multitude went crying before him: ’Long live our Patron Saint, who is the size of a-cucumber and does more miracles than a thousand demons!1 a sincere expression of the conviction which they held that (if it is proper to look for examples in the profane for the sacred and in the m aterial for the spiritual) just as a steam engine has the mechanical strength of so many thousands of horses, their saint had miracle working strength of nothing less than one thousand demons, in spite of the smallness of it. What I have never seen ,■what I do hot want to believe, what appears to me as an invention and talk of the neighbor ing towns in order to jest with this town, is the excessive familiarity with which they treat their saintronrcertaln occasionsj taking it, when it doesn’t rain, to a fountain which they call the P ilar de Abajo, and giving i t a ducking there in order that it might rain, which, it is added, never fails to happen immediately or a few hours afterwards. About this devout ducking I have my doubts11.-^ In this novel, Las Ilusiohes del Doctor Paustino. there are two priests, who play minor parts but nevertheless show 18

the attitude of the author toward priests:without a vocation. The:first priest "brought to the reader’s attention-is Mel cura Fernandez", who is mentioned in the.introduction as her ing an uncle of Don Juan Fresco. He does not play a part in the story "but is described in order to furnish some of the family history of Don Juan Fresco, who-adopts Marfa, the Immortal Friend, of the story.^ SI-cura Fernandez had lived during the War of Independence and during the:reign of Ferdi nand VII. During that war he acted as a leader of p atrio ts who fought bravely to defend,their country. He was one of : the most cheerful and amusing characters of which Andalucfa canboast.. He played the guitar well, sang as no other the - popular songs then ip vogue. Ko one ever exceeded him in throwing the bar, in other‘popular sports-, or in drinking. It was said of him that he could place his lips to a jar con taining one hundred and sixty arrobas (1.arroba 2 25.31bs.) o f wine and not remove them unt il he had lowered the:content a half an inch or an,inch without any harm to his head or stom ach. He was well versed in. slangs .... His conversation 'was al ways amusing and spiced with shady anecdotes. Notwithstand ing all, these, characteristics so foreign,and unbecoming to a priest, el cura Fernandez was a good Catholic, a good priest, a humanist and a well trained theologian. - ; . , , He .was not yet a priest when the war ended although the people called him "el cura". After the war was over and his services were no longer needed, this young man settled in 19

Archidona, where he taught Latin and philosophy. It ie said that once when the Bishop of Malaga came there to make one of hie pastoral visits, he had not noticed his former classmate Fernandez. Fernandez was not provoked at this hut, having a jocose and merry temperament; decided to play a joke on his friend in order to obtain from him an interview. Before His Lordship, the Bishop, left Archidona in his coach, el cura Fernandez was already awaiting him outside the city. • He was acompanied by an outlaw whom he had converted and brought to better living. Fernandez was gaudily attired and was disguised by artificial side whiskers. The appearance of both these individuals was enough to make the bravest afraid. "When the Bishop’s coach approached these two came out suddenly and disarmed the two guards who were;traveling with him and made "His Most Illustrious Lordship* descend from the carriage. The Bishop obeyed and descended with his secretary. Great was his surprise and relief when he dis covered that it was el cura Fernandez. The latter, removing his disguise, greeted the Bishop in a most respectful and - courteous manner. He led the Bishop to a tent which he had prepared beside the road and there presented him with rer freshments of a l l kinds. Fernandez* most discreet and philo sophical conversation impressed the. Bishop deeply;t Soon, with the protection of the Bishop, Fernandez became a priest of Malaga. : v - . In contrast to this priest, moral, educated, but lacking 20

in refinement, the author presents in:the main story a,priest who is refined but neither aswell educated nor as honest as one would wish. Padre Pifion was moderate ih all his pleasures and was well liked by the poeple of his parish. His only" fault was taking money for absolution that he pronounced. Perhaps he considered himself Ju stified "since he tbok advantage of the sine of the rich ih order to help the poor. He devised and practiced a' plan that helped the penitent as well as his fellowmen. Bearing in mind not only the gravity of the sin but the wealth of the individual sinner, he wouldy as penance, impose a fine in harmony therewith. From some he would demand food, from others clothes, which he would distribute among the poor. Valera points out that th is method of penance is no worse than the method of raising funds for foundling asylums by giving masquerade dances. Padre Pifion was also accused v •' V -' ■ V: ' - ; .. P; i P 1 ; '/ : V. : x'.v'/v of selling cedulas to freethinkers and liberals. These cedulas were indispensable at one time to prove that the individual had performed the duties of the Church. The au thor says concerning this, "but this rather deserves praise, since it avoids hypocritical confessions and sacrilegious

> *1 *1 ' - ■ ■* . - » r- . « ■ ■ . > * ' . communions".A Padre Pihon does not play a very important part, but he is nevertheless an invisible power and influence. When Maria fled from Don Faustino*s room, it was he who shielded her.

' f m ■' « ■ ' - ‘ ‘ > 1 «■ ■ — ' During Maria *s absence this priest stbod firm and refused to 21

divulge her whereabouts. It was he also, who finally "brought Don Faustino and Marla together and married them. ;

3. Doha Luz. In Madrid, in 1879, Valera published Doha Luz, which furnishes us with an example of a model priest in contrast to those described in Las Ilusiones del Doctor Faus tino. The theme of the novel Doha Luz has many p oints.of similarity with Pepita Jimenez. Doha Luz was the daughter of the Marquis of Villafria and an unknown woman. The Marquis never married but gave his name to this child and legitimatized her. At the time the story opens the Marquis has been dead.for twelve years and Doha Luz is twenty-seven years old. She lives with Don Acisclo, her father’s former administrator, to whose care she has been entrusted. Don Acisclo is a rich widower. He has two sons and three daughters, but they are all married and living away, from home. Thus it is that Doha Luz is great company to her protector. Doha Luz is very conscious of her mysterious and obscure origin. Owing to this she keeps aloof from all that sur round her. She is beautiful, kind, and generous and is greatly admiree by all who come in contact with her. She has never allowed herself to fall in love although her suit- ors have been many. The most intimate friends who frequent Don Acisclo*s home are the parish priest, Don Miguel, the doctor, Don 22

Anselzno, and the latter's daughter, Manolita. Don Acisclo's nephew, Enrique, a priest and missionary who has "been in the Philippines for twenty years, returns;to Spain and to his uncle's home. This small group composes ,the family circle of Doha Puz. ' : : : i : _ Padre Enrique unconsciously shows his knowledge and wis dom: in the;daily; family gatherings.: Doha Luz regards him as a treasure of sanctity, a model of virtue and an inexhaustible fountain of wisdom and knowledge. He in turn admires her for her virtue and intelligence. This admiration turns to love ; hut both are unconscious of it. . , It happens that Don Acisclo was meddling in p o litic s , about this time and he brings to his home a cavalry officer named Don Jaime Pimentel y Moncada. He is attractive and polished. This young man visits Don Acisclo's home only,a few days but in this short time he wooes and wins Doha Luz. They marry quietly;: Padre Enrique discovers the true feeling in his;heart, and? realizes that he is madly in love with Doha Luz. He suffers in silence. God is the only witness he has of this love, because he shows no outward signs of what is going on within; nevertheless the weight is too great. .,He must speak, communicate his thoughts and confess his sin. He sits down,and writes his confession to God. There he reveals his innermost thoughts and feelings. v ;Twelve days after the marriage of Doha Luz;to Don Jaime, the latter:leaves for Madrid to prepare a home for the bride. 23

promising to,come for her within a month. , , . _ . ^Dorla Luz. has been extremely happy and she regrets seeing her husband,go. She remains, living in anticipation of the future. Before Don Jaime leaves-she asks him to obtain the title of'Marchioness for her. This is the one thing she had refused to,do because of her poverty, but now she has something t o live.fori Ten days after his departure, Padre En rique becomes seriously ill with a violent attack of apoplexy. He had been suffering silently for some time, but no one but his servant knew. He had always asked his servant not,to tell but this time the servant becomes alarmed and calls for help. , . Doha Luz hastens to his bedside. She is left alone with Padre Enrique and it is then that she discovers that,he is in love with her and she with him. She forgets herself and kis- ses him. He .cannot ,speak but his eyes te ll her what he cannot say. He dies three hours later. Among Padre Enrique * s books,;Doha Luz .finds the confession,-written by the priest, in which-Doha Luz finds out that it was love that had.killed

Padre Enrique. r - - ■; 1 ' s v:.: -j;; A few days later, Gregorio Salinas comes as a messenger to Doha Luz, bearing a letter written by her father fifteen years before. Her father te lls her to liste n to the message of Salinas, who then proceeds to reveal the mystery of her origin. He tells Doha I aiz that she is the illegitim ate daughter of a Countess and the Marquis. The mother had never been able to .-claim her as her own on account of her jealous 24

husband. Bat the Count: died and. i t was not long "before the Countess followed him. The latter had made a generous pro- vision for her daughter, and it is for this reason that Sa linas has come. * Doha Luz has' fallen heir to seventeen mil lion reales. She deplores the death of her mother, but in wardly rejoices to find herself rich, cSow. she:can make Don Jaime, her husband, happy and a ll of th e ir ;dreams can be realized. ' ' vV:;:'. : .<■: : "v As soon as Don Acisclo learns of this messenger's a r riv a l, he f u lf ills his duty also. The Marquis had:left a le tte r in his care to deliver to Doha Luz, whenever his other emissary^ Don Gregorio Salinas, should arrive with his mes sage. Now that all that has taken place,- Don Acisclo de livers the le tte r to Doha Luz, l i t t l e dreaming that the con tents of it will bring so much sorrow.and disappointment. This letter tells Doha Luz that, in case Don Gregorio Salinas fails to carry out his instructions, he,,the Marquis, has in formed one more friend,; Don Diego Pimentel, and, in case of the latter's death, his son, Don.Jaime, is to carry out his wishes. - " f r * Everything becomes clear to Doha Luzi She sees clearly that Jaime's love had not been sudden, but rather had been well planned to obtain wealth and title. Her love turns to hatred. Her husband comes back and the scene that;follows : separates them forever. She bears a child, whom she calls Enrique and to whom she devotes her entire lif e . 25

The author once more expresses his views concerning'the celibacy of the clergy, as he does in Pepita Jimenez. This time though, Valera advances one step further and strengthens his argument by making padre Enrique stronger in character, more experienced and tried. His devotion to his vows to the Church is unbreakable. He does not lack experience nor the vocation, as does Don Luis de Vargas. He is a man of forty who has performed the duties of his profession well. There is also another step which the author takes, which one cannot overlook, and that is that in Peoita Jimenez^ Luis de. Vargas was only a novice, whereas in Doha Luz, Padre Enrique is a full-fledged priest. Pepita Jimenez, the widow, was free to marry, while Doha Luz was not. In spite of the double barrier, human love triumphed to the end. u/.v-’-y i %% v'f •; c. j. -. ^, c . : : v : ..: : :'v . v n c u ; : ' : o : In Luis Vargas, Valera clearly points out the lack of : .;:j u:-a . v . uo.; ;: v:-' : .i' - i c i vocation, but in Doha Luz he places his finger on a most vi- v . ... • ..;. :.a: . liu . i r:v i tal question, the celibacy of the clergy. It is human to love, and one is not surprised to see a priest fall in lore; ' 1 i ■ - " • * • - ' , i.. ..* *' • .# " ’ : ‘ 4 ► 1 •- t > ,e .1, !« ..*1 >. , V ^ ^ T ^ ,* -W * '■ • 4 *• - V* ■ V *- •. but what one cannot overlook in the author is the ending. If the author had ended the story or fconfesBlennbynPadrerJSn* rique in remorse, or if the author had made Padre Enrique see his love as folly and had made him determine to put love v r ' 1 y j r;-;" j. ; v . v c v . . n j. 've r=: ■- out of his heart, this accusation against the author could not be made. The last thoughts which Padre Enrique set down '■'•vcr ' v. i j.;. o..--;% '."xx. ^ on,paper were: "In spite of you, my God, in spite of you and against you, I have her engraved with indelible lines. All 26

the strength of my will, all the force of heaven,, all the tortures of. hell, could not tear her from there. Dona Luz and the love for Doha Luz live immortal life in my spirit".12

4. El Gomendador Mendoza. An entirely different problem is presented by El Gomendador.Mendoza (1877). The author no longer deals with religious practices that have become cor rupt by misuse, but with the trsoendousreffeet which beliefs have on the soul and conduct of the individual. The Gomendador Mendoza,; having arrived recently at hie native town from Peru with a fortune, finds there an old love of his from Lima,'Doha Blanca, and her daughter, Clara, who is also his daughter. Doha Blanca, very repentant and devout, wishes Clara to enter a convent, so that she may not marry and thus divert the wealth of her putative father"into an illegitimate channel. The Gomendador strips himself of all his wealth to save his daughter Clara. He finally marries her off happily to the man of tier choice. He carries out his plans so cleverly tfiat the public never becomes aware of their secret. This generosity is rewarded by securing for himself ttie hand of Lucia, a charming young g irl. The Gomendador is presented as an unbeliever and a Vol tairian. He was naturally from childhood inclined to be re bellious against order, but there was a reason for his re action against religion. In order to check his rebellious spirit as a child, the priests used to intimidate him with Toribio, a monk long since dead, who founded a school for 27

mischievous "boya. This method did not improve the hoy's con duct, so they had recourse to punishment in the hereafter. This method of intimidation caused a great evil. Don Fadri- que (the Comendaddr), in spite of his religious training at home, became’ impious even before he was capable of doing h is own thinking. " 1 : ; ' • • - Religion did not present itself as an expression of love or of in fin ite goodness, but as something to be feared. His independent and courageous nature rebelled against this threat of eternal punishment * He saw only tyrants in the m inisters of the gospel. Thus it is that from early youth he in stin c t ively disliked priests in general, just because they were priests. " ; ^ .v There is,-however, one priest, Padre Jacinto, who wins his confidence from early youth and whom he loves and respects; and their friendship and understanding grow with the passing of time. During his travels, he writes to Padre Jacinto* "May God forgive me, if I err by dint of believing Him good. Believing in Him and imagining Him as a person, I have to imagine Him as good as I conceive that a person’may bei Consequently since the glory of‘the life hereafter, however immense it bey does not complete my conception of His good ness, I presume that in th is lif e which we.live (however much it may serve to help us to win the life hereafter) there is an end and purpose wholly apart from the ultramundane. This end, this purpose is to continue progressing toward perfec- 28

tion and, without ever attaining it here> come constantly closer to it. I believe, then, in progress; that is, in the gradual and constant improvement of society and of the indi vidual, both in the m aterial and in the moral; and likewise in speculative.science as well as in that which rises from observation and."experience and gives- being to art and in dustry. v; . v.;v: : . .■ • • ’ Doha Blanca offers the other extreme. She becomes ob sessed with the idea of religion - in. other wordsj her at titude becomes extremely fanatical. In order to appease her own conscience, she is willing to sacrifice her daughter to the repulsive Don Casimiro. Doha Blanca exercises such do minion over her husband and daughter that both always obey her without question, nevertheless, she lives a very re ligious life in the practice of the forms of religion, al though she really is devoid of all love. Her fanaticism carries her to such a point that she dares' to insinuate murder to her husband. What dreadful words come from such a supposedly pious heart! Reprimanding her husband for being so friendly with e’l Comendador Kendoza, she utters these venomous words; H "A thousand times have I told you, sehor doh Valentin. That man, whomt. you -persisted in introducing into our house, back there in Lima, is a lib e rtin e , impious and uncivil. Association with him, if it does not corrupt, stains, or may stain, the honest reputation of any woman. I was forced al most to throw him from the house. In his lack of courtesy 29

and even of respect, there were reasons such th a t, in other barbaric ages, forgetting the divine law; someone would:have given him a severe lesson, as knights used to do. That was not to be: it was impossible...;There is nothing more offen sive to my conscience, nothing more contrary to my principles; but there is a just middle ground...It is a crime to kill the one who has offended...but it is baseness "to embrace him. Sehor don Valentin, you haven’t any blood in your veins. Luckily don Valent In does not have any blood in his veins and Doha Blanca*s insinuations are thrown to the windy Clara refuses to marry Don Casimiro and there is but one alternative left for her and that is to become a nun. This decision, which she takes, is taking her very life and yet her mother is willing to let her waste away and eventually die as the result. Doha Blanca believes th&t worldly love, however pure it may be, is sinful. Lack of vocation and the happiness of her own daughter do not enter into her plan of salvation. Her interest is not in the happiness of Clara but in the appeasing of her own conscience; Doha Blanca’s spititual state almost leads her to a mild form of insanity. In despair she cries: "It is better to die than to sin. 1:' If she is to live to be a sinner, for her eternal damnation, for her shame and her ignominy, let her die. Take her, Oh

* " " * - . V " -•*-■■■ *: % . * *" / ’ , ‘ I ' . „ ’ ' - - ' ^ »: , ' X " . . . *" ' - ... ’i - my God! I wish I had died like that". Padre Jacinto, the spiritual adviser of Doha Blanca and a close friend of el Coraendador, is a character in whom 30

religion and common sense go hand in hand. When el Comendador presents the case of Doha Blanca, he displays a broadminded view of doctrine and theology. In the following quotation one may get a good idea of his reasoning. .-.; "You commit a sin. You are, for example, a lia r. The evils that result.from your sin you must remedy to the extent that may be possible and just, that is, without committing a new sin to remedy the old one. God, in order to make mani fest to .us the enormity of our sins, allows sometimes t o . spring forth therefrom evils whose human remedies are worse. For you to itry then to avoid them or to remedy them, is not humility, but haughtiness, satanic pride; it is to fight against God, it is to take the place of Providence; it is to give.a blind stroke; it is to wish to right the wrong that you yourself have done, by twisting and tilting that which is right, and trying to upset the natural order of things. "-1-6 He believes, in short, that it is far better to leave un righted a wrong done, if, for its righting, more and graver wrongs w ill be committed. The advice, so fu ll of common sense, given to el Comendador. by this broadminded p riest, could not help but bring good results.

5. Juanita la Larga. Like El Comendador Mendoza. Juanita la Larga (1895) shows the influence and result of fanaticism. At the time the story opens, Juana la Larga is forty years of age. She has never been married, but in her early youth had an affair with a young officer. A beautiful girl was born to 31

her, who was named Juanita. The people later added to the name the same epithet that the mother carried. Thus; it was that; the: daughter came to be known as Juanita la Larga. Juanay the mother, has in the course; of time bettered her condition and fortune, thanks to her diligence, good management; and economy.; At - the time the story begins, Jua nita, .the daughter, is a beautiful, .tall, and slender girl of seventeen. In spite of the fact that their present fin ancial: circumstances would allow Juanita to live leisurely, she chooses to work and help her mother. There is one thing she is ;very fond of doingand:that is going to the fountain for water. It happens: that Don Paco, a rich widower,; .begins to fix his attention on her and makes honorable,advances toward her, but she rejects him because of his. age,and her lack of .inclination. He is not disconcerted by this rejec- tion and finally seeks and obtains admittance to.her home. He tries;:to win her by gifts and kindness. He succeeds in winning her friendship and, for,the time being; is satisfied. Encouraged by her good will and.that of her mother, he is a party to their daily- evening social gatherings. - * ;. Don Francisco Lopez, or-Don Taco as he is generally, known, is a man of wealth and influence. Although haying passed, the f if tie th mark, he looks much younger. He has been acwidower for twenty years, and the.tbought of re-Barrying had never entered his mind until he fell in love with Juanita. There:is one thing that saddens him and makes him hesitate 32

and that is his haughty daughter, DoSa Ines, who is parried to an ilustrious gentleman, Don Alvaro Roldan. She has few friends because she deems the inhabitants of Villalegre far beneath her station of life . Don Andres Rubio,-the gallant and rich cacique of V illalegre, and Father Anieimo, the v il lage priest, are her only associates. She exerts a powerful influence over these two people. Father Anselmb has deep ad miration for Doha Ines. He*looks upon her as a model of pro found religious faith and aristocratic distinction, i One can imagine the chagrin and humiliation that Doha Ines suffers upon learning of her father’s relations with people of such mean and humble origin as Juana la Larga and her daughter. She does not admonish her father, but seeks by more powerful and subtleemeansotoemake him desist. She so influences Father Anselmo against Juana la Larga and her daughter that he publicly denounces them*in a sermoh. Of course, he does not mention any names, but there is no doubt le ft in the minds of the people/ who immediately bbgin to point them out and to shun them. ;! ‘ v: 1 Juanita swears revenge on Doha Ines; whom she immediate ly blames as the cause and force that moved the priest to censure them. She begins her campaign by changing her mode of living. She refuses to see or to receive Don Paco at her home and suddenly adopts a very humble attitude toward every one. She discards pretty clothes, which had been the theme of Father Anselmo’s sermon. Her firs t aim is to win the 35

confidence of the people who have completely ostracized her. She is. not only successful in. doing this: hut: she is succes sful al so- in conquering: her greatest enemy, Doha Ines. The two women become,very;close friends. cSo.it happens that„ Juanita,spends most,of her;time at.the home of Doha Ines.: It. is there that Don Andres Rubio makes advances to her. Juanita, in the meantime, really falls in love y/ith Don Paco and:makes..up her mind, to end her pretenses. She goes to Don Paco-and te lls him that she. loves him, and he, overcome with joy, offers his hand once more. : -f : ' . : . Juanita: has succeeded in making Doha Ines .think that she:is almost a sain t. Accustomed to domineer over a l l , . Doha-Ines plans, to send Juanita to a convent where the latter may spend a life of contemplation.: 1Juanita listen s to Doha Ines in silencer Meanwhile,Don Andres continues hie advances and asks Juanita for a private interview.v Enraged by his boldness and .shamelessness, she* grants him his: request. For this*: she hides Doha Ines in -her. home to: witness the scene. Juanita receives: Don Andres;:cordially and proceeds to tell him to;cease-all advances as she loves Don Paco and intends to marry him., This maddens Don Andres and he trie s to force his:caresses on her. At this Juanita trips him, throwing, him to the floor,;and completely^overcomes him.: She seizes him;by the throat and makes him promise to leave„her alone : and to be a good friend to Don Paco. Doha Ines, having secretly witnessed; this scene, raises no objections to the 34

marriage. Don Eaco and Juanita marry and lire happily. In El Comendador Mendoza, religion influences the life and actions of Doha B lanca.In Juanita,la Larga.. the situa- tion is reversed. Dona Ines exerts so much influence over Father Snselmo that, in spite of his good heart and his in telligence, he is led to preach a sermon which ruins, the re putation of two women. Believing the tales that were told of;these women, he'justifies himself in reprimanding them in public to avoid further scandal and bad example to the com munity. Little does he know the suffering which he is caus ing in the lives of two innocent people. He acts in good faith, little realizing the bad faith of the one who incites him to do:so unchristian a thing. The consequences could have been more disastrous, but Juanita is more in tellig en t and outwits both the priest and Doha Ines. ; : One of the most interesting phases of Spanish life de picted in this book is a realistic account of Holy Week in Villalegre. The public religious ceremonies begin on Holy Wednesday and extend to Saturday of the same week. The pub lic at tent ion i is f ocused on the stupendous symbolical drama that: is presented during these days, having as a.stage the entire town with its temples, plazas, and streets, and hav ing as actors half, or perhaps more than half, the male popu lation of the town, and as spectators the remaining half, and all:the women and children. - The representation is not limited merely to the passion 35

and death of our Lord, "but embraces the entire divine and ' providential plan of -history. There one may see 1 characters of the Old Testament as well as the Sew. It is interestihg to note that characters that take part in the divine mysteries of redemption are represented hy images and not he people. The images are carried on litters. A priest stands in an improvised pulpit in the plaza and explains every step of the procession as it moves along. The principal Old Testa ment characters move silently and solemnly in the procession. The prophets are dressed in sheets* while kings and lords - are dressed in women?8 -fine' clothes." - As the procession, which takes!about three or four hoursj-passes in the street, passages from the Bible are enacted. These acts are ex plained: by an announcer - who -s ings but a "saeta" J-v; To cal 1 the attention of the public to these actsi trumpets are sound ed. When the a c tfcloses the same sign is given." Thus, as the procession moves along, the entire play is represented at regular intervals. : ^ •• *• c;:-'.: • ; On Holy Fridayj at nightfall, the holy burial takes place. At this ceremony the symbolic figures of the Old Testament do not appear. Only Hazarenes, Brothers-of the Cross, Roman soldiers, and quite'a number of Jews :take part. The Jews*' in proof of their conversion* carry rosaries, whose beads they count as they pray. This is just one of those anachronisms which pass unnoticed. : ' t On Saturday, all the characters of the Old Testament, 36

Jews, and Homan soldiers, vanish from the procession. The image of the Virgin Mary, followed only by the clergy and the pious multitide, is carried through the,streets. When the procession enters the church all the bells ring out with joy. A wild bull with a halter is let loose in the streets for young fans to tease and fight with; the effigies of Judas are burned, and Holy Week ends in general rejoicing and merrymaking. The comic episodes which were once part of the sacred representation have been suppressed by the Church, but even yet there are a few left. The person who takes the role of Longinus, the soldier whose spear pierced the side of Christ on the cross and who became blind, furnishes much amusement to the public. Longinus blindly follows his guide, who runs away from him and plays a multitude of tricks and pranks on him. This was probably intended to make the character ri diculous, but nevertheless it is out of place with the d i vine. The clergy did well to suppress other comic charac te rs, such as Joseph, the son of Jacob. In olden times when books were scarce and the art of reading was rare, miracle plays were a necessary means of instruction, but are so no longer. In this novel, Valera has reproduced Holy Week with an a r tis tic hand and has shown conclusively that highly elaborate and ostentatious ceremonies can be carried out by both clergy and la ity without moving the soul to any inward grace, since these 57

ladies, this priest, and the public at large could perform such an unchristian act in what is the most sacred week of. the Christian Yean clericalism hut not religion, r

6. Morsamor. In 1899, Valera produced Morsamor, a fan ta stic story about a monk called Fray Miguel de Zuheros, or Morsamor, who had been with his particular order for forty years and whose life had been obscure up to the time the story begins. He was now seventy-five years old. His youth ■■ '■■■:<: y :;r: r: v ‘ .■> 1 v:;.: ■ ^; r y ! o . had been a series of failu res and disappointments. Through out his forty years in the monastery his life had been pas- sive. During this period of forty years, Spain had under- gone great changes, The united kingdom of Aragon and C astilla '

thoughts surged through his mind constantly, and he finally, communicated them to Padre Ambrosio. , , Padre Ambrosio was,a profound student of science, his tory, and theology. He delved deeply.into occult sciences but never revealed his discoveries to anyone except Padre Tiburcio, who became an apt pupil. Padre Ambrosio took an interest in Padre Miguel and also took him into his confi-. dence. .He was.able to see that the mind of Padre Miguel, was a world of conflicting ideas in which ambition, envy, disillusionment, and despair were inextricably interwoven • t . - - - - • - .... - . " and produced a very unhappy state of soul. Padre Ambrosio invited Padre Miguel to come to his cell in- the wee, hours of.. the night, telling him that he had im portant news for him. Padre Miguel k ep t.the, appointment. . Padre Ambrosio told him.then that he understood his state of mind and th a t, through his knowledge of a certain science, he was able to help him.. He told him that a llh is dreams could come true and that he could play that part in the world which he so much desired, since, through th is knowledge which he possessed, Padre Miguel might again be young. The only condition that Padre Ambrosio imposed was that of implicit faith, blind obedience, and absolute secrecy. He gave Padre Miguel three days -in which to think it over. At the end of that time Padre Miguel came back, at the appointed hour, to submit ;himself to. anything, in order that he might accomplish his most ambitious dreams. Padre Tiburcio was there to assist. 59

Padre Miguel was given a drug to drink. He immediately fe ll without a sign of life and was then placed in an iron coffin. The next time we see or hear anything of Padre Miguel; or Morsamor, as he is known to the world, he is a young man of twetityr-five; vand with him is his squire, Tiburcio, a young man under twenty. They are in Portugal seeking adventure. There Morsamor, aided by Tiburcio, is the recipient of many honors and is victorious in love affairs and.other enter prises. From Portugal Morsamor and Tiburcio sail to India, where they have many,wild experiences. In all their ventures they come out victorious; : v ^ V;.- Morsamor’s fame spreads and his followers are many. While in India he visits, by chance, a colony of theosophists There he is told that Padre Ambrosio is a.close student of that oceult science. During these pilgrimages he falls in love with Urbasi, whom he marries. His happiness is short lived, however, as she is killed before his eyes;by a rival. Morsamor immediately avenges her death. All of these adventures and even;his restored youth do not bring much happiness to Morsamor. He is restless and finally decides to sail the uncharted seas. He sets sail with his company in hope of proving that the earth is round. His company mutinies, but he finally arrives at the shore of.his native land. Just before anchoring a great storm comes up and overturnsithe'ship^l He-almost drowns, but is rescued unconscious. When he recovers, he is old again and 40

is "back in: his old cell. ' ; v .t At f ir s t he is puzzled "by his experiences, but he soon realizes that he Has lived a ll that lif e in dreams. At f ir s t he is indignant towards Padre Amhrosio, but, later, he realizes that the la tte r has really done him a favor. He has found out through those experiences, imaginary-or real, that there is little happiness in a world-so- full of vanity^ and that only through God can there be true happiness. He is cured completely of his dissatisfaction with his loti He: dies- in the odor of sanctity. Padre Ambrosio feels"rewarded:because of the saintly results produced by his experiments He becomes apprehensive, however, and begins to be afraid of his own conscience and of his new science; so he destroys all traces or records of his discoveries. Padre Tiburcio disappears and is never’ heard of again after Padre Ambrosio takes this: final step. Padre Ambrosio realizes that Tiburcio is the

thoughts revolve there> and thus we can better understand the motives for his actions. In his discourses to his "bro thers, he prophesied a universal monarchy, and he believed himself to be living in the age of this fulfillment. He al so believed that the successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ and Head of the Church, was necessarily to be the sovereign who should reign overall the land. The recent discoveries and the planting of the cross in various parts of the world was a partial realization of his theory. But in order to carry the gospel to all parts, the Pope needed a strong arm to aid him in th is most holy of enterprises. This fell to the lot of Spain. Did not Philip.'II think the same? Spainj in accordance with her ruler, thought that it was her divine mission to bring all the world"under one universal Church. It was during that time that Spain, prompt ed by dreams no less wild than Morsamor's, launched forth on wild adventures that eventually caused her ruin. Truly the results of her efforts brought neither happiness nor well- being. When Spain-finally awoke to real facts, her awakening resembled that of Padre Miguel. She/ too,: woke up old, dis illusioned/ and worn out. Perhaps Spain feels resentful, but she should be grateful for the lesson learned through hard experience. With horror Pray Miguel had heard of a certain man by the name of Martin Luther and of his infernal plans; but in the fervent spirit of Fray Miguel was the deep conviction 42

that God had brought forth in Spain a great opponent to the Saxon, to snatch away all of his conquests. The conquerors- were spreading the true faith in the unexplored regions of the globe and Spain was unfurling her flag over extensive territories. To this diffusion of light and truth, through the aid of arms i f necessary, Fray Miguel believed himself to be called. . : . The Spanish people held the same conviction during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In view of this belief in a divine mission, one is not surprised at the outbursts of fanaticism which occured during that time and which caused the death; of many who would not embrace the faith . In his confession, after his many experiences. Fray Miguel says;, "My w ill would have been in accord with the will of the Almighty, if an obstacle, which seemed to me in surmountable, .had not interfered. With this obstacle I have had to put up a te rrib le fight. I was able to free myself from ambition and envy; I was able to disdain, and I did d is dain, glory, power, and riches. The love for woman remained, nevertheless, firm in spite of me, barring the road by which I longed to approach the supreme reco n c ilia tio n * .^ Valera, once again, proves that the love for a mate is innate and can only be conquered by a love for God. Fray Miguel.finally did tear out of his soul this love for woman, but only after a terrible struggle. ; ■ 43

■ III. Benito Perez Galdoe.

The next author under consideration, Benito Perez Galdoe takes a more definite stand bn religion and clerical problems. Valera’s intimations hecome bold assertions in Galdos’ hands. He does not moralize nor does he despair: rather, he shows life as it appeared to him at a critical period of his nation’s history. His work embraces the entire century, and affords us, on the whole, the clearest and fullest account of the sp iritu al and social life of Spain during the nineteenth cen tury. Benito Perez Galdos was born at Las Palmas, in the Cana- ry Islands, May 10, 1845. The details of his:early life are entirely unknown except to himself, his invincible modesty denying them even to personal friends. He studied in the local institute, and must have profited by his opportunities, as is shown by his lite ra ry attainments, which are a result of persistent labor. In 1863 he went to Madrid to study law :: - ' V • : , : - • . . • . . ./ ^ : r ■’ : at the University, but with little eagerness, as his future profession. He already dreamed of a literary career, and tried the hand of an apprentice at journalism and at pieces for the theatre. Hone of the latter was ever represented. In 1867, influenced by the revolutionary agitation of his time, he began his first historical novel. La Fontana de Pro, which was finished in 1871. In May, 1867, Galdos v is it- ed France, returning to Madrid by way of Barcelona, in which 44

latter city he was at the outbreak of the Revolution of .1868, which deprived Queen Isabella of her throne. The awakening of Spain and her incipient advances toward modernity, in the face of the opposition of the representatives of her traditional religion and her outworn social order, greatly stirred the imagination of Galdos.

1. Doha Perfecta. The first novel in which modern in terest is predominant is Doha Perfecta. finished in April, 1876. In it , Galdos brings the new and the old face to face: the new, in the character of Pepe Rey, a well trained, modern man; the old in the guise of an entire community, intolerant and fanatical, ready to declare war upon that which might come to disturb its death-like peace. Pepe Rey, a young engineer, arrives at Orbajosa to marry his cousin, Rosario, the match having been made up between his father and Doha Perfecta, the girl’s mother. Doha Per fecta is a sister of Pepe Rey’s father, to whom she is under heavy obligations for his excellent management of her large property interests. Orbajosa is a small town, full of narrow prejudices and vanities. Pepe Rey, with his modern ways, soon finds that he is wounding these prejudices at every turn. Difficulties grow around this excellent young man. lawsuits are brought against him; he is turned out of the cathedral by order of the bishop for strolling about during service to look at and admire its architectural features; and he is refused the hand of his cousin, whom he really loves. 45

DoRa Perfects herself joins in this hostility, which - finally develops into a venomous bitterness that menaces Pepe Rey's- life. This feeling is not merely the outgrowth-of pro vincial narrowness. We see in the end that it is the result of a plot of Marla Remedios, who wishes to secure the hand of Rosario for her son, Jacinto. . She influences the village priest, and he in turn influences Dona Perfects. The young engineer is about to leave Orbajosa when he receives a note from Rosario, who has been shut up in her room for days, in which she te lls him, "They say you are going away. If you do-, I shall die*’. 18 They see each other, secretly by night, but are discovered. Finally they agree to flee on a certain night. T’.r; ^ 'V:.. ' ■ ^ : : - v : Rosario is an affectionate and obedient daughters The. mother; being a b le .to read her like an open book, makes her confess her proposed flig h t. At this time Marla Remedies comes in with Caballueo, a ruffian, to inform Doha Perfects that Pepe is in the garden. Rosario faints and Dona Per fects rushes out with her accomplices. It is she, who com mands, "Cristobal, Cristobal, - kill him!?19 A.shot is heard and then another. Pepe Rey dies, and,- as a result, Rosario loses her mind. Doha Perfects devotes the rest of her life to charity and religion.• : • ; • ■ ^ . • . v, As has been said before, whereas Valera refers frequent ly, in passing, to the excessive influence of the clergy in affairs of state and of * the individual, Galdoelmakes i t the 46

theme of his novels; Grities nay say that he has picked oat the exceptional cases; but similar tragedies are-not'so un common in the world; life is full of strange incidents, and stranger still are the motives -that prompt them. Customs and religion are the-strongest influences on human life, and it - does not seem impossible that these may be assigned as motives for the action in this novel. : o ; " . .v. ; Doha Perfects informed her nephew that the Bishop did not desire his presence at church; due'to the former's ir reverence, and that he had also asked her to refuse him the hospitality of her home, but with this request, of course, she could not comply. Pepe Rey expressed his surprise at the influence of the clergy in all matters, saying to his 4 * aunt, "apparently the bishop governs-other people*s houses*.20 Doha Perfecta, influenced by Padre Inocencio, believed herself to be acting in good faith. All the harm she had done she believed could be justified by the purpose behind i t . : She confessed to her nephew that she had used dishonest and base means to obtain a godly end, but had done this be cause she believed him to be an unbeliever^ whose purpose' was the destruction of a pure faith; such as she felt she possessed. In all her actions, Doha Rerfecta consulted her adviser, Don Inocencio, who was really working for his own * selfish ends; Behind Padre Inocencio we see the strong in fluence of his niece Maria Remedios. ' i r : Doha Perfecta, in the name of religion, did not limit 47

her opposition to Pepe Rey alone; the established government at Madrid was considered by her as one of the Church’s g reat est enemies. Therefore her influencet which was powerful in that community, was also, directed against the government. It happened that, a t '< the time • that Pepe Rey moved to-other quar ters because life: had become intolerable and Impossible for him at Doha.Perfecta*s home, government troops came into Orbajosa to quell a threatened uprising in that region. Pepe Rey found among the officers of these troops an old friend, and Doha Perfecta feared that her nephew would seek to tri umph over her designs with the aid of military power.: She therefore called a meeting of the bravest and most influential citizens of Orbajosa in; order toJincite them to rebellion against the recently stationed troops. Pepe Rey and the government"were her common enemies, and all her cun ning and art were necessary to: fight them. She appealed to the vanity and"emotions of her fellow townsmen to win them over to do her will, and was successful. : v. .Caballuco, however, had sworn allegiance to the govern ment and so refused to take part in:the proposed rebellion. Doha Perfects accused him of cowardice because of this. She appealed to his manly pride and insinuated that Pepe Rey, with the aid of the army might insult her, that she was in perpet ual danger and needed the protection of brave and strong men. Her words had: th eir effect. : His pride having been wounded, Caballuco rose:defiantly and declared# 71 will cut off Pepe 48

Key's head?v**1 . i ; s - v: v.-.. ■• % "u'-v/jrr. Padre. Inocencio, who witnessed the scene, said, "As for ray. advising Mr. Kamos (Caballacp) to take the field ,.. . the lady is. right. I, as a priest, cannot advise such a thing. I know th a t.some-people do; and even take up arms; >but this seems t o. me, improper, .very improper, and it will not tbe I-, .. who will imitate them. - I carry, my scrupulousness to the point of not saying one word to Mr. Ramps.about th6:delicate: question, of his ..taking up arms. I know that Orbajosa .desires the.uprising; I :know that all the inhabitants of this noble city will bless him $ I know that;we shall have here deeds- worthy of being set down in history; but, nevertheless, per mit me a discreet [Silence?.2?,. Could th is silence speak any louder?. ; ..... Don Inocencio's influence on Doha Perfects is not left to the reader?s inferences.- The priest himself confesses to his niece, when the latter urges him to, carry the matter further, "I am frank with you: if I had seen in Mr. Key a man of sound principles, capable of making Rosario happy, Ivwould not have intervened in the matter; but the said young man seemed to me,a calamity, and, as spiritual director of the house, I had to take a hand in the matter, and I did. You know that I set myself against him, as is commonly said. I unmasked his vices; I disclosed his atheism; I exposed before everyone the rottenness of that materialized heart, and the lady became convinced that she was delivering her daughter to vice....Oh! What a time I had. The lady was vacHating; I used to strengthen her undecided mind* I used to advise her concerning the licit means she should employ against her worthless nephew, in order to get him out of the way without any scandal; I used to suggest to her ingenious ideas, and, as she often-showed me her pure conscience filled with alarm, I used to calm her hy showing her up to what point the b attle s in which we were engaged against that fierce enemy were per- missableM.^S One cannot blame Doha Perfeeta as much as one would if her actions had sprung from her own heart alone. She was wrought up by others to the point of sayings "Kill

him?;24 .. . ' - ' :

The last card of Padre Inocencib was played with the same humility and good intention. He knew that his niece had drastic plans against Pepe Rey, yet he helped her in getting the aid of Caballuco. The latter at first refused to aid Maria Remedies'because of other matters he had in hand, but he finally agreed to go with Maria if Don Inocencio desired it. To which Padre -Inocencio replied, "It is my strong-desire, Mr. Ramos".Then he asked for a wash basin and declared, "I wash my hands of i t ”.26 -i2

2. Gloria. Galdos wrote Gloria in 1874-1877. The novel discusses the problem of religious toleration. The author Daniel Morton, a Jew, the hero, and the heroine Gloria Lan- tigua, a young Spanish girl, who clings tenaciously to her 50

traditional religious >eliefe. Daniel Morton is rescued from a shipwreck: "by the natives of Ficobriga and is given lodging atj the home of Don Juan lantigua. During his stay in that home he and. Don Juants only daughter, Gloria, fall in love with each other. Fearing to lose her love, he conceals from Gloria and her family, his religion, i .. Finally the;lovers decide to part, Daniel being unable to accept Catholicism. But fate decrees thqt he shall turn back as- he is about to s a il for England, in o rd er.to save ; Caifas, :whom, he has helped with money and who is accused of theft. He is irresistibly, drawn towards Gloria..'shhouse. He enters her room. It is that night that.he discloses his re ligion. Gloria is horrified at her sin, and more; so that she has.yielded to.a Jew.'; Her father, who, because of a heavy rain storm,: has been detained at the house of a friend a few miles away, returns and surprises them together. The

shock is too great fo r hi®.m He falls, back with an attack of apoplexy, dying a few hours later. .Morton sailsafbri'Erigland;, leaving Gloria to face her sorrow and her shame. ’ .; Gloria bears a. child, whom she is obliged to conceal in a neighboring town..- Don Buenaventura, her uncle, tries to amend the wrong by means.of. a m arriage.He calls Morton back, and th e .la tte r, to save Gloria, decides to embrace Catholi cism. His mother, however, arrives in time to prevent thisi by having him arrested just-as he is about to make a confes sion of faith. Gloria, seeing the conflict in the mother's 51

soul, renounces all claim upon him and announces her:inten tion of entering. a convent. That night she goes secretly to hid her child farew ell, and finds Morton there trying to huy th eir child. She dies in Morton's arms and beside her baby. Two years later Morton dies insane^.having;lost his mind in the effort to find a universal religion. The?novel-:strikes at the intolerance which Spain has a l ways shown toward any outside influence.. Morton, in discus sing religion with the bishop, deals a hard blow at: Spain’s fanaticism and this tolerance. He saysi”I am pretty well acquainted’ with the south of Spain and its capital....! do not" know if the north is the same; but down there, my dear friend, I have seen religious sentiment so mitigated that the Spaniards inspire pity. Bo not be offended if 1 speak with frankness^ In no other country in the world are there less beliefs, it being worthy of note that in no other coun try do there-exist so many pretensions of possessing them. Hot only ,t tie * Bel g ian f and French Catholics, but Protestants of a l l denominations^ the Jews, and even the Mohammedans, practice their doctrine with much more ardor than the Span iards do. I have seen what happens here in the large cities, whichv it seems, should be the regulators of the feeling of the nation, and the irreligiousness of the majority of the cultured people has surprised me. All the middle class, with rare exceptions, is indifferent. Religion is practiced, but just as a rout inary habit, through respect for the public. 52

families and tradition, rather than in true faith. The women devote themselves to exaggerated devotions; but the men avoid the church as much as possible, and the great majority of them fail to practice the most fundamental pre cepts of the Catholic dogma. 1 I shall not deny that many ; attend Mass, provided, of course, it be short and there be pretty girls to see on leaving; but that is easy, my dear friend; don't you understand that it is not enough to sayi ’We are the most religious persons on the face of the - 1 earth?1"27 ■ : - - • ■ ; - : . : • ^ -.Don; Juan, the staunch Catholic,1 sadly admits these truths; Daniel Morton makes other interesting observations which, "though sad, are true. He has observed that, during the rosary or other forme of worship at home, the men never take part and the women do not seem to expect it. Morton concludes by saying that Spain is the blasphemous and sa c ri legious country par excellence. Don Juan, in answer to this accusation, draws Morton's attention to the great public demonstrations of faith throughout the entire country. The latter replies that those theatrical manifestations of de votion are more political than religious. Once more we are faced with the problem of clericalism in Galdos* works. In the character of Don Silvestre, the priest of Picobriga, we find the excessive influence of the clergy, in the government of that lo cality . Besides his pas toral duties, Don Silvestre has others that take up most of 53

his time and attention. ^During the elections his duties are many. He does hot leave a place unvisited,'no matter how re mote it may be, nor does he leave a stone unturned to at tain his goal; - Sometimes he:resorts to - his wit, at other times to his oratorical ability,' but when these do not produce re sults, he uses force; Many stories are told about him in which he has used force to compel the ignorant people to vote. r Bishop-Don Angel Dantigua,ionriheoother h an d y is presented as a clergyman who fulfills his duties well and understands perfectly- thatHhis dom&in is in the spiritual, and not in the material; world. He shows respect for Ra.fael del Horro, the defender and champion of the Church, who has come to Picobriga to work for the elections; but when the latter asks him to ‘ use his influence politically; the bishop replies that he thinks hie countrymen will vote for him because they are good Catholics and will support the defenders of the Faith, but - that he w ill have ndthingttbudo with the elections. He not only refuses to meddle in p o litic s; but he also refuses to intervene in the marriage which the great defender so much

Let us pause a moment for a glimpse into the hearts of these strong defenders of the Faith and forget, for a moment, the sound'of their most pious words. -Padre Silvestre and Rafael de Horro are sitting under a tree hiving a' confiden tial chat. Rafael confesses that he:has his doubts about many things that are taught by the Church^ but that he ac- / 54

cepts the most fundamental teachings. Nevertheless, before the world, he professes great hostility to those who do not accept all the Church's teachings. He says* "I believe that without religion no society is possible. Where would the folly of the stupid and ignorant classes lead to, if the bond of religion did not restrain their evil passions?...That is why I am in favor of continuing IZasses, sermons, novenas, processions, collections and all the rest of the practices and rites which have been created,in order to assist in the great work of the State and tc surround the cultured and wealthy with guarantees and securities.*28 The priest then says that he could answer all of those arguments/ but, due to his poor memory, he has forgotten everything he has redd along that line. Don Rafael concludes, saying: "Let us not remove this moral co n tro l.. . It is f ittin g , then, that the Church be on bur side. She is the great help er of the State, and we must keep her satisfied;"29^ The priest'advises Rafael that the people must riot know his way of thinking, on the contrary, everything must be religion, and more religion, in the coming elebtichsV "This tune we have always played, and to this tune they dancedwonderfully well. " 30 ' ^ ; . - " X ; :

During a procession of Holy Week, Morton happened to come into the town. The procession stopped and the mob dashed against the Jew, animated by the hatred of eighteen centuries. The procession dispersed and the people, forgetting the sacred- 55

ness of the day and th eir devotions, thought only of over throwing a common enemy. "Love thine enemies", the principle of their Christian Faith, ms not the motive of their actions. Their fanaticism was so great that they even refused the Jew a drink of water or a piece of bread, instead of living the teachings of the Great Master, Who sought His lost sheep with love, the inhabitants of Ficobriga harrassed this man and turn ed in scorn from him because he represented another faith. Morton saw nothing but hatred in the Christian religion, and declared bitterly, "Oh! impious Nazarene,...I shall never be thine, never".51 '

3., La Familia de Leon Roch. Ho less tragic, though less poetic, is the ruin of Leon.Roch, weighed down by the burden of an insanely bigoted wife. La Familia de Leon Roch (1878) is a study of the struggle which was taking place, during the lifetime of the author, between dogma and modern scientific thought. The novel attacks religious problems of the day and offers consequently, only a transitory interest. The field of struggle is the family of Leon Roch, a young scientist, married to Maria, the daughter of the Marquis of T ellerla. Leon thinks that he w ill have no trouble in molding the character of his young wife, but he is sadly disappointed. The wife has plans of her own. She also intends to convert him, and uses various methods to attain this end. She begins by nagging him at every turn; then she increases her religious devotions, spending most of her time at Church. Think 56

ing herself a martyr, she begins to In flic t punishment upon herself. She goes from one extreme to another. One of her many excentricities is to appear as repulsive as possible to her husband. As a result, she and Leon become estranged. Knowing that his wife’s confessor is largely responsible for her conduct, he offers to abandon his scientific studies if she w ill leave Madrid with him and confine her'churchgoing to Sundays. At f ir s t she refuses, but, when he suggests a separation, she consents. This plan, however, is never car ried out. Her brother Luis, a religious fanatic, coming to visit them at this time, exerts a strong influence upon her and confirms her in her former attitude. Luis comes to fin ish what Marla’s confessor started. He encourages her fanati cism and turns her completely away from her husband, although he does not live to see the fruits of his labor. Leon’s love is completely killed. He moves away from his home, and, in his loneliness, seeks the company of a childhood friend, Pepa, who lives with her young child. Leon eventually falls in love with Pepa, who has always loved him. She had married, in despair, a libertine, who has deserted her after causing her much suffering. When Leon comes to her, her husband is supposed to be dead. Since Leon is married, however, the b arrier s t i l l exists, and they resign themselves to wait. ' ' ' - When Marla learns that Leon is in love with Pepa, she becomes extremely jealous. She goes to him, but a reconcilia 57

tion is impossible. The scene that ensues is fiery and Marla becomes suddenly ill. She is moved to Pepa’s house, close by, and dies a few days later. While she lies ill, Leon tries to save her by.pretending to want a reconciliation. During these trying days, he receives another blow; Pepals supposedly dead husband returns, and Leon’s last hope for happiness vanishes. In despair he leaves Madrid. Pepa resigns herself to her fate and sacrifices her love on the a lta r of society's laws. Galdos does not criticize Catholicism, but he severely c riticiz es the manner in which Spaniards, in general, prac tice it. The Marquis of.Tellerla, trying to convert his son- in-law, says: "What happens is that, although being believers, we all perform our duties badly, we are negligent; but we are prudent, we have tact, we keep up appearances,...we con sider that we live among.a people eminently religious,...we do not forget that the common classes need our example in order not to go astray".32 ' ^ . Maria may be compared to the common; ignorant mass of people in Spain, whose religion borders on superstition. Galdos describes her thus: "What has been said suffices to show that the religiousness of Maria Sudre was the religious ness of the mob, of the common people; be it understood that ’common’ here means the sad condition of not knowing how to think, of not knowing how to feel, and of liv in g that lif e , purely mechanical, nervous, circulatory, and digestive, which is the true, the only.materialism of all ages".33 .. . Galdoa* hardest blow is directed against the confessional and its far-reaching influence. Leon understood that here he had a powerful and invincible enemy, and he admitted his defeat by it. When he went for Maria's confessor, he openly accused the priest of being the,cause of his ruin, declaring sarcastically: "The owner of my wife’s conscience, the gover- nor of my house, the arbitrator of my married state, the one who has had in his hand a sacred bond to tie and to untie as he pleased; this man whom I see today for the first time since those days in which he used to v is it the poor Luis Gonzaga, who died,in my house; this man, who, in spite of not having any dealings with me, has disposed secretly of my heart and of my life, as a master can dispose of a bought slave, can not be ignorant of anything*. This was not the only accusation hurled against this spiritual adviser. Maria, in her death-bed confession, goes over all the incidents that led to her marital unhappiness, and, at every act recalled, she reminds the priest that he advised her to act as she did. The priest doubtless realizes the enormity of his guilt, for he earnestly begs her to forgive her enemies, which she does. Undoubtedly he shared largely in this forgiveness. Galdos does not attack religion, but, as has been shown in the preceding pages, he bitterly attacks clericalism and bigotry. His plea is for enlightenment and freedom from the shackles of ignorance. Throughout his works there shines one ray of light, one hope, and that is the appeal to intellect. 69

■ IV. Armando Palacio Valdes.

Armando Palaeio Valdes was born In Entralgo, a village in Asturias, October 4, 1853', his father being a distinguish ed lawyer, and his mother a member of an aristocratic family of Aviles, to which city his family moved when he was six months old. On moving to that city , his father gave up law and devoted himself to the management of his vast estates. Thus the son lived in affluence. At the age of twelve, he was sent to Oviedo to study . for his bachelor’s degree. His degree attained, he went to Madrid, where he gave himself up to the study of philosophy and p o litical science. He spent many hours daily, in .the , Ateneo, preparing for the hoped-for professional chair. This period of.unproductiyity soon ended. Having written a review which attracted the attention of the owners of the Revista Europea. Valdes accepted.their offer of a position as its editor. In this review he pub lished some humoristic sketches of well-known orators, and these have been well received, he followed them with a series on novelists and another on poets. These constitute that volume of his works called Semblanzas L ite ra ria s. He con ducted this magazine successfully for three years, then re signed,- and in the summer of 1881 wrote his first novel, El Senorito Octavio. Although this novel was not the best that the author produced, its merit was sufficient to establish 60

his reputation. At the-advice of his friends, Valdes gave up law in order to devote himself to his new career. — On October 4, 1883i Valdes married Luisa Prendes, a : "beautiful girl of fifteen. She died a year and a half later. A son horn to this marriage is the father of Valdes' two granddaughters. His,second marriage occured in 1891. ^n* 1906 Valdes was elected to the Spanish Academy, hut did not take possession of his chair until 1920. ■ .

1. Marta y Marla. Perhaps the most famous of his novels is Marta y Maria, published in Barcelona in 1883. In it the mystic and domestic virtues are exemplified by two sisters, ♦ * ' * * ' ' •• I. *■ , - ■ . r ; - Marta and Marla, and are d elightfully contrasted. Maria is the older daughter of Don Mariano Blorza and Doha Gertrudis de Blorza. She is beautiful and greatly admired by all who know her. At the time the story begins, she is already be trothed to Ricardo, the Marquis of Penalta, who loves her dearly. Marla has become possessed,by a strange ideal of religious devotion, and her attitude toward the Marquis subtly changes. Her religious zeal gradually breaks the bonds of love which have existed between Ricardo and h erse lf. Ricardo cannot resign himself to give her up and lives in the hope that she w ill once again be the happy normal g irl of other days. Maria, passing from one romantic fancy to another, fin ally adopts saintliness as a profession. She imitates the saints of whom she has read, in all rigors of mortification, 61

going without eating for days at a time, and wearing around her neck a leather cross studded with bronze points. One evening, after the family has retired, Marla and her maid are sitting together in the former’s room. Marla reads while the maid is occupied with her knitting. She stops in her reading and remains pensive for a time. At last.she breaks the silence and asks Genoveva, the maid, to read to her a passage from the Life of Saint Isabel* Thereupon Genoveva reads a passage of some twenty lines in the characteristic, pious, and mystical style of the lives of the saints. The passage describes the young and beautiful Saint Isabel, who was wont to pass her nights and days in the practice of the most austere penances. Of these, the wearing of a haircloth shirt and having herself scourged with the discipline by her maids are most vividly described. Marla te lls Genoveva to stop. She then expresses the desire to undergo a sim ilar scourging.% Genoveva at first, refuses, but, seeing that there is no escape, finally yields to Marla's pleas and begins to lacerate the flesh of her pious m istress without mercy. Marla’s fanaticism does not stop there. Feeling herself called on to defend God’s holy religion, she devotes her time and money to the Carlist cause, in the conscientious belief that, in this way, the cause of true religion can be greatly advanced. She is later apprehended by a file of soldiers and led away with others who have plotted to restore the Carlist pretender to the throne of Spain. She is placed on r 62

trial,; but is freed through the efforts of her father. When she and her father return, they find her mother, Doha Gertrudis mortally ill. She dies that night. After her mother's death, Marla again asks her father to consent to her entering a convent. Don Mariano, finally consents and, shortly afterMarla takes the:veil. Bieardo, broken hearted decides to leave Kieva in order to forget. , Lateritwhile visiting one afternoon at Elorza's home, Ricardo fa lls asleep and has a strange dream. He dreams that Marta loves him. On awakening, he;te lls Marta of this dream, and she confesses that it is true. It develops that Marta has been in love with him for a long-: time, but he has been too blind to see it . Suddenly his eyes are opened and he, too, realizes that he is in love with Marta. They are married later. In contrast with Maria, the younger sister, Marta, is presented to the reader as a model of common sense, but unnoticed by those around her because none of her qualities :: are extraordinary or unnatural. Valdes strongly protests against fanaticism. This is evinced by his own.words in the Aclaracion which appears as an introduction to the novel; "I have not wished, in the present novel, to strike at true mysticism nor to ridicule the contemplative life. Neither did Cervantes, the great master of our literature, wish to attack heroism in his inmortal Quijote. Even though I believe that the essence 63

of Christianity is charity and therefore an active life; I understand likewise that, without a pure faith, that is, without the mystic and loving union of our spirit with the Creator, charity itself cannot beatify us. But there exist and always have existed creatures who transfer saintliness from the heart to fancy, from real life to a chimera, just as the Ingenious Gentleman transferred heroism; and it is against these flighty, fanciful spirits, at bottom vain and selfish, that the present pages are directed. Just as the novelistic adventures of books of chivalry have upset and crazed weak minds, certain exaggerations of the biographers of the saints are extremely dangerous for temperaments lack ing in poise.

2. La Hermana San Sulpicio. Valdes published La Herroana San Sulpicio in 1889. It is a gay piece of lig h t comedy, which shows how an attractive young novice,. Gloria, discovers that her vocation is not to conventual life, but to marriage with her devoted suitor, Ceferino Sanjurjo. The latter meets Sister San Sulpicio at. a health resort and is immediately attracted to her by her wit and.charm. This admiration in creases when he finds out that the sister has no intention of taking her final vows. Finally this admiration changes, to love. Sister San Sulpicio leaves for Seville and Sanjurjo follows her. He makes many attempts to see her, but does not succeed until she is out of the convent. Nevertheless, they 64

communicat e with each other through the aid of. Paea, a ser vant. ■ ■ ■ i ' : , ; 1' C'.: ;'. After she leaves the convent, they see each other by night at the iron-barred window. They decide to marry and are extremely happy. This happiness suddenly ends, however, and their plans fall to;the ground when Sanjurjo is informed that Gloria is being taken by force to the convent. He rush es to her aid and dramatically stops the abductors at the point of, a gun. , The-scandal is great. The Count of Podul, Gloria’s uncle, comes to the rescue. Through hie ;influence, ^ Gloria is legally placed in his home u n til the wedding day. Sanjurjo.then proceeds to negotiate with the mother and final ly succeeds in obtaining her permission to marry Gloria, which he does a few weeks la te r. ; y , .This-novel is without doubt a thrust at the lack of vo cation..found in many nuns and priests. The cause, in Gloria’s case, cannot be attributed to her. Parental influence, aided by the Church itself, is responsible for the unfortunate situa tion in which Gloria finds herself. The functionaries of the Church are willing to keep her in the convent against her will, knowing her lack of vocation. In the novel, there is one character, Padre Sabino, Chaplain of the Convent of ,the Sacred Heart of Mary, to which Gloria belongs, who does not represent the ideal priest. In him, Valdes,once more points to lack of vocation in this par ticular; prof ession. Sanjurjo, in his plans to get, Gloria out 65

of the convent, has a serious obstacle to overcome in this Chaplain. He visits Don Sabino, who, as soon as he learns of Sanjurjo’s mission, drives him out of the house as he .= would a dog. Sanjurjo, however, does not give up. He ap peals to his uncle in Madrid, who is employed in the Minis- terio de Gracia y Justicia, and who exerts great influence in the distribution of prebends and in the election of bish ops. From this uncle he asks a letter of introduction to the Prebendary of the Cathedral, Don Cosme de la Puente. The letter arrives and Sanjurjo presents himself to Don Cosme The latter, who owes his position to Sanjurjo’s uncle, im mediately places himself at his service. Sanjurjo merely asks of him a le tte r of introduction to Padre Sabino. Don Cosme gives this gladly and, with it, a few helpful hints. He describes Padre Sabino in the following terms: "I warn you, he has not the wisdom of a Solomon. If he is shaken, he will let fall acorns. But he knows well on which side his bread is buttered. I am telling him, for what may be fall, that you are the nephew of Gemerediz, head of the di vision of the Ministry of Grace and Ju stice ".36 Don Cosme was not mistaken. Padre Sabino changed com pletely in his conduct and attitude toward Sanjurjo as soon as he learned that the latter was the nephew of an influen tial man. Sanjurjo did not fail to make flattering promises. All this led the priest to see immediately and clearly Gloria’s lack of vocation and his own duty in the matter. 66

3. Jose. Valdes’ most popular novel is Jose, published in 1885. It is a tale of the life of fishermen in a little town, Rodillero, in the Province of Asturias in northern Spain. The theme of the story is the love of Jose and Elisa. Sena Isabel, Elisa’s mother, has given her consent to their marriage, but keeps postponing the event. In the meantime she takes advantage of Jose and buys fish from him at r id i culously low prices. At the time the story opens, Jose owns one boat and is having another built. His marriage to Elisa is to take place when this new boat is launched in June. Sefia Isabel, however, arbitrarily postpones the marriage until the fall. In reality \ . ' i • \ V ■ ...... I .: • " , - . \ ' ' . ' ' : she does not want it to take place at all, for when her daugh ter marries she will come into possession of the factory and other property which, heretofore, Sena Isabel has controlled. Therefore her mind is filled with schemes to avert this catas- trophy. There is in the town a half w itted boy who adores E lisa. The inhabitants amuse themselves by making this boy believe that E lisa is in love with him and that he is much b etter looking than Jose. Rufo, as the boy is called, comes to hate Jose. Sena Isabel sees in this passion a means of furthering her plans. She secretly goes to Rufo and suggests to him th a t, if it were not for Jose’s new boat, she would prefer him to Jose as a son-in-law. A few nights later the rough seas cause much damage to the fishing boats, including the.disappearance of Jose’s new m

boat. The next morning, howeveri.Jose notices that the moor ings of his boat are intactj hat that the cable has been cut. He and Elisa are greatly distressed, because this loss.means a further postponement of their, happiness. : : Vi Teresa, the mother of Jose, suspects that Elisa's mother has had a hand in the loss; She s k illfu lly draws from:Rufo a confession of his part in the matter, but he refuses to/ implicate anyone else. Strengthened in her beliefVby this confession, however, she goes to E lisa 's house and grossly insults Sefta Isabel. The relations between the lovers are, therefore, temporarily interrupted. ; , : - * v : One night Don Fernando de Meira, a proud but indigent oldlnobleman, pressed by hunger, goes into Sena Isabel's garden to steal a few onions. Great is his, surprise to see Elisa and Jose:together. He, like the rest of the inhabi tants of Rodillero, had believed the relations broken off. He is able to hear everything they say without hie presence being.detected; Finally he escapes from his hiding place behind a tree, ashamed of his unworthy act but with a noble though unique project in his mind. A few days la te r, he mysteriously calls Jose,to him and gives him ten thousand reales with which to .buy a new boat. In spite of his aris tocrat ic, though apparently useless, position in the com munity , he has determined:to help these timid lovers to : overcome the obstacles:which seemed so great to them; and, discarding his pride, has sold the remnants of his home to 68

obtain the means to make their•■arriage'possible. Through Don Fernando1 s efforts, Elisa is placed, under legal guardian ship to await her wedding. During the months that follow, she sorrows at leaving her mother.;iIt is also the dull sea son for fishing, and the marriage again has to be postponed. :; One day' Jose and his men, with the other fishermen of the town, are caught out in a frightful storm.* His tiller is lost and his boat fills with water as fast as they can b a ilrit out. Their hope almost gone, they* promise the Santo Cristo of Rodillero that, ifitheyuare: saved,tthey will/go barefoot to His shrine and hear Mass there. All but five of the boats return that night. Jose*s is one of the miss ing. The next day word is received in the town that two boats have succeeded in making port in Banzanes, seven leagues away, and one of these proves to be Jose’s. On the following day the survivors and all the people of Rodillero go to Mass to offer their thanksgiving and their prayers for the dead. The fishermen go barefoot, as they have all promised to do. After the Mass the date for the marriage of Elisa and Jose is finally set. During the great storm the appeal of all the fisherfolk was directed to the Santo Cristo of Rodillero, their faith in that particular image being great because it had come to them from the sea during a storm. The author is not c ritic a l of this worship, but he gives a clear analysis of the simple faith of the ignorant classes. Elisa appeals to the sane 69

image. She goes on her knees to the main altar of the little church, but, instead of stopping there, she goes on, ascend- ing on her knees the spiral staircase that leads up to thee shrine of the sacred image. That stairway is a stairway of penance and its steps are worn by the knees of penitents. Elisa’s own knees are bleeding when she finally arrives a t. the shrine. This form of penance, as well as that practiced by the fishermen, was common in Rodillero, and both are well described by the author, who neither censures them nor dis approves of them.: Valdes lacks the bitterness of Galdoe and the subtle ob servation of Valera. He does not at tack the Church, nor does he go beyond presenting a true picture of life in his native country. In Jose, there are only two references made to the practice of religion, and none to. clericalism. These refer ences are made only because they are necessary to a true picture of Spanish life in which religion plays so intimate a p art. : . ; 70

v V. Vicente Blaaco Ibanez. ■

Vicente Blasco IbaBez, novelist, politician and journal ist, was born in Valencia, January 28, 1867, of middle class parents. He attended the local university and was graduated in law. As a student, he was conspicuous for his radical and revolutionary ideas about Church and State. Due to this ten dency, his life was filled with adventure. - - " ■ - Soon after receiving his degree at the University?of Valencia, Blaaco found himself implicated in a revolutionary movement against the government and was forced to flee to ■ Paris, where he remained two years. After a general amnesty had been granted to political offenders, he returned to Var lencia, where he became engaged in newspaper work. He edited a small sheet called B1 Pueblo. in which he published his earliest works. ■ ;t In 1893 Blasco’s protests against the war with Cuba aroused the attention of the authorities and he was again . forced to leave Spain. This time he fled to Italy. He re turned to Valencia when he thought the affair had blown over, but found himself once more in trouble. This time he spent a year in prison. His release was secured on condition that he leave the province and report at regular intervals to the police in Madrid. This annoyance, however, was of short dura tion; for his election to the Chamber of Deputies automatical ly released him from the obligation. He represented Valencia 71

in six successive legislatures. During this period he con tinued his literary efforts and published several novels. In 1907, Blasco made a short v is it to Constantinople, Switzerland, and Austria. In the following year he was in vited, with Anatole France, to deliver a series of lectures in Buenos Aires on literature, sociology, and other topics of interest. . ; He returned to Spain early in the year 1910. He was very enthusiastic about the new country and its possibilities. He published a few "books of propaganda. He returned to Argentina and established two colonies, which he was compel led to give up in 1913,owing to an economic crisis. During this itime his pen had been id le , but not his imagination, and his experience in South America furnished material for some of his most popular subsequent novels. In 1919, Blasco received an invitation to lecture in the United States, in spite of the fact that he spoke no English. From the f a ll of 1919 u n til July, 1920, he remain ed in this country delivering addresses. ' In the f a ll of 1924, he again came into prominence with the publication of a sensational manifesto directed against the King'of Spain and the military directorate then in power. By means of aeroplanes, Blasco, who was living at that time in Paris, had thousands of pamphlets scattered over the cities in northern Spain, hoping to arouse the people against the dictatorship so opposed to his republican ideas. He did not 72

live to see his dream realized, however, as he died in 1929. His works can he classified as; regional, South American, and novels of propaganda. -The regional include all those novels that deal with the customs and people of a particular distriet. La Barraca and Arroz y Tartana are examples of this type. His South American novels are those that depict the life of the South American Continent. Argentina y sus Grandezas and Los Argonautas are examples of the la tte r type. The novels of propaganda are those that deal with some speci fic phase of the .nation’s life. He becomes an apostle of social reform, attacking evils which he believes to be under mining the existence of Spain. It is this last group of novels which is of in terest from the point of view.of this study.: v .. v i . ; ■, . 1. La Horda. Blaaco Ibanez published La Horda. a novel of social propaganda, in 1905. I t is an interestin g picture of the sordid life of the refuse collectors and gypsies in the suburbs of the city. Its hero, Haltrana, is a boy who was born in the slums but who rises in te lle c tu a lly above the level of his associates through the aid of a charitable lady. He is sent to the University, but does not finish his studies there because of the death of his benefactress. He is a penniless dreamer and idealist, who seeks his livelihood as a hack-writer. Fortune smiles very seldom on him. He finds love and happiness, however, in Feliciana, a girl also of the slums, who shares his poverty and privations bravely and bears

z 75

him a son. She dies soon afterward. Kaltr&na, who has al ways faced lif e in a .cowardly manner, is strengthened in his son and takes a new lease on lif e . The novel is a plea for social reform. In it all refer ence to religion.is totally lacking.V Perhaps it is on account of the lack of religion:that'the life of these.unfortunate beings is not lif te d above that of the beasts that surround them. Even during the pre-Lenten carnival , which is-so uni- - versal throughout Spain, religion is conspicuously absent. These people join in the celebration; displaying their worst instincts. Reference is made in the novel to pious women, who try to carry the teachings of the Church to these unfor tunates, but the reaction is always negative. Prayers do not interest them. It is material aid that they desire. This is clearly shown by the attendance of some women at services only on the promise of some reward. Religion is seen only in the efforts of a fanatic who devotes his life to the dissemination of religious pamphlets.’’ He is regarded as a fool, and his influence is not felt in that sphere of vice, poverty, and hunger.

1 2. Luna Benamor. Blasco published Luna Benamor. a short novel, in 1909. It is the story of the love of Luna Benamor, a Jewess, and Luis Aguirre, a Christian. Luis goes to Gib raltar in;order to sail thence for Australia. In Gibraltar he sees; and falls in love with, Luna Benamor, who is already 74

"betrothed to a man of her own faith . The la tte r is in Ameri ca seeking his fortune. , : . Luis stays on for three months, during which time he courts and wins the love of Luna. Although she loves Luis, Luna renounces her.love on account of the force of-tradition, her religion, and the opposition of her family. ' The author does not preach against nor denounce religion, hut he does point out the strength of beliefs, even when they are only traditional, in most individuals. The Christian, in this instance, is not so strong in his faith as the Jewess. He is willing to marry and seek a solution later on. The author offers no solution. . - ^

3. El Intruso. In 1904, Blasco published the novel, El Intruso, a direct attack on the Jesuits. It is a purely psychological story, devoid of physical action. All action takes place in the characters of the individuals involved. The story is that of Doctor Luis Aresti, who personifies modern thought and science and whose greatest interest is in the welfare of the working classes and the uneducated masses. He has a cousin, Don Jose Sanchez Morueta, who has become a millionaire through his keen business ability. Both the doctor and Don Jose come from the middle class and their sympathies are with their people. Sanchez Morueta dearly loves his cousin, Don Luis, whom he regards as a son. Don Luis is the only person who can 75

exert any influence on th is powerful magnate. Sanchez is married to Bona Cristina, of a noble and distinguished fam ily.- To this union one daughter has been born. .When Bon Luis finished his studies, he came to his cou sin’s home to live. Boha Cristina succeeded in marrying him to one’ of her cousins, who, like her, was a fanatic in mat ters of religion. The happiness of this marriage was of short duration. Ares ti was most miserable and unhappy. Antoni eta', his wife, constantly reproached him for his lack of religion and humiliated him with references to his low origin. Their married life very much resembled that of Leon Roch. Antonie- ta ’s conduct was influenced by a mysterious power, which Aresti felt but could not fight against. Her interest was in destroying his books, turning him away from his science and winning him over to the Church.. The gulf that separated them became wider and wider, until Don Luis finally left his wife. Thus it is that, at the time the story opens, Don Luis is living in a little house in Gallarta, a mining town not far from Bilbao. Sanchez Morueta, up to the present time, has remained uninfluenced by the clergy, despite the constant efforts of his wife and his daughter, Pepita, to bring him under that influence. During one of the doctor’s visits to Bilbao, Don Jose confesses to him that he is very unhappy and that for years he and his wife have been practically separated. They have, nevertheless, kept up appearances. Doha Cristina had 76

come to look upon marriage relations as impure and unholy, and thus she had rejoiced to see her husband grow distant and cold. He also confesses that, in his loneliness, he has - sought love elsewhere and that he maintains a mistress, whom he really loves. Don Luis attributes the cause of this state of affairs in the married life of his cousin to the clergy, but Don Jose laughs at this idea. * ; ■ 1 In the meantime, Pepita has fallen in love with an engi neer, who, although not very religious, is a good and-upright man. Pepita’s mother, Dona Cristina, favors her nephew, Urquiola. The latter is a dissolute young man, but has one quality which elevates him in Doha C ristina’s eyes, namely that he is a product of Deusto, a Jesuit College at Bilbae, and is an ardent defender of the Church. Doha Cristina, with the aid of her confessor, succeeds in persuading her daughter to give up the engineer and accept Urquiola. The i l l i c i t love a ffa ir of Sanchez comes to an end when Judith, his m istress, rejects him for a younger and handsomer man. The millionaire’s happiness is gone forever, and he sinks into the deepest dejection and becomes ill as a result. He confides his sorrow to his cousin, who advises him to seek happiness once more in his own home. Doha Cristina, in the meantime, finds a letter from a woman addressed to Don Jose which arouses her jealousy. She immediately goes with it to her confessor, who advises her to win her husband back by being more affectionate and by f t ' : : '

performing her duties as a wife. The thought is repulsive to her, "but she promises to adopt that plan. That night she makes herself as attractive as possible and seeks her hus band, who is greatly surprised at this sudden change. Don Jose, broken in health and spirit, accepts her ca resses without question. Overcome with this new joy in his home, he submits to Doha Cristina’s influence and gradually loses his own will. The next time Don Luis sees him he is competely changed. He is now a great supporter of the Church and the clergy, taking part in processions and other religious practices. He goes to such an extreme that, in a public demonstration^ he aids the clerical party in fighting the revolting masses, killing and wounding in the name of reli gion. Don Luis, who has witnessed the scene with disgust, spits in his face and turns sadly away, realizing that the "intruso” has finally invaded their affection, destroying it forever. Blasco is most bitter in his attacks. In his constant preaching and in his portrayal of religious characters, one finds no suggestion' or hint of approval. At the beginning of the story he gives a description of the priest of Gallarta. This priest is presented as mercenary and calculating. To his way of thinking, religion is not "on the decline, nor does the question of such a decline worry him as long as there are baptisms, marriages, and funerals, above a ll, funerals. Al though the church is always empty, he feels that Spain cannot 78

be irreligious, since he is.kept s© busy. He confesses that he - has.accumulated forty thousand dollars in the performance of these offices, so indispensable to the ignorant, working

Class. ... v : . r ■ ; The m arital d iffic u ltie s of -Doctor A resti and those of his cousin, Sanchez Horueta, were.due, according to the au thor, to.the clergy. "Besides, A resti divined in the words and in the eyes of his wife strange influences that came from without. In his home, alone with Antonieta, he felt the ex istence' of invisible phantasms that spied upon him, that took note of his actions, and th a t, at each impulse of pas sion, seemed to come between him and his w ife.,|3^ Don Luis, says to Sanchez Morueta, when the la tte r con fides to him his unhappiness* "But you, who have the author ity of fortune, how have you allowed them gradually to take possession of a woman with whom you were in love, separating her from you? You complain that she is no longer your wife; well, that affection that you lack and that has troubled your existence, others possess. They have wooed your wife and stolen her from you under your very nose. If sometime you wish to avenge yourself, go in search,of those who hear her confessions."38 • Blasco compares the subtle influence of the clergy to the microbes that seem insignificant but cause great epi demics. In one of his long discourses directed against the clergy, Don Luis declares that their influence is like death. 79

It comes in, though the doors and windows be closed. He then says to his cousins "The same thing is happening in your house ....You believe that that enemy has not entered because you do not see him,iin flesh and bone, sit at your table and occupy a chair during visiting hours. Well, he reached your very bedroom a long time ago. You were complaining about it recently. He comes back every day, following the footsteps of your wife and of your daughter when they return from the' church of the Jesuits or from their meetings of the Hi.las de Karla. . There is one criticism made against the clergy which the proceeding authors have not made, and that is the excessive accumulation of wealth by the Church and the Orders. Blasco points out that the masses in stin ctiv ely feel hatred toward the clergy, as has been demonstrated by the burning of con vents and the stoning of churches during labor strikes. The fundamental cause is money. The author traces the growth of the Church in wealth and emphatically shows that the clergy always follow prosperity wherever it may be. For example, when Barcelona was becoming wealthy through the textile in dustry, the clergy were there to settle immediately. When the mines near Bilbao were discovered, a Jesuit immediately presented himself to ask for his part and to build a univer sity or a temple - "the factory of automata and the shop where eternal salvation is sold".40 This influence did not stop in the home, but was carried 80

into the-affairs of state.' Padre Pauli, the priest who work ed so.subtly in the home of Doha C ristina, was known every where for his "bellicose nature during the elections. His sermons at that time became campaign speeches, and Christian love was put aside andrsupplanted by quite a different doc trine - "To the enemies of religion, the c lu b " .41 He used t o :publish bulletins just before the elections which even at tracted the at tent ion of the Chamber of Deputies (House of Representatives). He was the man of battle who went straight to his goal, trampling on religious doctrines in order to de fend religion. For example, in his b u lletin s, he denounced extravagance of dress in women and the money wasted on chari ty. He advised women to stop buying new clothes and to stop giving alms, as all of that money was needed to buy votes and to supply bribes during the elections. Only through that aid would the people be able to elect God’s candidate and to discredit the institution of equal suffrage, which placed the lowest man on a level with the highest, thus upsetting the ancient order of society. Every act and every word in this book is a bitter in vective against the Church and the clergy. Blasco criticizes without mercy the abusive practices of the Church, the clergy, and the latter1s political and personal influence over the Spanish people. He offers drastic measures to remedy this monstrous evil. He expresses his views in the words of Don Luis, who says: "It would be bet ter to kill the beast. But 81

as it cannot, be. thusit is necessary to ;keep her in irons, to pursue her, to diminish her strength, to break off her claws, to. pull out her teeth, and when old age and weakness have converted the panther into a dog, gentle and weak, then, Open the doors! Give her complete freedom!'. .And if the in stincts of the past spring up again in her, a kick.will be sufficient to restore her to order.:

4. La Bodega. In 1905, the author published La Bodega, a novel of propaganda against drunkenness. It gives a real is tic sketch of the wine industry of Jerez. Don Pablo Dupont is the owner of the greatest winery of Jerez. He is very re ligious and carries his religious ideas into that great fac tory of alcoholic beverages, compelling all his workmen to attend Mass on Sundays and to receive Communion on certain days. Those who do not conform to his wishes in this respect are dismissed from th eir work. Fermin Montenegro has been in the employ of Don Pablo for fifteen years, and during this time he has had to keep his so c ia listic views to himself in order to keep his position in the office. His father, Don Fermin, is also employed by Dupont in the great vineyards owned by the la tte r near Jerez and which furnish a great part of the grapes used in his winery. Don Fermin and his daugh ter, Maria de la Luz, live on the great estate of the Duponts. In his youth, Don Fermin had fought to establish a republic, but, after the failure that resulted, he settled down to take care of his two children, Fermin and Maria de la Luz. He, 82

like his son, has to conceal his thoughts through fear of his master. Don Pablo has a nephew, Don Luis, who leads a scandalous life and who perhaps will succeed his uncle in .the business. Between his wild escapades, Luis occasionally finds time to look after his interests. On one of these rare occasions he goes to spend a few weeks at the vineyard where Don Fermln and his daughter live. He brings the best wines from the city and spends the nights drinking with the working men. One night everyone drinks to excess and Maria de la Luz be comes completely intoxicated. While she is in this condition, Don Luis takes advantage of her. Maria de la Luz keeps the secret to herself arid dismissed her lover, Rafael, who is greatly puzzled and disturbed by her conduct. He fails in his efforts•to win her back and, in his grief, he goes to Fermin,’ her brother, for help. The latter is also puzzled by the conduct of his s is te r and promises to help Rafael. He talks with her and finally persuades her to confess the truth. Permin sees marriage as the only solution to the problem. He goes f irs t to Don Pablo and te lls him of the shameful a f fair. Don Pablo offers to send her to a convent, but will not consent to a. marriage. Fermln then goes to Don Luis, , who offers money, but refuses to marry Maria. In the heated argument that follows, Fermln stabs Don Luis. He then flees to South America. Later, through the. influence of Don Fer nando Salvatierra, a socialist and a great friend of the 83

family of Montenegro, Rafael aeke Marla de la Luz to marry him in spite of what has happened. The eouple, accompanied by Don PermIn, leave for South America, where iheyeare^to be married. Throughout the story, Don,Fernando Salvatierra and his socialistic views play an important part, causing the people to rise up in arms against the rich, although their efforts are quickly suppressed. • The novel is a plea for the freedom of the working and oppressed classes. The author examines several causes that lead to this oppression, and among them finds the influence of the clergy. Don Pablo Dupont represents the tich, who profit by the labor of the half starved masses, for Dupont, the master, has divine rights, as had the ancient kings. He believes that God wants both the poor and the rich to exist and the former to obey those placed over them. Don Pablo is also a fanatic in his religious beliefs. On one occasion a dog bites some of his workmen. Fearing that hydrophobia may result, he hastens to their assistance, but, before giving them medical aid, he makes them swallow, in the form of pills, the picture of a miraculous saint. He explains his action in this matter with a simplicity that amazes the listener: "Faith comes first; afterwards science, which sometimes does great things, but it is because God per mits it."43

To Don Luis, imbued with the views of his own class, the answer to the social problem which capital was facing at that time was very simple: MA little "bit of charity; and after wards religion, much religion, and the club for those that rebelled*.44 • ’ As for Don Pablo, the clergy is the force that decides his actions. Capital and the clergy are presented in per fect harmony with one another. When PermIn seeks to restore his sister’s honor and goes to Don Pablo, the latter’s reply shows the close union of the clergy and the moneyed classes. "Of course we are all children of God, and the good will re joice equally in heaven; but while we live on the earth, the social order, which comes from above, demands that there be hierarchies and that these be respected without confusing them. Consult the case with a wise man, but a truly wise man; with my friend Father Urizab&l, or some eminent f r ia r , and you will see what he will answer: the same as I answer.*4^

5. La Catedral. La Catedral was published in 1903. In i t the Church, the State, and the authorities of every sort are mercilessly attacked in the long discussions of its socialistic heroes. The story goes back a few.years to fur nish a background for the leading character. For years, Senor Esteban Luna had been gardener of the Cathedral of Toledo, by a right that seemed firmly established in his family. From time immemorial, the family of Luna had served in the capacity that Senor Esteban, the son, now.filled Esteban had three sons, Tomas, Esteban, and Gabriel. The 85

father had great hopes for the youngest, v/ho showed much ap titude in learning, and he dreamed of seeing a priest or per haps even a Cardinal in his family. Thus Gabriel was sent-to a Seminary to finish his studies. v . Gabriel was just eighteen when he lost his father. The old gardener died quietly and happy, seeing all of his family in the service of the Cathedral, and the good old tradition of the Lunas continued without interruption. Tomas, the eldest, remained in the garden; Bateban, after serving many years as acolyte and as assistant to the sacristans, was now Silenciario. and had been given the Wooden Staff and seven reales a day, the height of all his ambition; and, as for the youngest, Sehor Esteban had the firm conviction that he would become a p riest. - Gabriel’s life as a student was interrupted by a revolu tion. Seeing that the Church was menaced, he forgot his books and his career and joined the army that defended the cause of God. He enjoyed the free and lawless life of the soldier, but sufferred a great disillusionment. He had expected to find among his comrades so ld ie rs;fighting for an id e a l, but, instead, found an armed mob that committed a ll sorts of crime in the name of religion. He soon became accustomed to this kind of lif e , however, and ceased to be shocked by his com panions. ' ; t-u1; : The war ended, and Gabriel, instead of going back to h is studies, decided to see more of the world. To return to the Cathedral would mean to remain there forever, to renounce - everything in life, and he, who, during the war, had tasted worldly delights, had no desire to turn his back on them so. soon. He had plenty of time to finish his studies. His greatest desire was to see Paris. Therefore, as soon as he was financially able to do so; he set out for the French ca p ita l. ■ ■ •: . - Such work as he found there furnished him with but a meager existence. His th irst for knowledge was great, and, as he had the time, he:delved deeply into those books of science which so disturbed God’s priests and produced a great curiosity in him. As a result of this study, his be lie fs and manner of. thinking began to change. His fa ith in Catholicism, as the only religion, was the first belief to disappear. Losing his belief in dogmas, he lost also, by inevitable logic, that belief in monarchy which had driven him to fight in the mountains, and he came to look at the history of his country without prejudice of race. : : History showed him the sad fate of Spain, whose progress was arrested at the most c ritic a l period of her development by the fanaticism of p riests and inquisitors and the fo lly of some of her kings^ Gabriel looked with envy at those peoples who had broken with the Church and who were enjoying the frtiits of a progress which had been denied to Spain. .While in Paris, Gabriel became a student of Ernest Renan a freethinker whom many erroneously consider to have been an atheist. later he came under the influence of Russian com munists, accepted their ideas.and,"believed his mission to "be the dissemination.thereof. His enthusiasm and his ardor for proselytizing led him to leave laris at the end of five years. He went to London, where he met and f e ll in love with Lucy, a young g irl also engaged in the same kind of work. Luna and his companion, Lucy, went to Holland and thence to Belgium, se ttlin g afterwards in Germany, always traveling from group to group of "companions", who aided one another in time of need; After eight years of wandering, Lucy died of consumption. They were in Italy at the time. Gabriel, lone some and homesick, returned to Spain soon afterward. In Bar celona, some of the "companions" obtained for him the manage ment of a printing press. His life in Barcelona became a whirlwind of proselytizing, of struggles,; and of persecutions. He took an active part in all revolutionary movements and "be came a .prominent, and necessary figure in socialistic meetings. Thus, if a "boroh was exploded in the stre e ts , Luna was the f ir s t to be arrested and taken to prison. Because of these activities, hehspeht two years in prison in the Kontjuich Castle, where he suffered indescribable tortures and, as a result, lost his health. Upoh-'his. rbleaselhe:.went to London where he remained for two years, but the climate aggravated his illn ess and forced him to return to the continent. His existence became unbearable. He was always a fugitive, driven fromuplace to place through the different countries of Europe 88

"by the vigilance of the police, and banished or thrown into prison on the slightest suspicion; Broken in spirit and in health, he returned to Toledo and to the Cathedral to die. His purpose was :to give; up his work and to become as one of the stones of that Cathedral. But it was not to be so. In a short time he won the admiration of most of the men who were employed about the Cathedral and who listened attentive ly to his views, so new to them. They formed a sort of school of which Gabriel was the master. He had been given the posi tion of night watchman of the Cathedral. One night, as he silently kept his watch, three of his new disciples, his own nephew, the b ell-rin g er, and the shoemaker, came to seek his help in stealing the treasures of the church. Gabriel, to his sorrow, recognized the results of his teachings upon a people who ,were not ready for them. He tried to defend the property he had been set to guard, at f ir s t by arguments and finally by force. But the three were determined to carry out their plans and did not hesitate at violence. The bell ringer struck Gabriel on the head with his immense bunch of keys. Gabriel never recovered his speech to tell the truth, and died accused of the crime that his disciples had commit ted. . ". ■ La Catedral is an interesting story which depicts the inner and private life that goes on within those massive walls. In this novel, Blasco bitterly attacks the celibacy of the clergy. The Cardinal, Don Sebastian, has a young 89

woman living in his home, whom everyone believes to be his mistress. This grieves the old Cardinal greatly, and in his grief he seeks an old woman to whom he confides the follow ing! ,"Oh, TomasaJ pity me, for I am worthy of compassion! To be a father and to be obliged to hide it as a crime! To love my daughter with an affection which increases more and more as Death approaches, and to be obliged to endure that people should:imagine this pure affection to be something repugnant."46 During the first years of. Don Sebastian*s episcopate, he had loved and in secrecy lived with a woman, who, on her death le ft him two children. The g ir l, whom everyone thought to be his mistress, was his daughter, but he could not claim her as such. : . Don Sebastian greatly feared that his daughter would be come a nun, and he expressed his idea of the profession in the following terrast "Irrespect:a.religious, woman, but not the devout woman who is happy only in the Church. A woman ought to liv e ; she ought to love and be a mother. I have always disapproved of nuns." 47 Those are strange words from the lips of a Cardinal. Nevertheless his argument is strong. He says, "I am sure that God will not reject me when my hour comes. His in fin ite mercy is above a ll the contemptible-smallnesses- o f.the world. What is my crime? Having loved a woman, as my father loved my mother; having had children, as the apostles and saints had. And what of it? Ecclesiastical celibacy is an invention of men, a 90

detail of discipline drawn up in the councils; hut the flesh and its demands precede it by many centuries; they had their origin in Paradise. He who crosses this barrier, not through vice, but through irresistible passion, because he cannot conquer the impulse to rear a family and to have a companion, undoubtedly sins against the laws of the Church, but does not disobey God". ‘ ' • In th is novel, Blaeeo repeatedly protests against the vast accumulation of wealth by the Church and the clergy^ He describes the immense treasures amassed in the coffers of the Church and the rich robes studded with precious stones which adorn the images, while people right beneath the 'sha dows of the Cathedral are starving. As an example of what he means, the author enumerates the worldly possessions of Don Sebastian, and puts this statement into the mouth of the Cardinal himself: "I have saved much; I am not one of those who distribute bread at the gate of his palace, nor who seek popularity through almsgiving. I have pasture lands in Extremadura, many vineyards in La Mancha, houses and, above a ll, Government bonds - many bonds. As a good Spaniard, I wish to help the Government with my money, more especially as that brings profits. I do not quite know how much I possess, but certainly twenty millions of reales, and pro bably more, all saved by myself, and increased by fortunate speculations. I cannot complain of fate, and the Lord has helped me. 91

The author not only attacks the clergy and religious practices, but he directs his most bitter accusations against Christian beliefs. He develops the argument against dogma in the character of Gabriel, v/ho, through intensive study, gradually loses one belief after another. Gabriel comes to look upon religions as human inventions, subject to the con ditions belonging to all organizations. Belief in the sanc tity of the Church and in the story of creation becomes a myth, and; finally the only belief that remains to Gabriel is that of God as Creator, a belief that he still holds largely because of superstitious scruples. "The God of Gabriel, on losing the corporeal form which religion had given to Him, and:on diffusing Himself in creation, lost at once all of His attributes.' On magnifying Himself to fill the infinite, identifying Himself with it, He became so impalpable and subtle to the intellect as to appear almost a phantasm.1,50 Through the mouth of Don.Mart£n, a priest, the author denounces the teachings of the Catholic Church. Don Martin, one of the followers of Gabriel, leaves the Cathedral after many years of service; but before leaving he goes to Gabriel . and states his reasons for leaving, in the following words$ "How that the poor old woman is gone, I am free; she was the only.tie that bound me to this church, in which I no.longer believe. Its dogma is absurd and puerile, its history a tissue of crimes and violence. Why should I lie, like others, feigning a faith I do not fe e l ? . . 92

Belief in a hereafter is pointed ©utae dangerous and untrue. MBelieving in a future life, the unfortunate still had the false]consolation of - happiness after death; hut re ligion was a lie ; and since there was no other life than the present, Luna rose in anger against the social injustice that condemned millions; of beings to poverty and misery for the happiness of’: a few privileged thousands. Authority , the - fount of all evil, was for him the greatest enemy. It must be destroyed, but first men must be created who were capable of living without maters, priests, or soldiers."52 . , On one occasion, G abriel’s niece asks him where God is. .. Gabriel stands up and says, "We are Gods ourselves, and so is everything that surrounds us. It is life with its astonish ing transformations, always apparently dying, yet always being in fin itely renewed. It is this immensity that astounds us with its greatness, and that cannot be realized in our minds. It is matter that lives animated by the force that dwells in it, with absolute unity, without separation or duality. Man is God, and the world is God also....But if you ask me for the personal God invented by religions in the likeness of man, who forms the world from nothing, directs our actions, guards souls, classifying them according to their merits, and com missions children to come down to earth to redeem i t , look for him in that vastness, see where he hides his smallness. Even though you were immortal, you would spend m illions of centuries jumping from one heavenly body to another, without 93

ever finding the corner which hides his majesty of a dethroned despot. This vindictive and capricious God arose in men’s hrains, and the brain is a human "being1 s most recent organ, the last to develop itself. . . .When man invented God, the World had existed millions of years. If the author had made his hero see the folly of his beliefs and teachings, one could not accuse Blasco of irreli giousness, but since he makes his hero die as a martyr to a cause, which he points out as a cause of enlightenment, one cannot fail to see his lack of faith in any religion. His sentiments are not only anti-clerical but also anti-religious. 94

VI, Conclusion:

Religion, Taeing a part of the character of the Spaniard, is found wherever an analysis of the Spaniard is made. The works of Valera, Perez Galdos,Palacio Valdes, and Blasco Ibanez, show religion in all of its ptoses and in varying degree. ■ ’ - o - - - - - ' : r :' : ' - - ' - Clericalism, which has been an actual and v ital problem in Spain for so many centuries, cannot be overlooked when dealing with social problems. Armando Palacio Valdes pre sents the life of his time and country and therefore naturally treats of religion, which he does hot attack, although he brings out certain abuses of clericalism, such as fanaticism and lack of vocation. Valera is not critical of religion. He presents the good phases of it as well as the bad. He does object, how ever, to clerical influence in matters not concerning reli gion, and his objections are set forth gently but forcefully. Perez Galdos does not look upon clericalism with quite the calmness of Valera, and his attacks are more pointed against the specific abuses of which clericalism is guilty. The themes of Doha Perfecta, G loria, and La Pamilia de Leon Roch, are anti-clerical. His attack is direct and he does not hesitate to voice his sentiments on these activities and influences in matters not concerning the faith; but he is quite clearly not anti-religious. 95

Blaaco Ibanez seems to have acquired the observation of the preceeding three authors and the incisiveness of Galdos; but he goes much further than any of them. He bold ly attacks religion, the clergy and the Church. The pre ceeding authors do not attack religious beliefs. They were good Catholics and th e ir criticism may be, compared to the advice given by a member of one family to another member of the same family. : i • . ■ - Blasco not only takes that point of view and exposes the same abuses of clericalism as did the other three, but , he goes further than they, and treats even religious beliefs as an outsider, hurling the most venomous accusations against faith itself, and demanding not merely radical reform of abuses, but the complete extermination of the Church. 96

' • VII. Notes.

1. Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, s.v. Cleri calism. 2. Espasa, Enciclopedia Universal Iluatrada.2s.v. Clericalismo. MClericalismo es la: aupremacia del clero en la goUernacion del estado.11 - - 3. Jose Alemany, Diccionario de la Lengua EspaRola: "c le ri calismo es la interrencion excesiva atribuida a la clerecia en la polftica y en la gobernacion del estado." 4. Valera, El Comendador Mendoza. Obraa Completas. Vol. 7, p.6. "Acababa yo de leer multitud de libros devotos. Lo poetico de aquellos libros me tenia hechizado, pero no cautivo. Mi fantasia se exalt® con tales lectures; pero mi frio corazon siguio en libertad y mi seco esplritu se atuvo a la razon severa.* 5. Valera, Pepita Jimenez. Obras Completas. Vol. 4, p .7. "La malicia que algunoe critico s presumen taallar en el narrador, se me figure que esta mas en ellos que en mi. El senor Dean, y.no yo, ee quien narra; y cuanto Buena a burlas en lo que dice, va contra la petulancia juvenil de eu sobrino, contra lo vano de su vocacion, no contra la vocacion misma." 6. Valera, P epita.Jimenez. Obras Completes. Vol. 4, p.23. "He pensado muchas vecea sobre dos metodos opuestos de educaciom el de aquellos que procuran conservar la 97

inocenciaj confundiendo la inocencia con la Ignorancia y creyendo que el ioal no eonocido se evita mejer que el conocido, y el de aquelloa que valerbsamente y no Men llegado el discipulo a la edad de la razon, y salva la delicadeza del pudor, le muestran el mal en tddo su fealdad horrible y-en toda su espantoaa desnudez, a fin de que le aborrezca y le evite. Yo entiendo que el mal debe conoceree para eatiznar mejor la infihita bondad divina, termino ideal e inasequible de todo ' bien nacido deseo." 7. Valera,'‘P epita.Jimenez, Obras Completaa, Voi. 4, pp.27-28^ "iBstaran en el aire las malas doctrinas^ a modo de miasmas de una epidemia? Acasb (y aiento tener este mal pensamiento, que a usted solo declare), acaso tenga la culpa el miemo clero. cEsta en Espafta' a la altura de su mision? 6Va a ehsehar y a moralizar en los pueblos? 6Bn todos sus individuos es capaz de esto? dHay verdadera vocacion en los que se consagran a la vida religiosa y a la cura de almas, o es solo un mode de v iv ir como cualquiera con la diferencia de que hoy no se dedican a el sino los mas menesterosos, los mas sin esperanza y sin medios, por lo mismo que esta carrera ofrece menos porvenir que cualquiera otra? Sea como sea, la escaeez de sacerdotes ihstrufdos y virtuosos excite mas en ml el deseo de ser sacerdote.M 98

8. Valera, Pepita Jimenez, Obrae Completas. Vol. 4, p.58. "Harto se que 108 irapios del dia presente acusan, con falta completa de fundamento, a .nuestra santa religion de mover las almas a aborrecer to da a la's cosas del mundo, a despreciar o a desdenar la naturaleza,tal vez a temerla casi, coroo si hubiera en ella algo de diabolico,-eneerrando todo su amor y todo su afecto en el que Hainan monstruoso egoismo del amor divino, porque, creen que el alma se ama a si propia atnando .a Dios." 9. Valera, Pepita Jimenez, Obras Completas. Vol. 4, pp.38-39. "Harto se que.no es a s i, que no es esta la yerdadera doctrina, que el amor divino es la caridad, y que aroar a Dios es araarlo todo, porque todo esta .en Dios, y Dios esta en todo por inefable y a lta manera. Harto se que no peco amando las cosas por amor de Dios, lo cual es amarlas por alias con rectitud; porque, oque son ellas mas que la manifestacion, la obra del amor de Dios? ... Ko se me oculta que todas estas cosas raateriales son como las letras de un libro, son coroo los signos y caracteres donde el alma, atenta a su lectura, puede penetrar un Hondo sentido y leer y descubrir la hermosura.de Dios, que, si bien imper- fectamente, esta en ellas como trasunto o mas bien como cifra, porque no la pintan, sino que la repre- sentan." v. 99

10. Valera-. Las Ilusiones del doctor Fauetino. Obraa Completas. Vol. 5, p .9. . "Green, ademas, que el Santo Patron del pueblo, es muy celoso y active, y que siempre esta intercediendo con Dios para que todo lo prospers y mejore. A si, y no de otra suerte, logran, segun ellos, mediants una especial providencia e intervencion divina, la riqueza y hermosura del paralso en que presumen que viven. La imagen del Santo Patron es de plata y no tendra mas de treinta centimetres de longitud; pero el valor no se mide por varas. Segun tradicion piadosa, en otro lugar inmediato ofrecieron una vez por este santo pequenito quince carretadaa de otros santos de todos linajes y dimensiones, y el cambio no fue aceptado. 151 santo pago con usura el amor que sus ahijados le profesan. Los que ofrecieron las quince carretadas, , viendo que no lograban por buenas la posesion del santo, es fama que le robaron una noche; pero el santo se escape bonitamente del s itio en que le habian en- cerrado y volvio a aparecer en su nicho al otro dia. Desde entonces esta el nicho defendido por gruesas barras de hierro. Y no se crea que se tomen eatas

. precauciones por el miserable valor de la plata que pesa el santo, sino porque es el defensor del lugar y su refugio, remedio y amparo en todos los males, adversidades y peligros. 90842 100

Confieao que el esp lritu critico de nuestra epoca descrelda ha penetrade tamhien en este lugar, amorti- guando el entuaiaaroo per eu Santo Patrone; pero aun- recuerdo el frenesi, el profundo afecto de gratitud con que le aelamahan, ahos ha, cuando le sacahan en procesion e iha la fervoroaa znuchedum'bre gritando delante de el; "IViva nueatrb Santo Patrono, que ea tamaho como un pepino y hace mas milagroa que cinco mil demonioa!M, expreaion aincera de la persuasion en que estahan de que su santo, si ea licito huacar ejemploa en lo profano para lo aagrado y en lo m aterial para lo e s p iritu a l, as! como ta l maquina de vapor tiene fuerza mecanica de tantoa miles de caballoa, tenia fuerza taumaturgica nada menos que de cinco mil demonioa, a pesar de lo pequeno.que era. Lo que yb no he visto nunca, lb que no quiero creer, lo que me parece invencion y habladurla de lbs puehlos cercanos para dar vaya a los de este pueblo, ea el ex- ceso de familiaridad con que trataban en ocaaionea a au santo, llevandole, cuando no llo v ia, a una f.uerite que 11aman el Pilar de Abajo, y zambullendole alii para que lloviese, lo cual, se ahade, no dejaba nunca de ocurrir en el acto o pocas horas despuea. Sobre esto de la zambullida devoJta„.tengo yo mis dudaa." - 101

11., Valera, Las Ilusiones del doctor Faustino. Obras Completas. Vol. 6, p.81. M...pero esto mas bien merece elogio, pues evita confesiones hipocritas y comuniones sacrl-, legaa" . : , . : r ■ ^ r 12. Valera, LonaLuz,. Obras Completas. Vol. 3, p.247. MA pesar t uyo, Dios mio, a pesar tuyo y encontra tuya, la lievo grabada con rasgos indelebles., Todo el brio.de mi voluntad, toda la fuerza del cielo, todas las penas del infierno no podran arrancarla de alii. Dona Luz y el amor, de Dona Luz viven vida inmortal en mi espiritu ." 13. Valera, El Comendador Mendoza; Obras Completas. Vol. 7, p.52. "Dios me perdone si me equivoco a fuerza de creerle. bueno. Yo, creyendo en el y figurandomele como persona, tengo que „f igurariaele todo lo bueno que con- cibo que una persona puede ser. For consiguiente,. no , comple tando mi concept© de su bondad la gloria de la otra vida por inmensa que sea, supongo en esta vida que vivimos, por mas que sirva para ganar la otra, un fin y un proposito en si, y no solo el ultramundane. Este fin, este proposito es ir caroinando hacia la perfeccion, y sin alcanzarla aqui nunca, acercarse cada vez mas a ella. Creo, pues en el progreso; esto es, en la mejora gradual y constante de la sociedad y del individuo, asi en lo material como en lo moral,, y asi en la ciencia especulativa como en la que nace de la observacion y la experiencia, y da sera las artes y a la Industria.* 102

14. Valera, El Comendador Mendoza. Cbras Coiapletas, Vol. 7, p.114. "Mil veces se Id tengo dicho a-V., Sr. D. Valen tin . Eae hcmbre, que V. se erapeno en introducir en casa, a lia en Lima, es un lit e r tin o , impfo y grosero. Su tr a to , ya que no inf icione, niancha o puede man char la acrisolada reputacion de cualquiera sehora. Yo tuve hecesidad poco menos que de echarle de casa. Motives huho, en su falta de mifamientos y hasta de respeto, para que en otras edades: "barbaras, olvidando la ley divina, alguien le huhiera dado una severa leccion, como solfan darlas los cahallerds. Esto no habia de ser: era imposihle.. . iKada que mas repugne a mi conciencia* nada mas contrario am is principles; pero: • hay un justo medio.. .Delito es matar a quien ha ofen- ' t dido...pero es vileza abrazarle. Sr. D. Valentin, Vd. no tiene sangre en las venas." :: 15. Valera, El Comendador Mendoza; Ohras Completas. Vol. 7, p.257. "Mas vale morir que pecar. Si ha de vivir para ser pecadora, para su eterna condenacion, para su ver- ' guenza y su oprobio, que muera. JLlevatela, Dios miol Asi me hubiera muerto yo;" 16. Valera; El Comendador Mendoza. Obras Completas, Vol. 7, p .136. "Tu cometes un pecado. E res, por ejemplo, men- tiro s o ., Los males que nazean de tu pecado debes re- roediarios hasta donde te sea posible y licito, esto es, sin cometer pecado nuevo para remediar el antiguo. 103

Dios,1 para hacernos patents la enormidad de nuestras culpas, consiente a veces en que nazcan de ellas males cuyos humanos remedios son peores. Tratar tu de eyitarlos o de remediarlos entonces, no es hmnildad, sinq soberbia, orgullo satanico; es luchar contra Dios; es tomar el papel de la Providencia; es dar palo de ciego; es querer enderezar el tuerto que tu mismo hiciste, torciendo y ladeando lo que esta recto, y tirando a trastornar el orden natural de las cosas." 17. Valera. Uorsamor. Qbras Completas. Vol. 11, p .389. "Conforms hubiera estado desde entonces mi voluntad, con la voluntad del Altlsimo, si un obstaculo, que roe parecio insuperable,;no ee hubiera opuesto. Con este obstaculo he tenido que trabar tremenda lucha. Yo pude libertarme de la ambicion y de la codicia, pude desdehar y desdene gloria, poder y riqueza.. E l.amor de la mujerquedo, no obstante, firms en contra mia, atajando el camino por donde ansiaba yo acercarrae a la reconciliacion suprema." 18. Galdoa. Doha P erfecta. ed. by/A. R. Marsh, p. 107. "Dicen que te vas. Yo me muero.* 19. Galdos, Doha P erfecta. ed. by A. R. Marsh, p. 219. "I Cristobal, Cristobal.. .matale!? 20. Galdos, Doha P erfecta. ed. by A. -,R. Marsh, p.":102. ■ "Por lo visto, aqui el obispo gobierna las casas ajenas." 104

21. Galdoa, Dotla P erfects, ed. by A. R. Marsh, p.156. *iLc coirtare la cabeza al Sr. Rey! ” 22. Galdo.s, Doha P erfects, ed. by A.. R. Marsh, p. 162. MEn cuanto a que yo aconseje al Sr. Ramos (Caballuco) que se eche al campo....razon tiene la sehbra. Yo, como sacerdote, no puedo aconsejar tal cosa. Se que algunos lo hacen; y aun toman las armas; pero esto me parece impropio, muy impropio, y no sere yo quien los imite. Lievo mi escrupulosidad hasta el extreme de no decir una palabra al Sr. Ramos sobre la peliaguda cuestion de su levantamiento en armas. Yo se que Orbajosa lo desea; se que le bendiciran todos los habitantes de esta noble ciudad; se que vamos a tener aquf hazanas dighas de pasar a la h isto ria; pero, s i n :embargo, perm!taseme un discrete s ile n c io .H r 23. Galdos, Doha P erfects, ed. by A. R. Marsh, p .192. "Yo te soy franco: si hubiera vis to en el Sr. de Rey un hombre de buenos principles, capaz de hacer feliz a Rosario, no habrla intervenido en el asunto• pero el ■ tal joven me parecio una calamidad,*y como director esp iritu al de la casa debi tomar cartas, en el asunto y las tome. Ya sabras que le puse la proa, como vul- garmente se dice. Desenmascare sus vicios; descubrl su ateismo; puse a la vista de todo el mundo la podre- dumbre de aquel corazon materializado, y la sehora se convene!6 de que entregaba a su hija al vicio . .'.. I Ay! 105

que afanes pase. La senora vacilaba, yo f.ortalecia su animo indeciso; aconseja"bale loe medios lic ito s que debia emplear contra el sobrinejo para alejarle sin eacandalo; sugeriale ideas ingeniosas, y como ella me mostraba a menudo su pura conciencia llena de alarmas, yo la tranquilizaba demarcando hasta que punto eran licitas las batallas que librabamos contra aquel fiero enemigo." 24. Galdos.. Dona Perfecta, ed. by A. R. Marsh,.p.219. "IMataleJ" _ 25. Galdos, Doha Perfecta, ed. by A. R. Marsh, p .203. "Empeno m ioes, Sr. Ramos." 26. Galdos. Doha P erfecta, ed. by A. R. Marsh, p.204. "Yo me lavo las manos." 27. Galdos. G loria. Vol. 1. pp.161-162. "Yo conozco regu- larmente el Mediodia y la capital de Espaha ... Ignore si el Norte sera lo mismo; pero alia, querido amigo mio, he visto el sentimiento religiose tan amortiguado, que los espaholes ihspiran lastima. Ro se ofenda usted si hablo con franqueza. En ningun pais del mundo hay raenos creencias, siendo de notar que enninguno existen tantas pretensiones de poseerlas. Ko solo los Catolicos belgas y franceses, sino los protestantes de todas las confesiones, los judios y aun los mahometanos, practican su doctrina con mas ardor que 16s espaholes. Yo he visto lo que pasa aqui en las grandee ciudades, las 106

cuales parece han.de ser reguladoras de todo el sentir de la nacion y me ha causada sorpresa la irreligiosidad de la mayorla de las personas ilustradas. Toda la clase media, con raras excepciones, es indiferente. Se prac- tica el culto, pero mas Men como un hahito rutinario, por respeto al publico, a las familias y a la tradicion, que por verdadera fe. Las mujeres se entregan a devo- ciones exageradas; pero los homhres huyen de la Iglesia todo lo posihle, y la gran mayoria de ellos deja de practicar los preceptoe mas elementales del dogma cato- lico. Ko negare que muchos acuden a la misa, siempre que sea corta, se entiende, y no falten muchachas bonitas que ver a la salida* pero eso es fa c il, amigo mio; 6no coraprende usted que esto no hasta para decirs <

nuestra parte. Es el gran auxiliar del Eatado, y hay que tenerla contents." 30. Galdcs, Gloria, Vol. 1, p.147. "A eate son lea hemos tocado eiexnpre,' y a est e son "bailan que es una mara- v i l l a . " 31. Galdos, Gloria; Vol. 2, p.90. "IOh! impio Hazareno..., ’ IKunca sere tuyo, nunca!" ... • 32. Galdos, La Earnilia de Leon Roch, Vol. 1, pp.110-111. "Lo que hay es que todos, aun siendo creyentes, cumpli- mos mal, nos descuidamos; pero somos prudent es, t ehemos tacto, guardsunos apariencias ... consideramos que vivimos en un pueblo eminentemente religiose .... recordamos que las clases populates necesitan de nuestro ejemplo para no extraviarse.H 33. Galdos, La Eamilia de Leon Roch, Vol. 2, p.53. HEasta con lo dicho para que se vea que la religiosidad de l.'aria Sudre era la religiosidad de la turbamulta, del pueblo bajo, entiendase aqui por bajeza la triste con- dicion de no saber pensar, de no saber sentir, de vivir con esa vida puramente mecanica, nerviosa, circulatoria y digestiva que es el verdadero, el unico materialisrao de todas las edades." 34. Galdos, La Familia de Leon Roch, Vol. 2, p .155. "El dueho de la conciencia de mi mujer, el gobernador de mi casa, el arbitro de mi matrimonio, el que ha tenido en su mano un vinculo sagrado para atarlo y desatarlo a su antejo; 108

este honfbre, a quien hoy veo por primera yez despues de ;.. aquellos dias .en que iba & visitar al-pobre Luis Gonzaga, muerto en mi casa; este hombre, que, a -pesar de no tener conmigo trato alguno, ha dispuesto secretamente de-mi corazon y de mi vida, como puede disponer un sehor del esclavo comprado, no puede ignorar nada.n . 35. Falacio Valdes, Marta y Maria. Obras Compietas. Vol. 2,

p.V. w1no he querido en la presente obra herir al mis- . ticiamo verdadero ni ridiculizar la vida contemplatiya. Cervantes, el gran maestro de nuestra literatura, tam- poco quiso.atacar al honor y al heroiamo.en su inmortal Q,uijote. Aunque yo piense que la esencia del Cristia-. nismo es caridad y por lo tanto vida activa, entiendo asimismo que sin una fe viva , esto es, sin la union m istica y amorosa de nuestro espiritu con el Creador, la misma caridad no puede beatificarnos. Fero existen y han existido siempre seres que trasportan la.santidad del corazon a la fantasia, de la vida a la quimera, como el ingenioso hidalgo trasportaba el heroismo, y contra estos espiritus exaltados, imaginativos, en el fondo vanidosos y egoistas, van;las presentespaginas. Asi como las aventuras novelescas de los libros de caballerias enloquecian a los espiritus debiles, ciertas exageraciones en que incurren los biografos de los santos son extremadamente peligrosaa. para los tempera- mentos no bien equilibrados. Solo los corazones . 109

sencillos son gratos a Dios y a los hom'bres. " 36. Palacio Valdes, La Hermans San Sulpicio; p.201. MLe pre- vengo a usted que no le toco nada de lo de Salomon. Si le sacuden, suelta "bellotas. Pero conoce Lien la grama- tica parda. Le digo, por lo que pueda tronar, que es usted sobrind del senor Gemerediz, jefe de seccion en el Ministerio de Gracia y Justicia." 37. Blasco Ibanez, El Intruso. p.104. "Ademas, Aresti adivi- naba en las palabras y en los ojos de su mujer extranas influencias que venlan de fuera. Eri su casa, a solas con Antonieta, presentla la existencia de invisibles fantasmas que le espiaban, que tomaban nota de sus acciones, que a cada arranque de pasion parecian inter- ponerse entre su mujer y el." 38. Blasco Ibanez. El Intruso. p .148. "Pero tu, que tienes la autoridad de la fortuna, icomo has dejado que fuesen apoderandose de una mujer a la que amabas, separandola de ti? Te quejas de que ya no es tu esposa; pues ese, afecto que te falta y ha trastornado tu existencia, lo tienen otros. En tus propias barbas han cortejado a tu mujer y te la han robado. Si alguna vez piensas vengarte, ve en busca de los que la confiesan." 39. Blasco Ibanez, El Intruso. p.155. "En tu casa ocurre lo mismo.. . . Crees que ese enemigo no ha entrado porque no le ves de carne y hueso sentarse a tu mesa y ocupar un sillo n en la hora de las v isitas. Pues hace tiempo que 110

11ego hasta tu rnisma alcoba. Tu te lamentabas de ello hace poco. Todos los dias vuelre, siguiendo los pasoa de tu inujer y tu hija cuando regresan de la iglesia de- los jesuitas o de aus juntas de Hijas de Maria." 40. Blasco Ibanez, SI Intruso. p.167. "...la fabrica de automatas y la tienda donde se vendeila salvacion etern a.11 ■ ■' : ■ 41. Blasco Ibanez, El Intruso; p.247. "A los enemigos de la religion, palo." . : 42. Blasco Ibanez, 31 Intruso, p.169. "Matar la :fiera serfa lo mejor. Fero de no ser asx, hay que conservarla entre hierros, acosarla, acabar.con su fuerza, romperla las unas, arrancarla los dientes, y cuando la vejez y la debilidad hayan convertido la pantera en un perro manso y debil, entonces, ipuerta abiertai ILibertad completa! Y si los instintos del pasado renacen en ella, bastara un puntapie para volverla al orden." . 43. Blasco Ibanez, La Bodega, p.33. «Frimero, la Fe; despues, la Ciencia, que algunas veces hace grandes cosas, pero es porque se lo permits D ios.» 44. Blasco Ibanez, La Bodega, p.261. "Un poco de caridad; y despues religion, mucha religion, y palo al que se des- mandase." ; - 45. Blasco Ibanez, La Bodega, p .319. "Claro es que todos somos hijos de Dios, y que los buenos gozaran igualmente de su gloria; pero mientras vivimos en la tierra, el I l l

orden social, que viene de lo alto, exige que existen jerarquias y que estas se respeten sin confundirse. Consult* el caso con un sabio, pero un sabio de verdad; con mi amigo el padre Urizabal o algun fraile eminente, y veras que te contesta; lo mismo que yo." , : 46. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral, p.273. *iAy, Tomasal:Compa- deceme, soy digno de lastima. ISer padre, y tener que ocultarlo como un crimen! IQuerer a mi hija con un carino que se acrecienta mas y mas conforms se aproxima la muerte, y tener que sufrir que la gente tome ese afecto puro por algo repugnante!M - • ; 47. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral. p.274. "Me gusta lamujer religiosa, no la devota que solo se encuentra bien en la iglesia. La mujer debe vivir, debe gozar y ser madre. Siempre he mirado mal a las monjas." 48. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral, p.276. "Bstoy seguro de que no me despreciara Dios cuando llegue mi hora. Su in- finita misericordia esta por encima de todas las pequene- ces de la vida. iCual es mi delito? Haber amado a una mujer, como mi padre amo a mi madre; tener hijos, como los tuvieron aposteles y santos. cY que? El celibato eclesiastico es una invencion de los hombres, un details de discipline acordado en los concilios; pero la carne y sus exigencies son anteriores en muchisimos siglos; datan del Faraiso. Q,uien salta esta barrera, no por vicio, sino por pasion irresistible, porque no puede 112

veneer el impulse de crear una famllia y tener una corn- pan era, ese falta indudablemente a las leyes de la Iglesia, pero no desobedece a Dios.M •- 49. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral. p.273. “He ahorradomuchoi no soy de los que reparten pan a la puerta de su pal ad o , ni busco la celebridad per la limosna. Tengo dehesas en Extremadura, muchas villas en la Mancha, casas, y sobre todo, papel del Estado, mucho papel. Como buen espanol, quiero ayudar al gobierno cor. ml dinero, tan to mas cuanto que esto produce gananclas. Mo se ciertamente lo que poseo; seran veinte millones de reales: tal vez mas. Todo ahorrado por mi, aumentado con buenos nego- cios. No puedo quejarme de la suerte; el Senor me ha ayudado." 50. Blasco Ibahez, La Catedral, p.81. "El Dios de Gabriel, al perder la forma corporal que le habian dado las re- ligiones y difundirse en la creacion, perdia todos sue atributos. Al agigantarse para llenar el infinite, eon- fundiendose con. el, se haefa tan sutil, tan impalpable para el pensamiento, que casi era un fantasma." 51. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral, p.321. "Al irse la pobre vieja, quedo libre. Era lo unico que me ligaba a esta iglesia, en la que ya no creo. Su dogma es absurdo y pueril, su historia un tejido de crlmenes y violencias. iPara que roentir, como otros, fingiendo ura fe que no siento?" 113

52. Blaaco Ibanez, La Cat ed ral. p .83. "Creyendo en una vida . futura, los deegraciados aun tenxan el false consuelo de la felicidad despues de la muerte. .Pero la religion era mentira, y no exiatiendo mas vida que la presente, Luna se indignaba contra la in ju sticia social, que condena a muchos millones de seres para la felicidad de unos miles de privilegiados. La autoridad, fuente de todos los males, era para el el mayor de los enemigos. Habia que matarla, pero creando antes hombres capaces de subsistir sin amos, sacerdotes y soldados." 53. Blasco Ibanez, La Catedral, p .242. "Dios somos nosotros y todo lo que nos rodea. Es la vida, con sus asombrosas transformaciones, sienpre muriendo en apariencia y reno- vandose hasta lo in fin ite . Es esa inmensidad que nos espanta con su grandeza y no cabe en nuestro pensamiento. Es la materia, que vive animada por la fuerza que reside en ella, con absoluta unidad, sin separacion ni dualidades. El hombre es Dios; el mundo es Dios tambien.. . .Pero si me preguntais por el Dios personal inventado por las re- ligiones a semejanza del hombre, que saca el mundo de la nada, dirige nuestras acciones, guarda las almas clas- sificandolas por sus meritos y comisiona hijos para que bajen a la tierra y la rediman, buscadlo en esa inmensi dad, ved donde oculta su pequehez. Aunque fueseis in- mortales, pasariais millones de siglos saltando de astro en astro, sin dar jamas con el rincon que oculta su 114

majestad de despota destronado. Ese Dios vengativo y caprichoso surgio del cerebro del hombre, y el cerebro es el organo mas reciente del ser humano, el ultimo en desarrollarse...Cuando inventaron a Dios, la Tierra existla millones de anos." 115

Bibliography.

Alemany y Bolufer, Jose: Biccionario de la Lengua Sspanola. 2. Ed. Barcelona, 1917. Barja, Cesar: Libroa y Autorea Modernos. ( s .l.) [Copyright 1924.] Blanco Garcia, Francisco: La L iteratura Ispanola en el Siglo XIX. 3 VoIs., Madrid. Vol. 1, 3d. e d ., 1909; Vol. 2, 2d. ed., 1903; Vol. 3, 1894. Blasco Ibanez, Vicente: La Bodega, Valencia - Madrid, [s.a.]. Biasco Ibanez, Vicente: La Catedral, Valencia, [e.a.]. Blasco Ibanez, Vicente: La Horda. Valencia - Madrid, [s.a.1905?] Blasco Ibanez, Vicente: El Intruso. Valencia - Madrid, [s.a.,1904?]. Blasco Ibanez, Vicente: Luna Eenwnor. Valencia - Madrid, [ s .a .] . Espasa-Calpe, S. A.: Bneiclopedia Universal Ilustrada. In course of publication. 70 VoIs - Apendice, 8 Vols. Bilbao - Madrid - Barcelona, [1910? - Copyright 1930]. Fitz-Gerald, John D.: Juan Valera. The Bookman, Vol. 21 (1905). Fitzrcaurice-Kelly, James: A Kew History of Spanish Literature. London - Kew York - Bombay - 3dinburgh - Toronto - Calcutta - Glasgow - Melbourne - Madras - Copenhagen - Cape Town - Shanghai, 1926. Fitzmaurice-Kelly, Jaime: Lecciones de Literatura Espahola [ Translated by Diego Mendoza], Madrid, 1910. 116

Hastings, James: Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. 12 Vols. 1917-1924. Hurtado y J. de la Serna, Juan - Gonzalez Palencia, Angels Historia de la literatura espanola. Madrid, 1921. Mandariaga, Salvador de: Sem'blanzaa L iterarias Conteroporaneas. Barcelona, 1924. - Merimee, Ernest - Merely, S. Griswold: History of Spanish Literature. Hew York, [Copyright 1930]. Horthrup, George Tyler: An Introduction to Spanish Literature. Chicago, [Copyright 1925]. Palacio Valdes, Armando: La Hermana San Sulpicio. P a ris , [ s .a .] Palacio Valdes, Armando: Jose, ed. hy G. E. Snavely and R. C. Ward, Boston - Hew York - Chicago - Atlanta - San Francisco, [Copyright 1920]. Palacio Valdes, Armando: Obras Completas. Tomo II, Marta jr Maria. Madrid, 1906. Perez Galdos, Benito: Doha Perfecta, ed, by A. R. Marsh. Hew International Language Series, Boston - Hew York, [Copyright 1897, 1919]. Perez Galdos, Benito: La Familia de Leon Roch. 2 Vols., Madrid, 1920. Perez Galdos, Benitos Gloria. 2 Vols., Madrid, 1925. Perez Galdos, Benito: Torqueroada en la Hoguera. Madrid, 1898. Real Academia Espanola: Diccionario de la Lengua Espahola. 15th ed. Madrid, 1925. . ■ . . ,

11?

Sedgwick, Henry Dwights Spain - A Short H istory. Boston, 1926. Valera, Juans Obras Coxnpletas. (in course of publication, 51 Vols., Madrid, 1908-1929). Warner, Charles Dudley, Editors Library of th e World's Best L iteratu re. 30 Vols. Hew York, [s.a . Copyright, 1896-1898].

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