GALICIAN DAILY LIFE AND SOCIAL CUSTOMS AS SEEN

IN PARDO BAZAN'S RURAL SHORT STORIES

THESIS

Presented to the Graduate Council of the

North Texas State University in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

By

Sally Cornette Laughlin, B.A.

Denton, Texas

December, 1973

Z' 7 ?

Ale I

Ivoo q7g

TABLE OF .CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I. PARDO BAZAN'S SHORT STORIES.. .... ...... 1

II. LANDSCAPE IN THE SHORT STORIES..............14

III. GALICIAN DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS ... ...... 26

IV. THE PEOPLE.................... . .......... 47

V. CONCLUSION........... ................... 93

BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................... 96

3-

CHAPTER I

PARDO BAZAN'S SHORT STORIES

Emilia Pardo Bazan, one of the best-known women in the

Spanish literary world, was born in La Coruna in the province

of Galicia on September 16, 1851. Pardo Bazan was known as a

gifted novelist and short-story writer of the Post-romantic

period, and her contribution to both genres is significant.

However, it is her novels rather than her short stories which

have attracted critical attention. Pardo Bazdn is also famous

for introducing naturalism in Spain with her critical essays

in La cuesti6n palpitante and the now classic Los pazos de

Ulloa and La madre Naturaleza. It is because of her role as

a literary pioneer and as a great writer of fiction that many

literary contemporaries, including Emile Zola,held her in

high regard. Leopoldo Alas, to mention one, said that Pardo

Baza'n was one of the two women writers in Spain who are of

any worth (6, p. 208).

As many writers do, Emilia tried her hand at various liter-

ary forms such as criticism, poetry, novels,and short stories.

Her first critical work, published in 1876, was entitled Estudio

critico de las obras del Padre Feijoo. Federico Carlos S56inz

de Robles in the introduction to a book of her complete works

points out that Pardo Bazain's critical works were far inferior

to her novels and stories. He says: "El valor como critico,

1

2

como investigadora, como polemista, de esta mujer . . . es in-

ferior al que tiene como forjadora de ficciones" (15, p. 38).

Likewise her poetry was of minor importance. Sdinz de Robles

observes, "De todos los grandes autores de la segunda mitad

del siglo XIX que escribieron versos, es la Pardo Bazan la menos

poeta" C15, p. 47). After having written several poems Pardo

gave up the genre because she considered her poetic talent not

worthy of recognition (7, p. 189). Upon listing the different

genres that Pardo Bazdn cultivated, Sdinz de Robles concludes,

as most critics do, that her talent lies in the writing of

novels and short stories. He remarks:

Y t6ngase en cuenta que la Pardo Bazdn escribi6novelas, cuentos, pol6mica literaria, biografia,

viajes, estudios apolog6ticos, critica literaria,historia de la literatura, ensayos acerca de temas

sociales. . . . El valor maximo--y, por ende, la

maxima valoraci6n--de Emilia Pardo Bazdn esta en

su ingente labor como forjadora de ficciones--no-velas y cuentos--(15, pp. 37-38).

When Pardo began writing, the regional novel, depicting

certain geographical areas, their people and customs, was the

popular literary genre. This genre influenced her works of

fiction so that many of them dealt with people's daily lives

and customs. Indeed, Pardo Bazdn's early works, such as her

first novel Pascual L6pez, autobiografa _de uin estudiante, ex-

hibit this realism, which she never abandoned, and a basic

idealism reminiscent of the romantics.

Pardo Bazdn later became interested in. naturalism, a new

literary vogue which she pioneered in Spain. Naturalism, a

3

further development of Post-romanticism, had its. beginning in

France with Emile Zola and his novel La Terre.: Zola's natu-.

ralism exalted the horrible and ugly aspects of human existence

rather than the beautiful and noble traits that writers and

artists had explored and recommended in the past. According

to Sainz de Robles, Zola might have adopted this style in order

to achieve notoriety. Pardo Bazdn's naturalism, however, dif-

fers from Zola's. In the words of the same critic, "Emilia

Pardo Bazdn capt6 del naturalism brutal de Zola lo verdadera-

mente aprovechable, esto es, la exaltaci6n de . . . la persona-

lidad humana" (15, p. 42).

Pardo Baza'n could not accept the determinism of Zola's

naturalism because, as J.L. Perrier notes, she felt that

determinism could not explain all the occurrences in one's

life. Neither did she believe that man is "at the mercy of

his environment," since she maintained that in everyone exists

"an active principle of freedom" (13, p. 136). She did adopt,

however, other elements present in naturalism, particularly

the descriptive minuteness, presentation of low social classes,

use of the language of the people, the influence of the environ-

ment of human behavior (4, p. 1102). Diez-Echarri notes that

Pardo Bazan defended the theories of this movement in La

cuesti6n palpitante and later applied them in her novels Un

viaje de novios, 'La Tribuna,' 'Los pazos de Uloa, and LaA madre

Naturaleza (4, p. 1103).

4

In1La cuesti6n palpitante Pardo Bazdin gave a critical

view of French naturalism and of Spanish literature in general.

Although she did not agree with all of his naturalistic beliefs

and techniques, Pardo defended Zola's use of the vulgar and

repulsive by saying that masterpieces of literature, such as Don

Qijo'te were in some parts lurid (12, p. 43).

Examples of this aspect of naturalism are numerous in

Pardo Baza'n's novels. In Un viaje de novios the subject of

adulterous love and the scene of a man beating his wife are

presented. In La tribuna a female factory worker, a likely

subject for a naturalist writer, is seduced and left with an

illegitimate child, as befitted a typical naturalistic heroine.

Another example of naturalism in practice is' Los' pazos de Ulloa,

which is concerned with a group of degenerates who retrogress

to bestial behavior as a result of their environment. Not

only is the theme of the book naturalistic, but also there

are naturalistic scenes dealing with drunkenness, prolonged

labor and childbirth (12, p. 51). A sequel to' ' pazos de

Ulloa, La madre Naturaleza, illustrates how the laws of nature

take precedence over social laws, a belief of the naturalists (12,

p. 55).

The basic characteristics of naturalism, as deiscussed

above, are evident in the majority of Pardo Bazdn's rural

short stories. For example, the' descriptive minuteness which

is characteristic of this literary movement is exemplified in

"El aire cativo." In this story she describes a dreaded

5

lizard-like. creature. She writes:

Tenia figura de sapo, s6lo que era mayor , mssancho, mds corpulento. Sobre su lomo, simftri:cas anchas anaranjadas le darian aspecto: dealgo metlico, de un capricho de joyeria, sisu boca de fuelle no se abriese amenazadora ysu vientre blanquecino no subiese y bajase, enanchas aspiraciones, animado de una vida odiosa(10, p. 184).

In this and in other short stories the novelist not only gives

vivid descriptions of animals, but also paints pictures of

landscape and intricately describes the people.

Another characteristic of naturalism to be found in Pardo

Baza'n's stories is the predominance of characters from the

lower classes. The majority of the characters in her rural

short stories are peasants. For example the main character

of "La corpana" is an alcoholic old woman described with nat-

uralistic relish as follows:

. . . aquel ser degradado. No solamente degradadoen lo moral, sino en lo fisico tambi6n. Dabanhorror su cara bulbosa, amoratada; sus grefias estro-pajosas, de un negro mate y polvoriento; su senoprotuberante e informe; los andrajos tiesos de purosucios que mal cubrian unas carnes color de ocre, ysobre todo la alcoh6lica tufarada que esparcia lasentina de la boca (10, p. 22).

This alcoholic woman is only one of the types which she portrays

in her stories. Other people of the lower social classessuch

as beggars, thieves, servants, and peasants,populate many stories.

With few exceptions, the portrayal of the lower social classes

is one of the strongest characteristics of naturalism to be

found in Pardo Bazin' s rural :short stories.

6

The use of colloquial language, another characteristic

of naturalism, is present in some of her short stories. How-

ever, since the Galician dialect would be incomprehensible to

her Spanish readers, Pardo Baza'n employed good. Castilian Spanish.

But in stories such as "Atavismos," in which peasants speak,

she uses the words "fillos" for "hijos," "comere" for "comer,"

and "branco" instead of "blanco" to lend a flavor of the native

language. G6mez-Baquero compliments Pardo Bazan's use of the

language by saying:

En cambio,.Emilia Pardo Bazan se acerca mucho alideal que persigue la literatura moderna deaproximar todo lo posible la lengua literaria ala vulgar; de hacer una del habla de las letras ydel habla de la vida; de fundir la lengua artis-tica y la lengua viva, terminando con la separa-ci6n tradicional entre el romdn paladino y lalengua sabia y alquitarada de los letrados. Ladivisa de esta fusion de lengua es naturalidad.Castiza y moderna, elegante y sencilla, el hablade la Pardo es.la mejor sintesis linguistica desu tiempo (5, p. 157).

Another characteristic of naturalism, the influence of

the environment on the conduct of the people, is best shown

in the story "La ganadera." In this story the inhabitants of

a town on a rugged coastline earn their subsistence luring

ships to the sharp reefs near the shore. The vessels approach

the shore and founder upon the hidden reefs, and natives plunder

the wreckage. The hostility of their. environment has brutalized

these villagers. In other stories the barrenness of the land

is responsible for the cruelty of its inhabitants.

7

The pessimism inherent in naturalistic works dominates

many of Pardo Bazan' s short stories. This is evident in the

fate of some of her characters. In "Las medias rojas", for

instance, a young girl who dreamed of sailing to the New World

in search of a better life is beaten so severely by her father

for buying some red stockings that she loses one eye. Her

dreams are dashed since perfect physical condition is required

of immigrants, and she is trapped into serving her father for

the rest of her life.

Walter Pattison notes this pessimism and states that, al-

though Pardo Bazain's characters represent all ranks of society,

most of them are usually suffering from disease or injustice.

He says, "If the individual is not bad, the world he lives in

is" (12, p 96). The harsh tone of her stories is also noted

by Baquero Goyanes. He says,"El tono general de estas narra-

ciones es duro, spero. El ruralismo se presta a la truculen-

cia, que evita la Pardo Bazan con buen sentido realista, con

algtin toque lfrico y con su extraordinaria habilidad narrativa.

Son narraciones breves, aguafuertes barbaros y vigorosos" (l,p. 370).

As well as being characteristic of naturalism, the detailed

descriptions used by Pardo Bazdn owe much to costumbrismo, a

very popular genre in the nineteenth century. When Emilia was

born in 1851, Romanticism was beginning to fade out. An im-

portant type of Romantic writing was the cuadro costumbrista,

which described life and society in a certain area. Speaking

8

of Pardo Bazln as a costumbrista Correa Calder6n states:

La condesa de Pardo Bazan, Clarin or BlascoIbaiez, indudables continuadores del costum-brismo, desarrollan y complican el escenario.Aunque las nuevas tendencias naturalistas serefieren mds bien a las pasiones humanas, alhombre mismo y a sus reacciones, que pintancon crudeza, tambi6n el paisaje y la circun-stancia en que los personajes se mueven yconmueven aparece como fondo inevitable, sibien recargado con tintas fuertes (3, p. XXXIX).

As a result of these techniques borrowed from costum-

brismo, Pardo Baza'n's novels and short stories reflect the

eternal values of her native region, as well as those per-

taining to her own time. In the words of her critics:

Galicia, su paisaje y su pueblo, surge de suscuentos y novelas como una realidad tangiblecuidadosamente observada; y aunque la Galiciaque nos describe.es la de su tiempo, de finesdel siglo XIX y principos del XX, a trav6s delos detalles de la vida de aquel momento se

perciben las caracteristicas eternas e in-mutables de su regi6n (6, p. 27).

Many examples of costumbrismo, with its description of

people and their lives can be found in Pardo Bazdn's short

stories. For instance, in "La gallega" she describes the ty-

pical Galician peasant woman as a stout woman with blue eyes

and dark hair, wide hips, a large bust, and thick lips (11, p. 306).

Later in the story the writer tells of the peasant's daily routine

which includes lighting the fire, making the stew, and going to

the well for water (11, p. 310). Peasant customs are recounted

in her stories, In "Racimos" she discusses the customs of the

wine harvest, while the wedding custom of the charivari is

noted in "Vampiro."

9

As a short story writer Pardo Bazan was well-known and

respected. C6sar Barja says admiringly:

Adema's de novelista fu6 dofia Emilia cuentista,y como cuentista vale tanto o mds que comonovelista. Ninguna de sus buenas cualidadesde escritora se echa de menos en estas narra-ciones cortas, regionales unas, generales otras.La inspiraci6n literaria es la misma, ora na-turalistaora idealista; ya profana, ya mds omenos religiosa. Tienen, en cambio, sobre lasnovelas largas la ventaja de ser m.s concisas,menos literarias y menos pedag6gicas. Los mis-mos caracteres adquieren tanta o mayor viveza,y la nota graciosa y pintoresca es igual legi-tima (2, p. 321).

At the time that she was writing short stories, this genre

was new and not favored in literary circles. Robert Osborne

credits Pardo Bazan with lending respectability to the short

story. He says, "Dojia Emilia, pues, representa un papel im-

portantisimo en la aceptaci6n del t6rmino 'cuento' a causa del

gran nimero y del alto valor artistico de sus producciones en

este g6nero. Ella es, no cabe duda, la mejor cuentista femenina

en Espafia y, ciertamente, figura entre los mejores de ambos

sexos" (9, p. 93).

In writing her short stories Pardo Bazdn used a wide scope

of methods and subjects. In them she cultivated realism, nat-

uralism, symbolism, and expressionism. The characters in her

stories come from all social classes. They are kings and prin-

ces, magicians and scholars, poets and artists, saints and

knights, beggars and adventurers, archangels and children, and

just poor men and women. The time settings for her stories

are varied, from prehistoric times to her own nineteenth century.

10

She analyzes all human passions (14, p. 1063). Virtually

every subject and every situation might find its place in one

of Pardo Bazan's short stories.

Pardo Bazdn felt that the skills required for writing short

stories differed from those needed for the novel. In the au-

thor's words, "El primor de la factura de un cuento estd en

la rapidez con que se narra, en lo exacto y sucinto de la

descripci6n, en lo bien graduado del interns, que desde las

primeras lineas ha de despertarse" (9, p. 98). Emilio Gonzdlez

L6pez noted that, because of this brevity that she advocated,

her short story is not burdened by long paragraphs, abundance

of words, and accumulation of details that impair the beauty

of her novels (6, p. 162). Therefore, to some critics, Pardo

Bazan is considered a better short-story writer than novelist.

Emilio Gonzalez L6pez sees Pardo Bazdn as the best realist

of Galicia. He feels that a realist writer is like a notary

who gives authentic testimony of all that takes place before

his eyes. Thus he says, "La Pardo Bazan es, por eso, el no-

tario mayor de Galicia, y como tal tenia plena autoridad para

transcribir en documentos vivos lo que ella veia en su tierra;

como realista tuvo forzosamente que circunscribirse a pintar

lo que habla visto en Galicia, el tinico pais que conocia a

fondo (6, pp. 53-54).

Pardo Baza.n considered realism to be superior to either

naturalism or idealism. In a statement paraphrased by M6rim6e

she explains that

11

If the real is everything ,that has a true andactual existence, realism in art presents abroader, completer and more perfect theory-than naturalism. It :includes and embracesthe natural and the spiritual, body and soul;it harmonizes and unifies the opposed conceptsof naturalism and rational idealism. Every-thing can find place in realism, save theexaggerations and errors of two extreme schools,which being, extreme, are of necessity exclu-sivist C8, pp. 549-550).

It is the realist in Pardo Bazan who shows love for her native

province without being blinded to its defects (1, p. 369). And,

as a consequence, her rural short stories abound in unpleasant

but probably true incidents. Baquero Goyanes furthermore indi-

cates that, in exposing the reality of rural life, Pardo Baza'n

established a trend. Hle says, "A partir de entonces el cuento

rural se ha convertido en narraci6n cruda, de tintas fuertes,

y con un contenido en el que no faltan crimenes pasionales,

amores incestuosos, disputas sangrientas por la tierra, y otros

t6picos que han momificado el que, en sus dias, fu6 espl6ndido

genero literario" (1, pp. 269-370).

With this blend of costumbrismo and naturalism which

Pardo Bazdn calls realism she succeeded in creating a body of

short stories that recreates the landscape, life, customs, and

people of her native Galicia; a series of tableaux enlivened

by her keeness as an observer and her mastery of .the language.

Lyrical in her contemplation of the countryside, ironic but

compassionate in giving life to her characters, almost scien-

tific in her depiction of customs and mores, She carefully

weaves an intricate tapestry which reproduces the very soul of

Galicia.

CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Baquero Goyanes, Mariano, El cuento espafiol _en eljgjoXIX, Madrid, Talleres Gr6ficos, 1949.

2. Barja, C6sar, Libros y oautores modernos, Battleboro,Vermont Printing Company, 1933.

3. Correa, Calder6n, E., "El costumbrismo, germen de lanovela realista," Costumbristas espanoles, Vol. I,Madrid, Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1940.

4. Diez-Echarri, Emiliano and Jos6 Maria Roca Franquesa,Historia de la literature espanola e hispanoamericana,Madrid, Aguilar, S.A. de Ehiciones, 1968.

5. GOmez-Baquero, Eduardo, De Gallardo a Unamuno, Madrid,Editorial Mundo Latino, 1926.

6. Gonzdlez L6pez, Emilio, Emilia Pardo Bazin, Novelistade Galicia, New York, Hispanic Institute, 1944.

7. Martin, Elvira, Tres Mujeres Gallegas del Siglo XIX,Barcelona, Editorial Aedos, 1962.

8. Merim6e, Ernest, A History of Spanish Literature, NewYork, Henry Holt and Company, 1930.

9. Osborne, Robert E., Emilia Pardo Bazdn, Su vida y_ s usobras, Mexico City, Ediciones de Andrea, 1964.

10. Pardo Bazan, Emilia, Cuentos de la tierra, Buenos AiresEmec6 Editores,S.A., 1940.

11. Pardo Baza'n, Emilia, Un destripador de antafno, Madrid,V. Prieto y Compafnia, Editors, 1900.

12. Pattison, Walter, Emilia Pardo Bazdn, New York, TwaynePublishing, Inc., 1971.

13. Perrier, J.L., History of Spanish Literature, New York,

J.L. PerrierEditor, 1925.

14. Sa'inz de Robles, Federico Carlos, "Pr6logo," Obras com-pletas, 3rd ed., Vol. I, by Emilia Pardo Bazn, Ma~id,Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

12

13

15. Sainz de Robles, Federico Carlos, "Su obra," Obras c om-p1etas, 3rd ed., Vol. I, by Emilia Pardo Bazan, Madrid,Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

CHAPTER II

LANDSCAPE IN THE SHORT STORIES

Although Pardo Bazdn's rural short stories are very

clearly identified with Galicia, the author does not depend

on description of the landscape as the most important means

of presenting a picture of her native land. However, in some

of her short stories Pardo Bazdn describes the landscape in

great detail.

The salient features of the Galician landscape appear in

"La gallega." In a nostalgic passage where the writer views

the native land as seen through the eyes of one who leaves

Galicia, Pardo Baza'n describes Galicia as a land of fertile

valleys with many streams, groves of trees, and granite moun-

tains. "Conforme va queddndose atrds la provincia gallega,

cesan de ser verdes los vallecillos, herbosos los prados y

frecuentes los arroyos; b6rranse los manchones de castanfos,

olmos y nogales, desaparecen las blancas manzanillas y. . .

interminables y pardas llanuras, escuetas montaftas salpicadas

de fragmentos de granito, 6 revestidas de negruzcas ldminas

de pizarra" (2, p. 307).

A more detailed description, this time of a spot by a riv-

er at sunset, is given in another short story. A man riding

home at sunset sees the effect that the sun has on the country-

side. He also smells the familiar odors of flowers in bloom

14

15

and of manure which had been left by cattle earlier in the

day.

Abajo, a sus pies, la cuenca del rio extendiael verdor de los juncales y el gris plateado delagua. Y enfrente, roja como el orin de las armasantiguas, la eminencia rocosa del Montifno . .surgia recogiendo el oro de los tltimos rayos dela tarde . . . La luna asomaba ya en el firmamento,enverdecido cual las turquesas enfermas y pdlidas;el olor del samo en flor y el de la bofiiga fresca,dejada por tanto ganado como durante el dia habiacruzado el camino, flotaron el aire (1, pp. 119-120).

Quite different from a scene at sunset is the setting

given in "Un destripador de antaflo." One senses the clear

freshness of the day and the light pleasant odors of the

rain-washed woods on a peaceful morning following a night of

violent storms.

El sol empezaba 6 subir por el cielo, que des-pu6s de la tormenta se mostraba despejado ysin nubes, de una limpidez radiante. La lluviaque cubria las hierbas se empapaba ya, y seca'baseel llanto derramado sobre los zarzales por lanoche. El aire dia'fano y transparente, no exce-sivamente frio, empezaba 6 impregnarse de oloresligeros que exhalaban los mojados pinos. . .Todo anunciaba uno de esos dias espl6ndidos deinvierno, que en Galicia suelen seguir 6 lasnoches tempestuosas, y que tienen incomparableplacidez (2, pp. 38-39). . ..

A change from this peaceful, pleasant scenery is the set-

ting in "La Santa de Karnar." In this story the narrator is

making a journey through the Galician countryside. The land-

scape he views is rough, the land deserted, with steep bare

mountains to cross, woods to traverse, snow to walk through,

and a river to ford before reaching his destination.

16

Muy dspero y escabroso recuerdo que me pareci6; s6que recorrimos tristes y desiertas gdndaras, quesubimos por montes escuetos y casi verticales, quenos emboscamos en una selva de robles, que pisamosnieve fangosa, que hasta vadeamos un rio, y que,por tItimo, encontramos un valle, relativamenteameno, donde docena y media de casuchas se apinfabanal pie de humilde iglesia (2, p. 268).

The season changes from winter in the passage above to

summer in "Milagro natural." Here the reader sees that after

a period of dry weather a summer shower comes to brighten up

the countryside, causing the pasture to become green again and

the roses to bloom. "Era un dia primoroso de julio. Habia

lovido en los anteriores; el prado se vestia de seda color

de manzana,y las tltimas rosas del primer ciclo floral trans-

cendian a gloria" (1, p. 44).

Pardo Bazdn's lyricism in her description of the Galician

countryside is evident from the previously quoted passages and

leaves the reader totally unprepared for the more naturalistic

aspects present in her stories. Even when nature is depicted

as harsh or austere, it is seen from the point of view of the

leisurely traveler or the nostalgic native who has no score

to settle with the land. But then the writer herself never

had to battle with the land to glean from it a meager subsis-

tance.

Dwellings

Upon describing the countryside and to provide a setting

for many of her short stories, Pardo Bazdn offers interesting

descriptions of Galician dwellings. Some of these descriptions

17

indicate the life of plenty of a well fed peasantry, probably

stemming from the childhood memories of the author. Others

reveal the squalor and misery of the Galicians as seen through

the eyes of an objective naturalistic writer. A farm described

in "Dios castiga" is a perfect example of the first type of de-

scription. "Comprendia largos prados, con su riego de agua

de pie, fertiles labradios, montes lenfales bien poblados de

tojo, arbolada de soto de castafnos, que dividia la casa de la

carretera, huerto con frutales, y una vivienda mediana, unida

a la pajera, herbeiro y establos" (1, p. 188).

In the same vein the mill of Tornelos is described in

"Un destripador de antafno." In this passage, however, it is

significant that the house of the millers is poor, although

previous mention is made that their hut fits well with the

beauty of the surroundings. Here Pardo Bazdn uses the tone

of a leisurely traveler rather than that of a cold naturalist

since she dwells on the quaintness of the mill rather than on

the misery of its inhabitants.

Caido en la vertiente de una montafnuela, ddbalealimento una represa que formaba lindo estanquenatural, festoneada de can-as ypoas, puesto, comoespejillo de mano sobre falda verde, encima delterciopelo de un prado donde crecilan dureos ranti-culos y en otonio abrian sus corolas morados yelegantes lirios. Al otro lado de la represahabfan trillado sendero del pie hombre y el cas-co de los asnos. . . . iY qu6 bien componia,coronando el rstico molino y la pobre casucade los molineros, el gran castafno de horizon-tales ramas y frondosa copa, cubierto en veranode pa'lida y desmelenada flor, en octubre depicantes y reventones erizo s' Cuan gallardo y

18

majestuoso se perfilaba. sobre la azulada cresta

del monte, medio velado: entre la cortina gris del

humo que salia . . . por todas partes, puertas,ventanas, resquicios del tejado y grietas de las

desmanteladas paredes' (2, pp. 6 7).

The complacent descriptions cited above are balanced with

others that speak of the decadence of old manors and of the

hovels inhabited by the peasantry. In these descriptions the

reader is spared no unsavory detail, from a scene of chickens

scratching on a pile of manure to the size and shape of the

excrement of rabbits.

An estate with a palatial dwelling is described as it must

have been years before with its beautiful staircases, symmetrical

gardens, tapestries and flowers.

El islote estd inculto. Hubo un instante en que

se le auguraron altos destinos. En su recinto

habla de alzarse un palacio, con escalinatas y

terrazas que dominasen todo el panorama de la

ria, con parques donde tendiesen las coniferas

sus ramas sim6tricamente hojosas. Amplios ta-

pices de gayo raygra's cubrirlan el suelo, conde-

corados con canastillas de lobelias azul turquesa,

de aquirantos purpfireos, encendidos al sol como

lagos diminutos de brasa viva. Ante el palacio,

claras mrsicas harian sonar la diana, anunciando

una jornada de alegria y triunfo (1, p. 81).

But time has changed this estate; the gardens are over-

grown; it is inhabited only by rabbits, and the mansion has

lost its roof. In Pardo Bazan's minute description of this

decayed estate, naturalism is manifested.

Al.correr del tiempo se efum6 el espeismo seinorial,

y qued6 el islote tal cual se recordaba .toda la vida:

con su arbolado irregular, sus manchones de retamas y

brezos, sus miriadas de conejos imonteses que lo surca-

ban, pululando por senderillos agrestes,' emboscandose

19

en matorrales espesos y soltando sus deyecciones,menudas y redondas como pildoras farmaceuticas,que alfombraban el espacio descubierto. Evacuadoel islote de sus moradores cuando se proyectaba elpalacio, todavia se elevaban en la orilla algunaschavolas abandonadas, que iban quedindose sin techo,cuyas vigas se pudrian lentamente, y donde las golon-drinas, cada ano, anidaban.entre pitios inquietos ygozosamente nupciales (1, p. 81).

In another description of an abandoned mansion there is

also a note of naturalism. The caretakers had destroyed the

furniture and used the ornate canopied beds to store fruit.

"Todo estaba abandonado en el caser6n; aquella gente labriega

teni a los muebles destrozados, y las camas torneadas, de

columnas salom6nicas, dedicadas a frutero" (1, p. 38). The

garden, as it is described, had become a jungle of overgrown

plants. As nature took over, undergrowth gradually stifled

the life of the fountain.

El jardin era ya bosquete confuso y enmarafiado.Cada planta habia crecido a su talante y la formasevera y geom6trica del disefno ni adivinarse podia.Arboles enormes se destacaban sobre la masa de ver-dor oscuro, y a trechos las sendas y glorietas anblanqueaban. . . . Se escuchaba el cristalino gotearde una fuente, oculta entre arbustos, que sin dudaen otro tiempo man6 hermoso chorro de agua, peroahora, obstruido el canfo, exhalaba un sollozo in-terrumpido, lento (1, pp.39-40).

A naturalistic note is found in the description of the

chapel in this same story. "La capilla estaba mds abando-

nada y destruida aun que el resto del edificio. Por los

claros del techo, podrido de humedad, entraba la luz del dia.

Paja y boftiga alfombraban el pavimento"(1, p. 39 ), From her

descriptions of decaying and abandoned mansions it seems that

20

perhaps she uses these to symbolize Galicia in her day. That

which was once glorious has now become only ruins. All that

is left is the memories of the past.

Even more pessimistic than these descriptions of abandoned

mansions are those of peasant dwellings. Pardo Bazdn gives a

very detailed picture of a peasant dwelling in the story "La

gallega." The house is but a shack with a dirt floor and a

leaky thatched roof. People and animals live in close proxi-

mity. She writes:

Entrad en la casa: el piso es de tierra desigual

y htmeda; el techo 6 tejavana, por donde, muy a

su sabor, se introducen agua y ventisca; .en los

angulos hay . . . aranfas; la alfombra comp6nela

algtin troncho de col, alternando con vainas de

habas, hojas secas de maiz y excremento de ani-

males dom6sticos. Sobre la losa del hogar pendede la ferrea cremallera el negro pote; en el rin-

c6n reluce la tapa de la artesa, brunfida de tanto

pan como en ella amasaron. . . . El tdlamo conyugallo hacen cuatro tablas sin acepillar, formando una

como caja pegada a la pared y abierta por donde es

preciso que lo est6, para dar ingreso a sus ocupan-tes. Dos pasos mas alla asoman la cabeza terneras

y bueyes . . . migntras las gallinas escarban el

suelo en derredor y el cerdo grufte, hozando contrael lecho (2, p. 309).

In these miserable surroundings the typical Galician peasant

grows up and lives out his life. With a touch of irony Pardo

Baz6.n describes another peasant dwelling. Attention is drawn

to the fireplace and the cooking utensils.

La casa solariega de los Aldeiros . . ..encon-trabase en tal estado de vetustez, que por las

rendijas del techo entraban los pdjaros y vef-

amos amanecer perfectamente; vidrios, ni uno

para sefial; el frio era tan crudo, que s6lo

podiamos vivir arrimadas a la piedra del lar,

21

acurrucadas en los bancos de ennegrecido roble,y extendiendo las amoratadas manos hacia la llamaviva. . . . Las 'paredes estaban como barnizadaspor el humo, y sobre su fondo se destacaban bienlas cacerolas y calderos, y el vidriado del gro-sero barro en que comiamos. La artesa, brunidaa fuerza de haberse amasado encima el pan de bro-na, llevaba siemnpre carga de espigas de maizmezcladas con habas, cuencos de leche, cedazosy harneros. Ma's allay la herrada del agua, y,colgada de la pared, la escopeta. . . . Bajola profunda campana de la chimenea se apifiabanlos bancos, y alli . . . nos agrupdbamos amos yservidores (2, pp. 261-262).

A tile-maker's shack is described as a "misera vivienda

desmantelada, donde el frio y la lluvia penetraban sin estorbo

por la techadumbre a teja vana, y por las grietas y agujeros

de las paredes" (2, p. 192). In the style so typical of a

naturalist the author explains that the entrance to the house

was obstructed by "montones de esti6rcol y broza, sobre los

cuales escarbaban dos flacas gallinas" (2, p. 192). .

An essential piece of furniture in the peasant's dwelling,

the bed, made of corn shucks is said to be "especie de caj6n

con una abertura al exterior, y dentro un relleno de hojas de

mafz y una raida manta" (2, p. 17). In the same story Pardo

Bazdn condemns the lack of privacy in a peasant dwelling.

"Estaba echada Minia sobre un haz de paja, a poca distancia de

sus tios, en esa promiscuidad de las cabanas gallegas, donde

irracionales y racionales, padres e hijos, yacen confundidos

y mezclados" (2, p. 18).

22

Village Scenes

When the setting for Pardo Bazan's short stories moves

from the country to the village, attention is drawn to the

daily street scenes. In "Santi Boniti" the woman sits in

her house every day and watches the people as they go about

their lives. She sees women on their way to church, a priest,

children playing, a laborer on horseback, a woman selling

sardines, a clerk carrying papers, a servant, and a blind man.

Por los vidrios de la ventana se vefan siempreiguales escenas. Con andar sesgo iban las de-votas, arrebujadas en sus mantos color de alade mosca; asegurado en las manos, que cubrianviejos mitones, el sobado libro de rezo. Uncura subfa las escaleras a paso rdpido, reco-gido el manteo, echada atrds la teja. Loschiquillos jugaban a la pelota contra la pared.Un caballejo, montado por un labriego que lle-vaba en las alforjas carga de hortaliza, vencliadespacio la.cuesta. Cruzaba una mozallona, conuna cuesta plana, pregonando sardinas. . . . Al-gun escribiente de la notarfa apretaba entrecodo y costado un fajo de papeles. Se ofa llorardesesperadamente a un nifio de pecho. Una dom6s-tica de la casa fronteriza se asomaba y sacudiaun tapete. Un ciego entonaba, plaftendo, can-ciones verdes y jocosas (1, pp. 146-147).

A part of the village is the cemetery. In the story

"Reconciliados" there is a description of a cemetery. Again

the naturalist writer could not resist the opportunity of

drawing attention to the unsavory topic of the putrefaction

of corpses.

Plantas lozanas y fresquisimas refan impregnadasain del rocfo nocturno, al sol que iba a beb6r-selo golosamente. Eran.flores de jardin, plantadasalli sin inteligencia, pero con el respeto que a"sus difuntos" demuestra siempre la gente labriega.

23

Azucenas, rosas, alelies, margaritas, medrabanen el terruno relleno de elementos favorables a

su desarrollo, de abono de cuerpos humanos, ytransformaban en perfumes y en colores las des-

composiciones del sepuicro (l, p. 104).

The carpenter's shop, a familiar place in a small-town,

is described in "Obra de misericordia." "Habla en ella ollas

de virutas, hacinamiento. .de astillas y tablones, el banco re-

luciente por el uso, con e.sos curiosos esgrafiados que son la

vanidad de los carpinteros" (1, p. 35).

In "El invento" there is a description .of a small-town

dry goods store. The merchandise includes furniture and dishes

along with other necessities of rural housekeeping. "Era el

mismo hacinamiento de camas doradas, sillas curvadas de madera,

paquetes de ferranchinerfa oxidados, cubos de cinc, loza gro-

sera y pretenciosa, cacerolas ordinarias, y cromos . . . (1, p. 158).

Seaside Scenes

Pardo Bazan wrote several stories set by the sea. In "Tiempo

de animas," the coast of a certain part of Galicia is described

as being very rough. "La costa de L*** es temible para los

navegantes. No hay abra, no hay ensenada en que puedan guare-

cerse. Asperos acantilados, fieros escollos, traidores sirtes,

bajios que apenas cubre el agua, es cuanto alli encuentran los

buques si tuercen poco o mucho el derrotero"(3, p. 1275). Later

in the story there is a description of the water. "En la esta-

ci6n veraniega, mientras el mar luce sonrisa de azur, mientras

el arenal es de oro, las olas fosforecen de noche y las algas

flotan suavamente bajo el cristal del agua nitida"(3, p. 1276).

24

Still later Pardo Bazgn personifies the sea as a monster with

enormous jaws.

Fren6tico, delirante, el Oceano querAa tragarse laorilla; el trueno asordaba, el rayo cegaba y elempuje del vendaval parecia estremecer las rocashasta sus profundas bases, alzando montanas lfqui-das que empezaban por ser una linea gris en elhorizonte; luego, un monstruo de enormes faucesy cabellera blanquisima, galopando hacia tierracomo para devorarla(3, p. 1276).

The external appearance of Galicia, then, as presented by

Emilia Pardo Bazain is one of extremes. On the one hand the

lush valleys and fragrant apple orchards, on the other, the

austere mountains and the forbidding sea. It is a land where

a peasant can look out from his miserable hut, foul from the

stench of pigs, and see a mansion surrounded by carefully tended

classical gardens. But, in the final analysis, the pervading

atmosphere that the author created was one of neglect, of decay,

of a land that remained on the outskirts of the modern era and

was forgotten by the world.

CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Pardo Bazdn, Emilia, Cuentos de la tierra, Buenos Aires,Emec6 Editores, S.A., 1940.

2. Pardo Bazan, Emilia, Un destripador de antano, Madrid,V. Prieto y Companifa, Editores, 1900.

3. Pardo Bazan, Emilia, Obras completas, 3rd ed., Vol. I,Madrid, Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

25

CHAPTER III

GALICIAN DAILY LIFE AND CUSTOMS

As stated before, costumbrismo, one of the mainsprings of

the Spanish regional novel, had considerable effect upon the

short stories of Emilia Pardo Bazdn. Nowhere is its influence

more clearly noted than in the descriptions of the daily life

and customs of the Galician peasants. Pardo Bazdn describes

in typically minute detail the chores performed by the gallego,

his food,and his superstitions. She also concentrates on some

of the most picturesque customs of her province, namely, funerals,

weddings, fairs, etc., probably because,as another writer ex-

plained, "El examen de los usos de Galicia s6lo puede hacerse

aprovechamiento en romerias, ferias, procesiones, bautizos,

funerales y fiadeiros" (6, p. 493).

Chores

An important task for the peasants who own livestock is

the transporting of their animals to a cattle fair. In "Cuesta

abajo," Pardo Bazdn tells the story of a young boy and girl who

meet on their way to the cattle fair,and accurately depicts the

activities of the cattle fair. Both are bringing livestock to

sell, the boy a pair of red oxen, and the girl five pigs. The

author writes, "A la feria caminaban los dos: 61, llevando de

la cuerda a la pareja de bueyes rojos; ella, guiando con una

26

27

varita de Vimio, larga y flexible, a cinco rosados lechones"C9,

p. 1288). Later in the same story Pardo BazAn describes the

sale of the livestock:

Margarita pasaba las del Purgatorio cuidando de queno se perdiesen, entre el gentio, los cinco diminutosfetiches, adorables con sus sedas blancas nacientessobre la tersa piel color rosa. Acab6 por coger ados bajo el brazo, sin atender a sus grufiidos rabio-sos, c6micos, y ya s6lo por tres tuvo que velar,.queera bastante. Esteban, columbrando entre un grupo delabriegos y un remolino de ganado las patillas deperro del tratante ingl6s, se apresur6 a acercarsecon su magnifica pareja de cebones para empatdrselaa los otros vendedores (9, p. 1289).

Finally the couple meet after selling their livestock, and

they exchange reports of the results of the transactions:

- -Vendiste?--dijo la moza.--Vendi.- -Pagaronte a gusto?--Pagaronme lo que pedi, alabado Dios.--iQu& mano de cuartos, mimadre! Y los bueis?

4Van para el barco?--Para se los comer all' en Inglaterra. . . . iBienmantenidos estardn los ingleses con esa care rica!iQu6 gordura, qu6 lomos (9, p. 1289)!

An excerpt from H.V. Morton's travel book A Stranger in Spain

verifies the accuracy of Pardo Bazdn's description of the

cattle fair:

I came to a village where a cattle fair was inprogress. Peasants had tramped for miles withtheir horses, cows and pigs; and now they stood,a confused lowing, grunting and squealing massof creatures, under the beautiful spear-headedleaves of great chestnut trees, while theirowners leaned on their sticks and criticallydiscussed the animals. . . . Peasant women,their feet thrust into big wooden sabots, wereholding the head-rope of a cow or. calf, andlooking quite competent to drive the hardestof bargains (5, p. 304).

28

The. housekeeping chores of the peasants are described

in "Un destripador de antanfo."Pardo Bazan tells of the chores

that a young girl, Minia, must do. These chores include

loading a cart, making bread, feeding the animals, and carrying

bundles of wood, sacks of nuts, and baskets of grass:

Minia era quien ayudaba ' cargar el carro del tojo;

la que, con sus manos diminutas, amasaba el pan;

la que echaba de comer al becerro, al cerdo,y, a las

gallinas; la que llevaba a pastar la vaca, y encor-vada y fatigosa, traia del monte el haz de lefna, 6del soto el saco de castalias, 6 el cesto de hierbadel prado (8, pp. 11-12).

Carrying bundles of wood is a typical chore for peasant

girls. In "Las medias rojas," a young girl lights the fire

for cooking and prepares a meal. She first appears in the

story loaded down with a bundle of wood that she has brought

from the mountain. The author describes her as "cargada con

el haz de lefla que acaba de merodear en el monte" (7, p. 11).

Then she prepares the fire, lights it, tears up some cabbage,

and throws the pieces into the black pot along with some po-

tatoes and beans. "Despu6s, con lentitud de las faenas aldeanas,

prepare el fuego, lo prendi6, desgarr6 las berzas, las ech6 en

el pote negro, en compafilla de unas patatas mal troceadas y unas

judas asaz secas,de la cosecha anterior, sin remojar" (7, p. 11).

The most important event of the year is the wine harvest.

The author describes the work that takes place between the time

that the grapes are on the vine and when the wine is in the

cellar. The workers with baskets on their shoulders must gather

the grapes from the almost vertical slopes. They perspire from

29

the heat and the toil;. their. shoulders are bruised from the

weight of the baskets, but :the workers cannot even stop to

wipe the sweat from their faces:

Ello no quita para que el trabajo sea caristoso.Subir a hombros los' culeiros o cestones por lascuestas casi verticales de la ladera, hasta sol-tarlos en la bodega del antiguo Pazo, que dominatodo el paisaje, vamos, ique se suda' Las ven-dimiadoras echan la gota gorda de su pellejo,con el calor y el tra'fago; pero los carretonesse derriten al ascender con las cargas, magulla-dos los hombros por el peso, anhelosa la respira-ci6n por la fatiga, y sin poder ni pasarse elrevs de la mano por la frente, para recoger lasThgrimas que de ella se desprenden y caen sobreel fornido y velludo pecho (7, p. 176).

While they work to harvest the grapes, the harvesters are

provided with wine by their employer. They even have wine for

breakfast:

Obligaci6n del duefio de las vifias era ddrselo asu talante, y aun, por la mafiana, a-nadir la parvade aguardiente al desayuno de pantrigo. Y todoel dia, dijerase que otro rio de sangre de Cristocorria por las gargantas abajo para transmitir suvigor a las venas y salir hecho secreci6n vivapor los poros abiertos (7, p. 177).

At the end of the day the harvesters gather together to

dance and sing the praises of wine:

Como la luna colgase ya en el cielo . . . vendi-miadores y vendimiadoras se juntaron en la era.Salieron a plaza panderos, tria'ngulos y conchas. .D.0y dos parejas esbozaron un baile. I . . . Ver-saba la copla sobre las excelencias del vino, yafirmaba que el que no bebe es un pavo sso o unasanta mocarda (7, p. 178).

The construction of a building is another task which is

followed by a celebration. The xeste is a feast which is

30

promised to the workers upon their completion of the walls

of a new building. Pardo Bazn calls it "el banquete

extraordinario ofrecido desde la primavera para el dia en

que terminasen las paredes del nuevo edificio" (9, p. 1279).

Food

For the feast of the xeste the food is magnificent. The

laborers are served wine and dessert, the latter a rather

uncommon occurrence; " jEl vino en ollas, para sacarlo con

el cacillo de la herrada; y hasta postres, arroz con leche,

manzanas asadas con azucar" (9, p. 1280)! One participant

of the feast is a glutton. An account of what he ate at

the xeste reveals the menu on this occasion:

Despues de las tres tazas de caldo con tajada yotros ap6ndices, cayeron tres platos de batalaoa la vizcafna, de lamerse los dedos, segu'nestaba blando, sin raspas, nadando en aceite,con el gustillo pic6n de los pimientos. Luego,despojos de cerdo con habas de manteca, y enpos la paella . . . lleno de tropezones de to-cino, que alternaban con otros de ternerafrita (9, p. 1280).

The food of the peasants is not as rich and varied as

that mentioned above. One of the most popular peasant dishes

is the pote gallego. S.L. Bensusan, in his book, Home Life

in Spain, describes the ingredients of this type of peasant

stew. He says that it consists of potatoes, a type of cabbage

called berza, and lard, all boiled in water. It is eaten with

bread and garlic (1, p. 118). Peter S. Feibleman, in The

kingof Spain and Portugal, notes that the pote gallego

31

is made of pork, turnip greens, potatoesand dried white beans

which are simmered all day long (4, pp. 133-134). Although

the precise nature of the ingredients may vary, the pote gallego

is a type of stew very popular among the peasants,and probably

varies with the individual according to the materials on hand.

The pote gallego is usually on the fire and ready to be

served to anyone who knocks at the door. A beggar in "Siglo

XIII," speaking of a household where this type of hospitality

is common,says, "Nos da un saco lleno de paja o de hierba, y

la cena, el caldo caliente. . . . Que se junten veinte pobres,

que se junten mas, no falta el saco de paja ni el caldo de

berzas" (7, p. 128). The broth mentioned is assumed to be the

pote gallego.

Stews and other dishes made by combining several ingredients

are most popular in Galicia. In inns they serve meat stews and

wine. Dalinda in the story "Dalinda" serves her customers this

type of fare. "Activa y gentilmente present6 los manjares, que

eran sabrosos y toscos, adecuados al apetito recio de los caza-

dores: pote con rabo, olla con jam6n y chorizo, y tragos . . .

de clarote color de vinagre, que la tierra da copiosamente" (9,

p. 1290). In "Contra treta," a couple meets "ante un plato de

guisote de care con grasa y piment6n y una botella de vino del

Borde, del afiejo" (7, p. 141).

The food destined for the upper classes differs from the

stews of the peasants. In the short story "Las setas," Pardo

Bazdn describes a splendid meal consisting of sole, chicken,

32

and pork ribs. "'Precisamente aquella noche les teniaa ella

a los sefioritos una cena de rechupete: lenguados -en salsa,

pollos con chicharos, y costillas de cerdo en adobo" (8,

p. 282).

In contrast to the fine food served at the resort, the

food of the beggars as described in "Siglo XIII" consists

mainly of potatoes, chestnuts, and old bacon. "Finafrol

apafla ramas secas, arma fuego y asa las patatas, o las cas-

tanias, o la espiga tierna, o el tocino rancio, o lo que . . .

los dinos caballeros del Sefior misericordioso nos quisieron

dar" (7, p. 129).

Courtship and Marriage

The customs surrounding marriage and courtship are inter-

esting aspects of Galician life. In Pardo Bazdn's rural short

stories the following customs are described: walking by the

house of the beloved, arrangement of marriage by parents,

feast honoring the married couple, and charivari to the newly-

weds.

In "So tierra," a man walks by the house of the girl he

loves in order to manifest his love. Although the girl is

unaware of his love for her, the narrator continues to wander

by the house hoping to see her. He says, "Claro es que, al

enamorarme, di en rondar su casa, como es estilo y costumbre

en provincia" (7, p. 72).

The custom of arranged marriages is illustrated in "La

mayorazga de Bouzas." When the daughter becomes twenty-two

33

the father notices that she does .not seem as healthy as. before.

His solution is to find her. a husband. Therefore, he selects

a certain young man and arranges a meeting. "--Hay que casar

a la rapaza-discurri6 sabiamente el viejo; y acordandose de

cierto hidalgo, antaflo muy amigo suyo . . . le dirigi6 una

misiva, proponi6ndole un enlace" (8, p. 114). After the friend

arrives, the father arranges his daughter's wedding in a mat-

ter of two hours. "A las dos horas de haberse apeado de un

flaco jamelgo el sefiorito de Balboa, la boda qued6 tratada" (8,

p. 114).

After the marriage has been arranged, the wedding is

planned. The most important part of a wedding celebration is

the feast which customarily follows the wedding ceremony.

Enrique Casas Gdspar notes that the food at Galician wedding

feasts includes vermicelli soup, sole, some meat, plenty of

wine, rice with milk, bread, and pastries (2, p. 263). In

"La gallega," Pardo Bazdn tells of a wedding feast that in-

cludes almost exactly the same foods as described above. She

says, "Es verdad que el festin de bodas fue lucido: sopa de

fideos muy azafranada, bacalao y care ' discreci6n, vino 'a

jarros, fuentes de arroz con leche y canela, pan de trigo y

aftejos dulces de hojaldre" (8, p. 310) .

The wedding food, which is customarily brought by those

invited, is furnished by the bride's parents in "Dios castiga".

Included in this feast are wine, ham, fish, chicken, and coffee

34

as described below:

Es costumbre, en estos casos, que los convidadosregalen vino, pan, mnanjares; pero Agustin, rumboso,no consinti6 que nadie ilevase nada. . . Y debeber, INo se diga! Vinieron dos pellejos y untonel, am6n de una barrica de aguardiente de cafia.. . . Habia montafnas de cocido, jamones enteroshervidos en vino con hierbas aromaticas, pescadosfritos a calderos, y pollos y rosquillas, y negrocaf6 (7, p. 189).

After the feast is finished the couple is escorted to

their house as follows: "A pufiados, casi en brazos, los

fueron llevando los mozos a la nueva casa que debian habi-

tar" (7, p. 189).

Finally, in "Vampito," Pardo Bazan describes a charivari,

a loud serenade for a newlywed couple. In this story there

is a scene of a wedding charivari in which all the people

gather around the house of the newlyweds with frying pans,

kitchen utensils, tin cans, and horns to try to disturb the

couple. They had planned to continue this serenade for a

week, but after receiving no reaction from the newlyweds, they

went home:

Lo que no se evit6 fu6 la cencerrada monstruo.Ante la casa nueva, decorada y amueblada sinreparar en gastos, donde se habian recogido yalos esposos, juntdronse, armados de sartenes,cazos, tripodes, latas, cuernos y pitos, mas dequinientos barbaros. Alborotaron cuanto qui-sieron sin que nadie les pusiese.coto; en eledificio . . . no se filtr6 luz por las renAvijas;cansados y desilusionados, los cencerreadores seretiraron a dormir ellos tambi6n. Aun cuandoestaban conchavados para cencerrar una semanaentera, es lo cierto que la noche de tornabodaya dejaron en paz a los c6nyuges y en soledadla plaza C9, p. 1309).

35

Religious Celebrations

The celebration of :saints' days is popular in Galicia.

Not only does Spain as a whole have its saint, but many towns

also have their own special saints. The celebration for Saint

Comba is reported in "El tltimo baile." To celebrate her day

the people of the region perform a dance in the atrium of the

sanctuary:

Desde tiempo inmemorial, el dia de la fiesta deSanta Comba--dulce paloma cristiana, martirizadabajo Diocleciano . . . se bailaba en el atrio delsantuario, despu6s de recogida la procesi6n, aquelrepinico cldsico, especie de Mufneira bordada conperifollos antiguos, puestos en olvido por la mocedaddescuidada e indiferente de.hoy. Gentes de los al-rededores acudian atraidas por la curiosidad, yel seforfo veraneante en las quintas y en los Pazospr6ximos al santuario del Montino; concurria tambi6n,para convenir que 'tenia cachet' aquel diantre dedanza c6ltica, al son agreste de una gaita, bajolos pinos verdiazules, rinica vegetaci6n que sombreabaal atrio (7, pp. 67-68).

Another practice in honor of a saint,in this case, Saint John,

is mentioned in "Lumbrarada." Two young people meet because

both are in the woods gathering wood for the fire which they

burn on Saint John's Eve. "No cabia duda; armados ambos de

un hacha corta, en dia tan sen-alado como aqu6l, s6lo podian

proponerse picar lefia al objeto de encender la lumbrarada

de San Juan" C7, p. 25) . . . . The custom of building a fire

on Saint John's Eve dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans

who built bonfires to help the god of light overcome the god

of darkness. In Asturias as well as in Galicia this custom is

observed. The wood is gathered by the young people for the

36

midnight bonfires lit in the public square (3, p. 169).

Alejandro Casona in his play, Ladama _del :alba, which takes

place in Asturias, describes customs similar to these in his

account of the eve of Saint John.

The celebration in honor of the Virgin is described in

"Viernes Santo". Here the villagers shoot rockets, play bag-

pipes, dance, and drink wine. The women who are participating

in the festivities are gaily dressed. "Llegado el dia de la

fiesta de la Virgen en el santuario de Bonn. . . . Se reuni6

un gentfo . . . hubo sus cohetes, sus gaitas, sus bailas, sus

calderadas de pulpo y su tonel de mosto. . . . Tambi6n andaban

algunas seforitas muy emperifolladas dando vueltas y luciendo

los trapitos flamantes" (8, pp. 211-212).

Illness and Death

In Pardo Bazan's short stories the traditions or customs

surrounding illness and death are also portrayed. The Galicians

highly value their health. Since most of the peasants are too

poor to own land, their health is their most important possession.

When illness strikes, the peasants sometimes rely on non-profes-

sionals for help, because they are not able to afford the services

of doctors and pharmacists; moreover, many peasants do not trust

them.

In "Un destripador de antafio," a peasant woman talks about

the value of good health. She says, "La salud vale m s que

todos los- bienes de este mundo; y el pobre que no tiene otro

caudal sino la salud, zqu no hard por conseguirla" (8, pp. 21-22)?

37

Often peasants are unable to pay a doctor with money.

Instead, they pay him with grain, which is virtually their

only income. Medicine, however, can only be bought with money;

consequently the peasant feels that pharmacists exist only to

rob the poor. Referring to the doctor and pharmacist in

"Curado" Pardo Bazan writes: "Estaban 'arrendados con 61, segtn

la costumbre aldeana, por un ferrado de trigo anual; no cos-

taban nada sus visitas . . . , pero, 1cata!, ellos se hermanan

con el boticario, recetan y recetan, cobran la mitad, si

cuadra . . . , Itodo tobar, todo quitarle su pobreza al

pobre" (9, p. 1282)! When the child in this story fails to

respond to the medication prescribed by the doctor, his

mother resorts to a charlatan under whose care the boy dies.

The purchase of a casket reveals the attitude of the Gali-

cian peasant when faced with the death of a loved one. Pardo

Bazan notes in "Obra de misericordia" that, although they may

haggle over the price of everything else, peasants never dis-

pute the price of a casket. "Los atatides producian ma's que

otro trabajo cualquiera, porque aun los muy pobres no suelen

regatear tratandose de estos articulos" (7, p. 34). . . .

This is done out of respect for their dead,whom they

bury inelaborate caskets such as the one as follows: "En

efecto, el ca.j6n donde iban a guardar para siempre al nifno de

Maria Vicenta lucia sim6tricas listas azules sobre fondo blanco,

e interiormente, un forro chill6n dinpercalina rosa"(9, p. 1284).

38

Another concern of the survivors who can afford it is

the funeral feast. In "La salvaci6n de Don Carmelo," Pardo

Baz6.n describes the funeral feast as seen through the eyes of

the priest:

Ya se sabia: despu6s de la funci6n religiosa, grancuchipanda, el festin filnebre en la casa solariega,cuyas bodegas eran famosas por su cubaje magnifico,y su vino, el mejor de la comarca, Corri6 este, nodigamos que a raudales, pero si a colmados jarros,y Don Carmelo, feliz, como hacia tiempo no se habfasentido, fue estibando en su est6mago la poderosacarga del mucho cerdo,.los pollos con azafran, elbacalao guarnecido de patatada, y la care con pa-tatada tambi6n, sazonada de pimiento picante rabio-so (7, p. 112).

Superstitions

Just as their ancestors, the Celts, the modern-day

Galicians are very superstitious. Pardo Bazdn in her rural

short stories discusses the peasants' belief in witches and

in people with special powers.

In "Atavismos," the villagers are convinced that a cer-

tain woman, Guliana, is a witch. The priest, speaking with

the narrator, explains that the odd things that happen in the

village are ascribed to witchcraft. He says, "Mire usted . .

en esta parroquia pasaron cosas raras, y el diablo que les

quite de la cabeza que anduvo en ello su cacho de brujeria" (7,

p. 90). A village woman, as an illustration, explains that her

son went away and is probably dead, and her daughter died. She

attributes these misfortunes to the witch, Guliana. She exclaims,

"Fueron los ojos de la Guliana, sefiores benditos, fueron los ojos,

39

y no fu& otra cosa, que con un palo se los habia .yo de

sacare" (7, p. 92). The. same woman declares that witches

are all powerful. She says, "Pero no hay quien pueda con las

brujas, Rue mandan ma's que todos"- (7, p. 93).

In "Un destripador de antanio," don Custodio,an apothe-

cary, is believed to make a miraculous ointment capable of

curing physical ailments such as rheumatism. One of his

customers praises don Custodio's talent by saying that the

apothecary can cure all ailments. As proof he mentions the

case of the priest of Morlan who was crippled and suddenly

began to walk after taking don Custodio's ointment:

LY c6mo quiere que no gane cuartos ese hombre quecura todos los males que el Sefior invent? Miedoda al entrar allii; pero cuando uno sale con la saluden la mano . . . Ascuche: qui6n piensa que le quitla reuma al cura de Morlan? Cinco afios llevaba enla cama, baldado, imposibilitado . . . , y de repenteun dia se levanta bueno, andando como ust6 y como yo.Pues Lqu6 fu6? La untura que le dieron en los cua-driles,y que le cost media onza en casa de donCustodio (8, p. 23).

It is rumored that the famous ointment is made from the

fat of maidens that don Custodio has captured in his shop and

killed:

De moza soltera, rojifia, que ya est6 en saz6n de sepoder casar. Con un cuchillo les saca las mantecas,y va y las derrite, y prepara los medicamentos. Doscriadas mozas tuvo, y ninguna se sabe qu fue deellas, sino que como si la tierra se las tragase,que desaparecieron y nadie las volvi6 ' ver. Diceque ninguna persona ha entrado en la trasbotica:que alli tiene una trapela, y que muchacha que entray pone el pie en la trapela . . . iplas!,. cae en unpozo muy hondo, muy hondisimo, que no se puede medirla profundidad que tiene . . . y alli el boticariole arranca el unto (8, pp. 27-28).

40

The story ends with the discovery that the apothecary

makes no such ointment.. Unfortunately, a woman, who believed

the stories concerning the ointment, killed her niece to sell

to don Custodio and found out the truth.

Another person that the peasants believe has special

powers is the curandero or witch doctor. In "Curado," a

mother, concerned about: her son's health, finally sends the

regular doctor away after his prescriptions have failed to

cure her son. In desperation she sends for the quack who does

not give prescriptions but rather carries his own medicine

with him:

Era el supremo recurso, la postrera ilusi6n detodo labriego en aquella parroquia de Noan--elcurandero, el medico libre, sin titulo, queejercia secretamente, acertando mis, ibuenacomparanza', que los otros pillos--. El medi-quin no recetaba. Llevaba consigo, en el pro-fundo bolso, tres o cuatro frasquetes y papelitosdoblados, unas gotas y unos polvos, y en el actoadministraba lo preciso (9, pp. 1282-1283). .. .

The quack gives the boy some medicine to quiet him, raising

the parent's hope for a cure. Speaking of the family the author

says, "Esperaban el milagro que iba a realizarse, y sus almitas

candidas y nuevas se entreabrian para acoger el rocio de lo mara-

villoso. jAquel sefior regordecho, de gabdn de pafio azul y

gorra de cuadros verdes, podia curar a Eugenio' !LC6mo? ZDe

qu6 manera? Por una virtud . . . Eso por una virtud . . . El

caso es que iba a curarle" C9, p. 1283). The medicine that the

quack gives Eugenio allows him to sleep, but it turns out that

his sleep is eternal. Even after the boy's death,his brother

41

still believes in the supernatural powers of the quack. He

believes that the witch doctor can bring his brother back to

life.

"La Santa de Karnar " is another story concerned with

faith healing. Here, a young girl, whose family can afford

the best doctors, seems to be slowly dying. One doctor sug-

gests that she go to the country. Her mother agrees to take

her away in hopes that her daughter will recover. While in

the country, a peasant woman tells them of the Saint of Karnar,

a woman who can cure anyone. As a last resort, they travel to

see the saint. Although she is a living person, she lives and

acts as a saint. Speaking of this woman the narrator says,

"En quince afios no ha entrado en ella mas que la divina Hostia

de Nuestro Senfor, todas las semanas. Y poner ella las manos

en una persona, y aunque se este muriendo levantarse y echar

9 correr . . . , eso lo vemos cada dia, asi Dios me salve" (8,

p. 266). The young girl who narrates the story sees the saint

and immediately regains strength. She says:

. . . de repente siento en mi un vigor, una fuerza,un impulso, un resorte que me alzaba del suelo; yllena de viveza y de jtbilo me incorporo, cruzo lasmanos, alzo los ojos al cielo, y voy derecha I laSanta, sobre cuya frente, de reseco marfil, clavocon avidez la boca . . . La de la Santa se entreabre,murmurando unas silabas articuladas, que, segiin averi-gu6 despu6s, debian significar: Dios te salve, Maria.Pero, ibah!, yo jurare siempre que aquello era Dioste sane, hija mia. Y me entra un arrebato de feli-cidad, y siento.que all' dentro se arregla no se qu6descomposici6n de mi organismo, que la vida vuelvea mi con impetu, como torrente al cual quitan el dique,y empiezo ' bailar y d brincar, gritando: iMama, mama!iGracias 4 Dios! iYa estoy buena, buena (8, 'p.-273)

42

This story is written as *a .testimonial by the person

whom the saint cured. At :the end of the story, however, her

doctor declares the saint. a fake. The narrator concludes that

whether or not she is fake, the saint did cure her.

The dead great-aunt in "Bajo la losa" was also supposed

to be a saint with curing powers. In this story, the great-

niece and her father visit the house where the saintly woman

lived. Tradition has it that her body, buried there, was

still intact and that a pleasant fragrance came from the coffin.

Furthermore, "aniaden que curaba las enfermedades con la im-

posici6n de manos. Lo que puedo asegurarte es que muri6

joven: veintiocho . . . Anfaden que no s6lo curaba los cuerpos,

sino las almas. Cuando una moza de la aldea daba que sentir,

se la trafan a la tia Clotilde y la quitaba la impureza del

coraz6n poniendo la palma encima" (7, p. 37) . . . . When

the father and daughter reach the chapel where the aunt is

buried, the girl notices a pleasant fragrance. She explains,

"Mi fantasia, excitada, me hacia percibir un aroma exquisito,

que sin duda era el de las rosas del jardin pasando al trav6s

de la puerta" (7, p. 40). Upon opening the tomb they dis-

cover a decomposed corpse instead of the well-preserved body

they had expected. "Sali6 la losa de su engaste. Un hueco

sombrio apareci6. Era una sepultura en cuyo fondo se vefan

algunos huesos carcomidos, trozos de tela de color indefinible

y pr6ximos a deshacerse en ceniza; en suma, lo que suele

hallarse en todo sepulcro. No ya cuerpo incorrupto: ni

43

siquiera cuerpo momificado" (7, p. 40)! After the discovery

of the decomposed body, the niece ceases to believe in her

great-aunt' s sanctity.

"El aire cativo" deals with a superstition concerning

a certain creature of poisoned breath. A young man is digging

in his garden when he comes upon this dreaded creature. Then,

Sinti6 Felipe el ciego instinto del miedo, yestuvo a punto de apelaralafuga. Comprendi aqu6 clase de espanto era el que se le apareciaasi. Habla oido hablar de 61 mil veces, siemprecon acento de terror. Le llamaban 'la salmantiga',y el vaho de su aliento emponzofiado acarreaba lamuerte"(7, p. 184).

Later he becomes ill and, naturally, the cause of his illness

is attributed to his contact with this creature. Pardo Bazan

states, "Desde aquel dia . . . 1ello seria lo que fuese!, lo

cierto es que el labrador adoleci6 de un mal que todos en la

aldea atribuyeron al consabido 'aire cativo'" (7, p. 185).

Notonly do people fear the animal's breath, but some even fear

that the disease it allegedly produces is contagious. The boy,

lying in bed, wants comfort from the girl he loves, but she

refuses to come near him for this reason. She says, "Sabe

Dios si el aire cativo se pega" (7, p. 186).

The story "Ofrecido" deals with the offering of one life

in exchange for another. Natolia la Cohetera stops Nolasco to

tell him why and how he was born. Nolasco's mother had been

married eight years and still did not have a child. She was

so upset that Natolia made a live offering to Saint Comba,

and Nolasco was born shortly afterward:

44

. . . Usda no puede acordarse, que a-n no pensabaen nacer; pero aqul n ose le hablaba de otro cuento,sino del disgusto que habia en Valdeoras, motivadoa que la senora, en gloria este, despu6s de ochoaftos de maridada, er'a est6rea . . . Un dia la vi yo,con estos ojos, que lloraba muy triste; ya no es-peraba familia . . . y cata, ;ofreci lo que viniese,al montifio, llevando criatura viva, por supuesto . . .y a los nueve meses. . . . santa gloriosa (7, p. 118)!

In return for the life he was given, Nolasco must now make

another live offering to the Saint. As Natolia explains to

him, "Quien esta ofrecido es usia, y crease de mi y vaya cuanto

mas antes, que han pasado muchos anos y la Santa espera y la

paciencia se lo podra rematar" (7, p. 119). Nolasco dismisses

Natolia even though she indicates that danger is forthcoming.

She tells him, "Mire que he visto volar un cuervo de un pino

para otro, y 6ste no es tiempo de cuervos que s6lo se ven all,

en octubre. Mire que, ahora, cuando venia andando delante de

mi, por la carretera, el cuerpo de usia no hacia sombra nin-

guna" (7, p.119). Still Nolasco laughs at what he considers

to be superstitious nonsense. His reaction is explained as

follows: "Nolasco, esta vez, se ri6, enojandose. tQu6 agorerias

qu6 supersticiones! Solo por eso no iria a Santa Comba en su

vida. Asi quedaria demostrado que son ridiculos cuentos de

viejas semejantes historias de ofrecimientos y de peligros" (7,

p. 119). At the end of the story, Nolasco dies when his horse

trips. Pardo Bazan speculates that his soul is perhaps the

offering owed the Saint. The author explains "Nolasco yacia

en la vereda, con los brazos abiertos y los ojos vidriados;

45

tal vez su espiritu trepaba por el montino a cumplir el

sagrado ofrecimiento" '7, 'p. 121).

Pardo Bazan paints an accurate and full picture of the

typical daily life of the Galician peasants by her descriptions

of their chores, food, customs of courtship and marriage, re-

ligious celebrations and superstitions. A combination of

these elements shows the Galician to be a poor, hard-working

person who is fearful of the unknown and is eager to escape

the harsh reality of his life by taking part in various types

of celebrations.

CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Bensusan, S.L., Home Lif e nSpin, London, Methuenand Company Ltd., 1910.

2. Casas Gaspar, Enrique, '9Csb res espanola, Madrid,Editorial Escelicer, S.L., 1947.

3. Casona, Alejandro,' La 'dama del alba, edited by JuanRodriguez.-Castellano, New~Tyrk, Charles Scribner'sSons, 1947.

4. Feibleman, Peter S., The Cooking. of Spain and Portugal,New York, Time-Life Book, 1969.

5. Morton, H.V., A Strager inSpain, London, Methuenand Company Lt.1-95-8.

6. Palencia.y Alvarez Tubau, Ceferino, Espana visto plos espanles, Mexico, D.F., Almendros y Vila,Editores, S.A., 1947.

7. Pardo Bazan, Emilia, Cuentos de la tierra, BuenosAires, Emec6 Editores, S.A., 1940.

8. Pardo Bazain, Emilia, Un destripador de antafno, Madrid,V. Prieto y Companifa, Editores, 1900.

9. Pardo Bazin, Emilia, Obras completas, 3rd. ed., Vol. II,Madrid, Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

46

CHAPTER IV

THE PEOPLE

The characters of Pardo Baz6.n's rural short stories are

Galician people. In presenting her characters Pardo Baza'n

uses realistic and naturalistic techniques. As a realist,

she paints her characters true to life without ignoring their

defects; as a naturalist, she depicts the harshness and vio-

lence of people whose animalistic behavior is fostered by the

environment.

Pardo Bazain describes the Galician village dweller as

hard and callous, particularly when his self interest is not

at stake. However, she admits that these people possess a

natural sense of justice. She says of them: "Los aldeanos

no son blandos de coraz6n; al rev6s; suelen tenerlo tan duro

y calloso como las palmas de las manos; pero cuando no esta

en juego su interns propio, poseen cierto instinto de justicia

que les induce ' tomar el partido de d6bil oprimido por el

fuerte" (6, p. 10).

Perhaps because she belonged to the upper class, Pardo

Bazan felt that the members of the aristocracy were more

compassionate towards the poorer classes than those who had

achieved a higher position by constant struggle. Voicing the

author's thoughts, a poor woman in "Un destripador de antafio"

47

48

says, "Los sei'ores de mayor seAoro son siempre los mas

compadecidos del pobre. Los peores, los senoritos hechos a

pufietazos . . . esos tienen el coraz6n duro como las piedras

y le tratan a uno peor que a la suela del zapato" (6, p. 21).

In "Siglo XIII," however, a blind beggar believes that wealthy

people do not care for the poor. He says, ". . . los sefnores

del senorfo, Lqu6 se les importa? A ellos no les hace falta

pero al pobre que anda a las puertas, convienele saber

d6nde esta seguro el tejado y el saco relleno de paja para no

se moler tanto las costillas" (5, p. 127).

The Galician is known for his shrewdness. This character

trait is exemplified by Ambrosio in "El pinar del tio Ambrosio."

Upon inspecting his pine grove one day, Ambrosio discovers that

several trees have been cut down. He thinks he knows who did

it and decides to scare the scoundrel out of his grove by in-

venting a frightening story. Later on, "Regres6 a la aldea,

y guard6se bien de quejarse del robo de los pinos. Al con-

trario . . . asegur6 que ignoraba el estado del pinar, que no

se atrevia a llegarse por alli nunca . . . desde que un dia,

al caer la tarde, habia visto . . . una cosa del otro mundo,

probablemente un alma del purgatorio" (6, p. 148). Several

people became scared after they heard of the monster, but one

night, when he went to inspect his grove, the monster, just

as he had described it, was there working away on his trees.

As it turns out, the culprit, far from being frightened, was

sufficiently brazen as to impersonate the monster created by

49

Ambrosio. Therefore, one shrewd Galician was :outwitted by

a shrewder one.

A man who is shrewd in: the matter of marriage is the main

character in "Bohemia en prosa." This man, who lives off

others and without working, falls in love with a working

girl. All of their friends advise him to marry, but he dis-

agrees. He fears that, although she is working now, she

would probably stop doing so after marrying and would then

discover his source of income. Finally, and after a struggle,

he marries the girl. Shortly after the ceremony is over he

says to her, "1--Bueno, mujer. Ya estamos casados. Por

muchos afos sea. IjAhora: tn a tu casa y yo a la mia! Larga,

que se hace tarde" (5, pp.. 101-102)1. By marrying her, he

has satisfied his friends' wishes; and, by arranging for

separate homes, he hopes to solve his income problem.

Many Galicians are crippled by greed. This vice destroys

some working men in "El escondrijo." While tearing down an

old house, the workers come upon a chest full of treasure.

The foreman feels that he should receive a larger share than

the others. When the men do not comply with his demand, he

decides to destroy them. Consequently,

Al otro dia el Trenco hablaba con el sefior Barbosa

y denunciaba-elhecho. Y, al siguiente, estaban en

la carcel todos, y el juez citaba al platero a quien

hablan vendido a cualquier precio las monedas. El

hallazgo, o, mejor dicho, su ocultacion, cost un

afno de c6rcel y arruin6 a 'las familias de aquellosmenguados" C5, pp. 13-6137). . .

50

A greedy son-in-law causes his father-in-law to lose his

savings. After his daughter's death the father helps .his son-

in-law financially whenever he is asked. Realizing that his

son-in-law wants nice things without working for them, the

father-in-law tells him that he must toil and sweat if he

wants luxuries. The son-in-law's reaction is described as

follows:

Y el yerno, echando mano al bolsillo y empunfandouna.faca y abri6ndola, contest asimismo: Puesen pago-de eso que me das, te dar6 yo esto enlas tripas; tan cierto como que se ha muerto mipadre. Suda y revienta y junta ochavos, que eldia que est6s mas descuidado . . . con esto teencuentras (6, p. 176).

Instead of retaliating, the father-in-law, a good man, feels

that he must leave before he does any harm to his greedy son-

in-law. He says: "Ya no sueflo con la muerte que 61 me d6,

sino con da'rsela yo; y tengo unas ganas atroces de verlo

tendido . . . y como no quiero perderme . . . ni condenarme

ahi esta', me voy l America . . . vendo todo" (6, p. 178).

In another example of greed, a father permanently dis-

figures his daughter's face in "Las medias rojas" in order to

benefit from her labors. The daughter wants to go to America

where she can have a new start on life. Like any girl, she

likes to look nice; consequently, she buys some red stockings.

When her father sees them he becomes angry. He then asks her

if she ever saw her mother. wear stockings. He says:

Ya te cansaste de andar descalza de pie y pierna,como las mujeres de bien, .eh, condenada? "'Llev6

51

medias alguna vez tu nadre? Pein6se como ti,

que siempre estds dale que tienes con el cacho deespejo? Toma, para que te acuerdes" Cs, p. 13).

After these words he hits: her brutally and injures one of her

eyes. His attack and its effects are described as follows:

Y con el cerrado puflo hiri6 primero la cabeza, luegoel rostro, apartando las medrosas manecitas, deforma no alterada atn por el trabajo, con que seescudaba Ildara, tr6mula. El cachete mais violentocay6 sobre un ojo, y la rapaza vi6 como un cieloestrellado, miles de puntos brillantes, envueltosen una radiaci6n de intensos coloridos sobre unnegro terciopeloso. Luego el labrador aporre6la nariz, los carrillos. Fu6 un instante defuror, en que sin escrupulo la hubiese matado,antes que verla marchar (5, p. 13).

By ruining his daughters appearance, the father is assured

of her assistance for the rest of his life because those with

physical defects are not allowed to go to America. The violent

nature of the father and the pessimistic ending are two very

noticeable examples of naturalism in this story.

Greed comes between mother and daughter in "Saletita."

An old indiano comes to see his former girlfriend Maura. When

she learns of all the money he has, she begins to think of her

past poverty and wonders how she will be able to capture the

money! She wonders:

C6mo se puede reunir tanto dinero? ;Qu6 de cosasse hacen con. 612 iQu6 existencia ancha, facil,deliciosa representaban esos cuatro millones dereales! Toda su vida habia lidiado donfa Maura conla escasez. . . . Apuros y mas apuros. . . . Entor-nando los ojos vela una despensa atestada de cosasbuenas . . . conservas y dulces A porillo, aparadoresrepletos de loza, armarios abarrotados de sdbanas yropa blanca en hoja todavia. . . . Peto, Lc6mo atraer,c6mo seducir al vejestorio? C6mo asegurar tan soberanapresa (6, pp. 288-289)?

52

She decides that she must make her daughter, Saletita, marry

him. However: "Al manifestar don Pdnfilo sus honestas inten-

ciones,' Lc6mo trastear ' Saletita? LC6mo persuadirla al

sacrificio' (6, p. 291)? 'After more thought Maura begins to

believe that she would make a better wife for the old man than

would her daughter, and she tells herself:

LPara qu6 necesitaba ahora esposa el bueno de donPdnfilo? Para cuidarle, para servirle las medici-

nas, para dirigir su casa, para . . . para heredarleen suma . . . si, para recoger aquel fortun6n, queno cayese en manos indiferentes, extrafias . . . LNoseria prudente que, supuestos tales fines, eligieseuna mujer formal, una persona ya prdctica, seria,que sabe lo que es la vida y tiene experiencia ymundo (6, p. 291)?

When the mother tells her daughter of her "unselfish" decision

to marry the old man,Saletita surprises her by saying that she

had counted on marrying the 'indiano from the beginning. Threat-

ening, her mother she says: "--Bien, iya s6 que usted queria

el novio para sit . . . iPero en eso estaba yo pensando! Desde

el primer dia cont6 con 61 . . . Si usted me lo quita . . . Ve

estas ufias? jPues no le digo mis" (6, p. 292). What began as

an unpleasant proposition becomes appealing to the greed of

both mother and daughter.

Another example of greed found in "Un destripador de

antafno." Pepona is a mean, greedy woman who works hard, getting

up before the sun rises, laboring in the fields and in the

mill. She is described as follows:

Pepona la molinera, mujer avara, codiciosa,ahorrona hasta de un ochavo, tenaz, vehemente y

53

aspera. Levantada antes que rayase el dia, in-cansable en el trabajo, siempre se la vela, ya

inclinada labrando la tierrra, ya en el molino

regateando la maquila, ya trotando, descalza,por. el camino de Santiago adelante con una

cesta de huevos, axves y verduras en la cabeza,

para ir 6 venderla al mercado (6, p. 14).

In order to pay the rent, this woman kills her niece. She

hopes to sell her body to the apothecary who supposedly uses

corpses to prepare medicine. However, after her niece is dead,

she discovers that the apothecary will not pay her for the

girls body as she had thought. She is condemned to death for

her crime.

Walter Pattison in his book states: "Perhaps the most

celebrated psychological trait of the Galician is their

nostalgia for home (morrifia). It is the privation of air which

ends by asphyxiating us when we don't inhale the atmosphere of

the places where our heart resides. . . . It is a physical

sickness from which one dies" (8, pp. 15-16).

Morrifia is the subject of "Planta months." After a boy

is brought to the city to become a servant, he becomes very

withdrawn. At night he huddles in the corner of the kitchen

without eating. His master recognizes his problem as morrifia

and hopes that it will not last long. He explains: "Por la

nochevimos al nuevo servidor acurrucado en un rinc6n de la

cocina, sin querer aproximarse d la mesa para cenar. . .

Comprendimos bien esta nostalgia 6 morrifia de los primeros

instantes, y esperamos que no duraria " (6, p. 56).

54

He does the work assigned to him, but, when he is, finished

with his task, he goes back to: his corner and sits like an

animal, a comparison typical of naturalism: "Trabajaba lo

que le mandasen, pero en cuanto volviamos la espalda, se

acurrucaba en un rinc6n, dejando los brazos colgantes y cla-

vando la quijada en el pecho. Era la calma triste del animal,

silenciosa y soporifera, sin protestas ni quejas: la obscura

y terca afirmaci6n de la voluntad en el mundo zool6gico" (6,

p. 159). Finally, the boy says that he is going to die although

doctors can find nothing physically wrong with him. According

to him a dog howls announcing his death. The next night the

master hears a dog howling, and, the following morning, he

finds the servant boy dead. He says, "Apenas me determino 'a

estampar aqui que Cibrao amaneci6 muerto en su cama" (6, p. 161).

The Men

The Galician man can be described as proud, industrious

and attached to his land. He cherishes his property, his per-

sonal honor, and his family.

Pardo Bazan feels that the most powerful instinct in the

Galician is that of defending- his property (6, p. 181). If a

person owns any land he will defend it to his death against

outsiders. This extreme position is illustrated in two short

stories. In "Ocho nueces" a rich man owns vast landholdings

which he protects zealously. He constantly inspects every inch

55

of his holdings in order to examine the corn, pastures, pines

and walnut trees. Pardo Bazdn states:

Si es cierto que todo el mundo nace propietari.o, yque el instinto de apropiaci6n y defense de lo ad-quirido es fuerte como la muerte . . . en nadie sereve16 mds vigoroso este instinto . . . que en donRam6n. Amaba con vehemencia y defendia con rabiasu propiedad. . . . salfa 6 recorrer y examinar susfincas mns pr6ximas,- d ver-qu6 tal espiga el mafzc6mo hablian agradecido el riego los prados, simedraban los pinos, y si el nogal grande cargabade fruta mis que el aflo anterior (5, pp. 240-241).

One day he noticed that several nuts had fallen from his

walnut tree. The owner sent one of his servants to gather

the nuts, but there were none left. That night several of his

friends came to play cards. The first one to arrive brings

some nuts as a gift. Immediately the owner is suspicious and

the following exchange takes place:

--%De qu6 nogal las ha cogido?----Del nuestro--, contest6. .. 0--LDel nuestro? LDe ctial nuestro, vamos ' ver?---- iSi, que no lo sabe don Ram6n! Del grande, eldel camino . . . del que me hace sobra ' laspatatas . . . y bien me las jeringa.--Pero don Juan, ese nogal . . . es tanto de ustedcomo del nuncio.LC6mo le iba yo 6 entender, santo de.Dios? Esenogal . . . no es de nadie sino del presente mara-gato--(6, pp. 242-243).

After being accused of being a thief, his friend becomes angry

and leaves never to return. He says that he hopes that light-

ning will strike him if he ever sets foot in the house of this

man who calls him a thief. He says: iMal rayo me parta si

vuelvo yo nunca 'i poner los pies donde me tratan de ladr6n,

resangre" (6, p. 244)! The owner takes the matter to court,

and in years of litigation, he spends more money on legal

56

costs than what it would cost to fill two ships with nuts:

le hizo gastar al hidalgo, en los afios -que dur6 la

cuestifn, que al fin perdi6, una buena porrada de dinero:

los miles de pesetas suficientes para cargar de nueces un

par de navfos" (6, p. 246). Although the owner suffers a

financial loss,his sense of justice is vindicated by having

the courts declare him owner of the walnut tree and of the

walnuts.

Another example of a man's love for his land is the

incident in "Reconciliados." In this story two men claim

that they own a strip of land about the size of a grave. Their

reactions to one another are described as follows: "Mil veces

ya se habian encontrado frente a frente los dos viejos, puesto

el pie sobre lo que cada uno de ellos creiia su propiedad, y se

miraron con ardientes ojos de codicia, saludandose entre encias,

pues dientes no les quedaban" (5, pp. 105-106). The author

explains that the ownership of this small piece of land be-

comes more important to them than the ownership of the rest of

their land, which they would sacrifice in this litigation'.

Poseer, poseer: he ahil el empefio loco de ambosancianitos. Y todo lo que poseian les importabamenos que aquel retal grande como una tumba, que

se disputaban con furor. Por ganar el pedazohubiesen sacrificado con gusto el resto de lo

que tenian, aun cuando luego hubiesen de mendi-gar por-los caminos o pedir un jornal, que yano les darla nadie (5, p. 107).

Their dispute *over the piece of land begins when one of the

men pulls out of the ground what the other has planted.

57

Finally the argument becomes violent. One of the men, Selmo,

hits Roque's shoulder lightly with his hoe. Roque, then,

directs his pitchfork at SelmnoIs chest. The pitchfork wounds

Selmo deeply, but he has enough energy to hit Roque again on

the head. The battle is described as follows:

Al aproximarse, Selmo sacudi6 el primer golpe, undebil azadonazo,. en el hombro de Roque. Este sehizo atrds, pero no sin esgrimir su horquilla,dirigi6ndola contra el pecho del enemigo. Fu6 aclavarse en el est6mago. Las puntas aguzadaspenetraron en la cane. Aull6 el herido,.maldi-ciendo. Roque acababa de caer arrastrado por lapropia fuerza con que habia querido asestar elgolpe, consumiendo en tal arranque cuanto lerestaba de energia. Y, al verle en tierra elotro recogi6 del suelo su azada, y ya estavez fu6.certero. La cabeza son6 como una ollaque se parte. Luego, un azadonazo vigorosoquebr6 huesos y costillas (5, p. 108). . . .

As a result, both die, but, surely, they die happy knowing

that they were defending their property.

Honor has always been important to the Spaniard who would

face death rather than be dishonored. There are numerous exam-

ples of this type of behavior in Pardo Bazdn's short stories.

The honor of two parishes is at stake in "Sin querer."

The two boys selected to defend their parishes do not wish to

fight. One day one of the boys decides to end the waiting

period by confronting his foe. One rule is that they not use

knives, but as the fight procedes, one of the boys disobeys

the rules. The author explains: "Pero al recibir otro porrazo

cruel en la cara, Colds, viendo estrellas y clirculos rojos

ante sus pupilas cegatas, ech6 mano al cuchillo . . . iJuanifio

58

se derrumb6! No hubo sangre. La herida sangraba por dentro"

(5, p. 21). . . . After having killed his rival, the other

boy cannot face the consequences and leaves the country.

Forced to stop working because of a strike, the main

character in "Montero" is enraged by the idea that someone

can order him not to work. He says: "--Si arranco o no

arranco, eso se vera--respondi6 61 con arrongancia jactan-

ciosa. A ml nadie me manda por malas, Llo oyes" (7, p. 1306)?

When he returns to work and find resistance, he finally kills

a man.

In "Cuesta abajo" a man demonstrates manly pride before

his female companion. When the girl wonders how they will

respond to an attack by thieves upon their return from a cattle

fair, he replies that with his knife and gun he can protect

her from any and all thieves that might beset them. He says,

"Tengo mi buena navaja y mi buen revolver de seis tiros.

Vengan dos, vengan cuatro ladrones, vengan, aunque sea un

ciento. iSoy hombre para ellos! iConmigo no pueden" (7, p.

1289)! In order to impress the girl, he displays his bravery.

A man's honor rests upon the faithfulness of his wife or

girlfriend. Were they to be unfaithful he would need to avenge

himself or be a social outcast forever. A young man in "'La

redada" suffers from bouts of )ealousy whenever anyone in the

presence of his girlfriend praises the good qualities of

another man. This represents an injury to his pride as a man.

He explains:

59

Si en su presencia alababa alguien los m6ritos deotro hoMbre, se me revolvia la bilis y se me ponfala boca pastosa y anarga. No habi6ndome creifdoenvidioso hasta entonces, la pasi6n me despertabala envidia. . . .. Y desatinado por mis recelos,aplicaba un escalpelo afiladisimo A las perfeccionesde mi imaginario rival; le rebuscaba los defectos,le ridiculizaba, le trataba como ' enemigo. .iHasta llegu6 dIa lfilezade la calumnia (6, pp. 293-294)

Another jealous man wants his wife to work as a wet nurse

for his landlord in lieu of paying the rent for his house. He

does not mind her going away to work, but he warns her to be-

have properly, threatening her with bodily harm if she is

unfaithful to him. The husband says:

--Cata que eres moza y de buen parecer--. . . Cataque no se vayan a divertir a mi cuenta los senfori-tos . . . Tui vas para el chiquillo y no para losgrandes, L.6yesme? En Madrid hay una mano de pille-ria. Comoyo sepa lo menos de tu conducta, la aguijadade los bueyes he de quebrarte en los lomos (5, p. 32).

A jealous husband in "En silencio" notices his wife's

subtle actions and becomes suspicious of her. The author

explains, "Siempre habila sido celoso, con celos vagos . . . y

la exacerbaci6n de coqueteria de su mujer le causaba esa ex-

trafieza, que es la puerta de la sospecha" (5, p. 96). Finally

he takes action. The night before they are scheduled to leave

for America, he kills his wife and walls her up in a closet.

The final act of the tragedy is described as follows:

A medianoche, hubo como el ruido y trajin deuna lucha, y poco despues encendi6 luz el ma-rido, por cuya frente rezumaba un glacial sudor.Cogiendo el cuerpo inerte de Aya, lol1lev6 hastael supuesto armario, en la nueva despensa; yrecostandolo de pie contra la pared, trajo

60

ladrillo y mezcla, que habia dejado en el patio,y tapi6 el hueco de la puerta, que debia cerraraquella cavidad. Con tal esmero lo hizo, quenadie hubiese podido sospechar, cuando al ama-necer termin6 de cerrar aquella sepultura, que noera una pared lisa, sin comunicaci6n con nada (5,pp. 98-99).

In "La Mayorazga de Bouzas", however, it is the wife of

an unfaithful husband who seeks to avenge herself. A servant

tells her that her husband has been seeing a seamstress and

has given her money and gold earrings. He says: "--Seora

ama . . . el sefnorito. . . en los Carballos . . . quiero

decir . . . hay una costurera bonita que iba 6 coser al Pazo

de Resende . . . ya no va nunca. . . el sefiorito le da dinero

. . . son ella y una tia carnal, que viven juntas . . . andan

ella y el seforito por el monte 6 las veces . . . en la feria

de Illosa, el sefnorito le merc6 unos aretes de oro . . . la

trae muy maja" (6, p. 122). . . . After she learns of her

husband's unfaithfulness, she punishes his mistress by cutting

her ears off. The husband is never unfaithful again, or is so

careful that the wife never hears of any misconduct. Their

marriage, which before had been childless, is blessed with

children, and they live happily ever after.

The unfaithful husband in "So tierra" supposedly has a

perfect marriage. Both husband and wife are attractive and

wealthy, but in spite of his wealth, the husband is known to

be very thrifty. Pardo Bazan describes them as follows:

Habia en Rojariz . . . un matrimonio que pasabapor ejemplar. El, muy guapo, el mejor mozo de lacomarca; ella, una senora tambien vistosa, y,sobre todo, tan prendada de su marido, que se le

61

caia la baba cuando salfa a la calle . . . Erangente rica, y tenian, segrn fama, muchos ahorros.Hasta extrafiaba que el, no teniendo hijos, demos-trase tal mania y tal empefio en economizar, porlo cual ella tenia costumbre de embromarle (5,pp. 71-72).

When an observer notices that the husband is seeing another

woman, he finds it difficult to believe. The observer says,

"Y si no me habla dado cuenta antes de que era Fajardo, en

efecto, no era porque me lo estorbaba una suposici6n de

imposibildad, que acababa de abolirse" (5, p. 74). At the

end of the story the secret of his extreme thrift is revealed

when his girlfriend tells the narrator that her lover saved

his money so that they could run away together. Unfortunately,

the unfaithful husband is killed by a robber.

Another characteristic of the Galician man is his indus-

triousness. Mr. Peers, in his book Spain: A Companion to

Spanish Studies, describes the Galician laborer. He says,

"The gallego is essentially industrious and severely practical.

Lack of ambition and supreme patience make of him when he

leaves home a manual labourer, laughed at for his equanimity

and thickness of skin" (9, p. 5).

In "La oreja de Juan Soldado,"Pardo Bazdn describes the

personality of the Galician laborer: "Al hombre que se pasa

todo el dia hincando el azad6n en el terruflo, no hay cosa que

le guste como eso de que le dirijan una pregunta. Es un

socorrido pretexto para interrumpir la labor, y descansar

apoyandose en el mango de la herramienta. Es, ademds, una

62

distracci6n" (6, pp. 299300). She also tells of his caution

in speaking: "El labrador gallego es cauto, y da tres vueltas

4 la lengua antes de soltar lo que por cualquier motivo juzga

comprometido 6 peligroso" (6, p. 302). The laborer is pictured

as a physically powerful man: "Y la fuerza muscular emanaba

de . . . sus voces desentonadas y fuertes, de sus manos anchas

tendidas siempre hacia la faena" (5, p. 176).

In "El 'Xeste" Pardo Bazdn further elaborates on the

rural laborer. She explains that they were organized in

groups, and went wherever there was work. She explains:

Organizados en caudrilla, iban a donde los llamasen,prefiriendo la labor en el campo porque en las aldeas,iretofio!, se vive mas barato que en el pueblo, seahorra casi todo el jornal, para llevarlo, bienguardado en una media de lana, a la mujer, y mercarel ternero, y el cerdo, y las gallinas, y la ropa,y la simiente del trigo, y algtin pedacillo de terrunfo.No sentian la punzada del ansia de gozar como los ricos,que asalta al obrero en los grandes centros; el contac-to de la tierra les conservaba la sencillez, las as-piraciones limitadas del nifno; disfrutaban de uninagotable buen humor, y la menor satisfacci6n materiallos transportaba de j'bilo. Sus almas eran todavia lastransparentes y venturosas almas de los villanos medie-vales (7, p. 1279).

The Women

Miguel de Unamuno said of the Galician woman, "Es muy

frequente oir en Galicia y en boca de gallegos 'Aqui la mujer,

si no es superior, es igual al hombre, cuando menos'" (4,

p. 448). Other writers watching the Galician woman at work

have believed in her superiority over the men. Mr. Phillips,

in his book, notices the Galician woman at work and says, "We

63

were immediately impressed with the hard laboring of the

women of this section and with the correlative fact that it

seemed to be regarded as -effeminate by a large part of the

male population to work equally hard" (10, p. 40). Katherine

Lee Bates noted the variety of occupations and the strength

of the Galician women as she observed them in her travels.

She states: "Women were serving as porters at the stations,

carrying heavy trunks and loads of valises on their heads.

Women were driving the plough, swinging the pickaxe in the

quarries, mending the railway tracks. Short, stout, vigorous

brownies they were, and most of them looked old" (2, p. 400).

Emilia Pardo Bazdn portrays the same hard-working women

in her rural short stories. Most of the women in her short

stories are peasant women who have to work hard to survive.

In "La gallega," she presents a physical description of a

typical Galician peasant woman, a large dark-haired woman with

broad hips and a large bust. She writes:

. . . hallard el etn6logo mujeres semejantes d Iaque voy 6 describir: de cumplida estatura, ojosgarzos 6-azules, del cambiante azul de las olasdel Cantdbrico, cabello castanfo, abundoso y enmansas ondas repartido, facciones de agradableplenitud, frente serena, p6mulos nada salientes,caderas anchas, que prometen fecundidad, alto ytirgido el seno, redonda y ebirnea la garganta,carnosos los labios, moderado el reir, apacible elmirar.. Es la belleza de la mujer gallega eminente-mente plstica; consiste sobre todo en la frescurade la tez, blanca fy sonrosada, no con la fria alburade las inglesas, sino con esa animaci6n que -indica elpredominio de la sangre sore, la bilis y la linfa, yen la riqueza y amplitud de las forms, que algunas

64

veces se exagera y hace pesados sus movimientos yplanturosa en demasha su carnaci6n. No arde en susojos la chispa. de fuego que brilla en los de lasandaluzas; su pie no es leave, ni quebrado su talle:mis el sol no logra quemar su cutis, y su-s mejillastienen el sano carmfn del albaricoque maduro y de laguinda temprana (6,-p. 306).

The typical chores of the Galician woman listed by Pardo

Bazdn indicate that she is the equal of many men in strength.

She digs, plants, waters, tears off leaves, beats the wool,

twists it, spins it, and weaves it on the loom. On her sturdy

shoulders she loads full sacks of rye or corn and carries them

to the mill. Then she kneads the coarsely ground flour, lights

the oven after having cut -the fire wood on the mountains, puts

it in the oven and bakes it. She milks the cow, and when the

pail is full, she puts it in a wicker basket that has just been

filled with two chickens, a dozen eggs, a pile of cabbage leaves,

and cheese. Then she sets the basket on her head and directs her-

self towards the market where she sells these items, haggling

down to the last penny. In Pardo Bazdn's own words:

Hoy, como entonces, ellas cavan, ellas siembran,riegan y deshojan, baten el lino, lo tuercen, lohilan y lo tejen en el gimiente telar; ellas carganen sus fornidos hombros el saco repleto de centeno omaiz, y lo llevan al molino; ellas amasan despu6s lagruesa harina mal triturada, y encienden el horno trasde haber cortado en el monte el haz de lefia, y enhornany cuecen el amarillo torter'n de borona 6 el negro molletede mistura. . . . ellas, rtsticas zagalas, lindan el buey,y comprimen las gruesos ubres de la vaca para ordefiarla;y cuando ven colmado un tanque de leche candida y espu-mosa . . . colocan el tanque en una cesta de mimbres queacaban de llenar con un par de pollos atados por laspatas, cosa de dos docenas de huevos, un rimero de hojasde berza y tres o cuatro quesos de tetilla, y sentandoen la cabeza la cesta, dirigense al mercado de la ciudadmds pr6xima, donde venden sus articulos regateando hastael tltimo miserable ochavo (6, pp. 307- 308).

65

One of .the few studies of an upper class Galician woman

is found in "La Mayorazga de Bouzas." The Mayor:az'ga is at

first portrayed as a freespirited girl whose actions could

be condemned by proper ladies. If she was thirsty she would

stop at a tavern for wine. At times she tested her strength

with the servants, and even knocked one to the ground. It

was not unusual for her to help load a cart of furze or to

plow with the best team of oxen. At various celebrations she

would dance like a peasant with her own servants. This be-

havior is outlined as follows:

Cuando la molestaba la sed, apedbase tranquilamentea la puerta de una taberna.del camino real, y laservian un tanque de vino puro. A veces se diver-t1a en probar fuerzas con los gafianes y mozos delabranza, y ' alguno dobl6 el pulso 6 tumb6 por latierra. No era desusado que ayudase ' cargar elcarro de tojo, ni que arase con la major yunta debueyes de su establo. En las siegas, deshojas,romerias y fiestas patronales, bailaba como unapeonza con sus propios jornaleros y colonos (6,pp . 112-113) .

Later she marries a man she loves very much. This love is

manifested by her sadness on the first night that her husband

spends away from home. The author explains that ". . . una

sombra vel6 sus pupilas, por ser la primera vez que Camilo dor-

mir'a fuera del lecho conyugal desde la boda. Se cercior6 de

que su marido iba bien abrigado, llevaba las pistolas en el

arz6n y al cinto un rev6lver . . . y baj6 a despedirle en la

portalada misma" 'C6, pp. 118-119). When La Mayorazga discovers

that her husband has a mistress, -Pardo Bazain shows the reaction

66

of the Galician woman to an unfaithful husband., She locates

her husband's lover and, -upon seeing that the woman is wearing

the earrings that her husband had given her, orders her ser-

vant to cut off the girl's -ears. The Mayorazga says:

,Fu6 mi marido quien te regal esos aretes?--Sf--respondieron los ojos de vibora.-Pues yo te corto las orejas--sentenci6 la

Mayorazga, extendiendo la mano. Y Amaro, queno era manco ni sordo, sac6 su navajilla corta,la abri6 con los dientes, la esgrimi6 . . . Oy6seun aullido largo, pavoroso de agonfa, luego otro,y sordos gemidos (6, p. 125).

When another woman is faced with infidelity, this time

on the part of her boyfriend, she reacts more violently. Her

boyfriend has found a wealthy girlfriend. Both his mother and

his old girlfriend look on the new girlfriend with hate. They

notice the small feet of the girl and compare them to their

ugly bare feet. Their jealousy is explained as follows:

Y a su vez, los ojos fieros de la madre y de laabandonada celosa se. clavaron en los pies inso-lentes, encarnados, pequeflos, semejantes a doscapullos de amapola sobre el verdor himedo de lasenda campesina. Ellas . . . estaban descalzas,y sus pies deformados atezados, recios, se con-fundlan con el terrufio pardusco de la corraliza,en cuyo dngulo, al calor del sol, hedia el ester-colero (5, p. 165).

When Maria, the peasant girl, is on her way to the spring,she

is snubbed by her old boyfriend. The animal-like feelings

that Maria experiences at that moment are characteristic of

Pardo Bazdn's naturalistic style: "Maria Silveria apret6 el

puiio y lo tendi6 hacia su amor antiguo: antiguo, iay', y pre-

sente, que bien sentia en las entrafias, en la quemadura aquella,

67

de rabia y desesperaci6n,( que el amor aldeano,, furioso,. vivia

y se revolvia como gato months o tej6n salvaje 'acosado por

cazadores" (5, p. 167). Following her animal instinct, she

enters the house with a sickle, ready to strike down her com-

petition. Then, "Se inclin6 sobre el cest6n; cogi6 de 61 la

hoz de segar, afilada, reluciente, que manejaba con tanto vigor

y destreza, y ocultcindola bajo el delantal, se meti6 por la casa

adentro, segura de lo que iba a hacer, de la mala hierba que

iba a segar de un golpe" (5, p. 167).

The Galician woman jealously protects her honor. An

example of an honorable Galician woman is Dalinda who is a

waitress at an inn. When a man from Madrid visits the inn, he

tells his companions that he will win the girl with his flattery

and gifts. He is not successful as can be seen by the following:

"Don Mariano intent deslizar un duro en la mano de la muchacha,

que lo rechaz6 suave y porfiadamente. --Se estima . . . al

seforito se le sirve de gana, sin necesidad de eso" (7, p. 1290).

Later in the story, Dalinda pushes the lecherous man out the

window, and exclaims self-righteously: "Hice bien! . . . iVuelvo

a hacerlo ahora mismo" (7, p. 1292)! Thus she has preserved her

reputation at the price of injuring the culprit.

In ILa lumbrarada," Pardo Baza'n notes the relationship

between a young Galician girl and a boy she meets in the woods,

illustrating the superiority of women that has been noted before.

In this situation, that of cutting wood, the young girl tries

to live up to that belief.

68

Habla,. en el movimiento: de cortar ramas y hastapinos imenudos, una especie de porfia de vigor yde fanfarronada juvenil; trat.base de reunirpronto mds lefia, para; avergonzar al companero.Era. ese pugilato de fuerzas. fisicas entre elvar6n y la hembra, que es uno de los atavismosde la raza, en el cual las hembras no han sidovencidas por los hombres, ni en caletre ni enmusculatura (5, p. 27).

Both the boy and the girl tire themselves trying to show each

other the strength that they possess. The author explains

that: "Ninguno de los dos . . . hubiese confesado que aquello

pesaba de mis. Al resistir el peso significaban, con bizarra

vanidad, ella: --soy hembra de labor, capaz de ayudar a mi

hombre--; y 61: --aunque me ves de marinero, sigo siendo un

mozo de aldea, y lo que otro haga, a fe, hagolo yo--" (5, p. 28).

Thus the value of a woman in Galicia is related to her strength

and her ability to help her mate in the struggle for survival.

A very important role of the Galician woman is that of

a mother, not because she necessarily wants children, as Pardo

Bazan says, but because nature imposes them on her: "Imp6nele

la naturaleza un hijo por a-no, como impone su cosecha anual '

la campifia" (6, p. 310).

The story "Madre Gallega" is an idealistic view of a

mother who is entirely devoted to her son's welfare. Her son

is a priest who has taken an unpopular political stand. The

other members of the community seem to be out to get him, al-

though he never realizes it. One night a voice from outside

asks for the services of the priest. His mother, knowing they

mean to harm him, refuses to let him go to the door. Instead,

69

she goes and is shot by the bullet intended for her son. She

dies in the arms of the son for whom she had given her life.

The tragic conclusion of this story is narrated as follows:

--Tii no te asomes--orden6 en voz imperiosa, unavoz diferente de la mansa y acariciadora voz conque siempre hablaba a su hijo--. Apdrtarte . .

quitaday . . . Me asomo yo, no te apures. Y antesde que Luis Maria pudiera oponerse, apagando de unsoplo el vel6n para no ser reconocida, abri6 la ven-tana con Impetu, sac6 el busto fuera. . . . El bar-baro, que ya tenia apuntada la escopeta, dispar6, yla madre, con el pecho atravesado, se desplom6 haciaadentro, en brazos del hijo por quien aceptaba lamuerte (6, p. 132).

An example of filial love is manifested by a grandfather

in "El trueque." For love of his grandson a poor peasant gives

up the pleasure of watching him grow up. The grandfather sees

a nursemaid with the landlord's child in her arms. He offers

to keep the child so that the nurse can be with her husband.

When she returns for the child, which looks like the old man's

grandson, the peasant gives the nursemaid his grandson instead.

But he is happy knowing that his grandson will never want for

anything. He says: "--A nosotros nos echardn y nos iremos

por el mundo pidiendo una limosnita . . . Pero lo que es el

nieto mio, pasar no ha de pasar necesida; y el hijo de los

amos . . . ese, que adeprenda a cocer teja, cuando tenga la

eda'. . . si llega a tenerla, que isdbelo Dios' En casa del

pobre muerense los chiquillos como moscas" (6, p. 192).

The other who leaves her child to become a nursemaid for

her landlord's baby is not idealistically portrayed. Zola

70

attacks wet nurses as being stupid and amoral in 'Fecoidit6

which may have influenced Pardo Bazdn's view of :such people.

In "La advertencia," the prospective wet nurse initially seems

to regret abandoning her :child as indicated by an account of

the moment of parting: "Que no le falte leche a Gulianifio--

implor6 la madre, sefialando a la cuna. Y al pronunciar el

nombre carifioso del nene, se le quebr6 la voz a Maripepa y las

ldgrimas apuntaron en sus ojos verdes" (5, p. 32). However,

the prospect of luxuries and comforts that life in the house

of the master will afford her overpower her grief. She realizes,

furthermore, that there might be possibilities for frolicking

in the big city. Thus, while her husband counsels her against

adultery, "La aldeana sonrelia interiormente bajando hip6crita

los ojos. Ella sera buena por el aquel de ser buena; pero su

hombre no tenfa un pie en Norla y otro en Madri, y los mirlos

no iban a contarle lo que ella hiciese" (5, p. 32).

The amorality of the wet nurse is presented as evidence

that humans, in this case, have not surpassed the instinctual

and animal level. As a matter of fact, human behavior is de-

picted as being inferior to that of other mammals, because

the mother in this case surrenders her maternal impulses to

those that compel her towards self-gratification.

The Clergy

Since Pardo Bazdn was a very religious person, she

idealistically described the religious men in her short stories.

71

The members of the clergy included in her stories range from

meek, hard-working types to those of a more brutal sort.

In "Obra de Misericordia," a devoted friar is the main

character. He is called to the bedside of a dying carpenter

too late to administer the last sacrament. Pardo Bazdn des-

cribes him as follows: "Era un fraile mendicante, alto, seco,

que venia cargado de un brazado enorme de rama de eucalipto;

y con 61 entr6 una rdfaga de escencia pura, fuerte, un aire

de salud" (5, p. 34). The eucalyptus branch is obviously

symbolic of the Christian charity peace and compassion that

he brings with himself. Thus, upon finding the carpenter

dead, he does not worry the widow with concern over her hus-

band's dying without the sacrament. On the contrary, he sets

himself the task of assisting the living. He instructs the

woman to care for her child, and, in the meantime, he arranges

for the burial and constructs a cross to place on the tomb.

Later, he helps the woman carry the casket to the cemetery

and bury it. As he is finishing these tasks, he sees another

body brought and immediately assists the second group of mour-

ners. This last act of Christian charity is described as

follows:

Los brazos les dolfan, la respiraci6n les faltabaal cavar en el suelo endurecido, la ancha fosa.El fraile, cuando ya vi6 el ataiid d6puesto, pens6en orar. Dijo las preces, bendijo la sepulturacristiana. Luego cubri6 el atafid con los removidosterrones. Y enjugandose el sudor, ya frifo en sussienes, iba a retirarse, a tiempo que divis6 a doshombres, portadores de otra ftnebre carga. S6lo

72

que esta vez faltaba el feretro. . . . Venian losdespojos envueltos. en una manta. Y el fraile,sencillamente, suspirando de fatiga, tom6 'otra vezel azad6n . . . --Yo les ayudo, hermanos (5, p. 36).

In "La deixada" a priest goes beyond his duties when he

visits the old woman who lives by herself on a deserted island.

Everyone avoids her except :this man who comes to save her soul.

This priest, "Venia a ofrecer lo tnico que posela. Un alma

requeria su auxilio. Alli estaba 61 para ocuparse de esa

alma, que valla ma's que el pobre cuerpo roido por la enferme-

dad. Vestida de luz el alma subiria hacia su patria, el cielo,

cuando el cuerpo se rindiese" (5, p. 84).

In "Eterna ley," a priest discourses about the impossibility

of having enduring peace on this earth. He indicates that, even

if there were no wars, men's agressive nature would never allow

peace to be long lasting, and uses as an example the fist fight

that followed the local pilgrimage to Santa Tecla which resulted

in a death. He states: "Eso de la paz serd excelente, pero

mientras haya una naci6n que pida camorra, las otras estaran

al qui6n vive. Y la guerra no la hay s6lo de naci6n a naci6n.

Aqui la tenemos de parroquia a parroquia, y, si me apuran, de

mozo a mozo" (5, p. 130). "No suele acabarse la romeria de

Santa Tecla sin trompadas. Tienen a gala romperse las cabezas,

y como por lo regular son duras, a los tres dias de abierto un

craneo van como si tal cosa a arar o a sachar" (5, pp. 131-132).

When the people hear that a young boy has been killed, his only

reply is, "i--A ver ILNo valia mas que fuese en la guerra" (5,

p. 133)?

73

In "El nieto del C.id," a priest is besieged by thieves who

demand that he give them the church treasures. He replies

that he would rather die than to acquiesce, since these valu-

ables, "Son del santuario, guoniam, y antes me dejar6 tostar

los pies. . . . Pero mejor serdi que le agujereen a uno la piel

de una vez, y no que se la tuesten" (6, pp. 140-141). Although

the thieves tie him up, the priest still refuses to give them

anything. The ensuing action shows the courage of this humble

catholic martyr who dies defending what he considers his sacred

trust: "El cura mir6 alrededor, y vi6 sobre la mesa . . . el

cuchillo. . . . Con un salto de tigre se lanz6 6 asir el

arma . . . comenz6 ' defenderse ' tientas, a obscuras, sin sen-

tir los golpes, sin pensar mds que en morir noblemente, mientras

a quemarropa le acribillaban a balazos" (6, p. 145).

In "Armamento," a priest allows guns and ammunition to be

stored in the sepulcres of his church during a time of political

struggle, but he is frightened of the consequences:

La idea de la profanaci6n humedeci6 su frente consudor frio; precipitadamente hizo la sefial de lacruz. IDe aquello no podia salir cosa buena'Entre tanto, los mocetones, sin cuidarse de lasuerte que corrian los despojos del valeroso ca-ballero, acomodaban en la tumba el resto del .dep6sito--fusiles, escopetas, cartuchos, balas(7,pp. 1301-1302).

After the deed is done, the priest begins to think of the punish-

ment for suchanact. Finally the burden of this guilt forces himto

flee: "En arranque repentino y febril, meti6 ropa en el cofre. . .mont6

74

en la yegua . . . y el primer vapor de emigrantes que sali6

de la linda bahfa acogi6 en su seno a un hombre que iba

huyendo de un altar de un sepulcro" (7, p. 1302).

"La capitana" is based on the misdeeds of a band of out-

laws who victimize clergymen. Consequently, priests in the

area do not venture out alone after dark. A courageous priest,

however, refuses to be intimidated by the thieves' reputation

and rides out into the countryside one night. He is eventually

attacked by the female leader of the gang, whom he slays in

the battle. This act shows the predominance of instinct over

mind or morals. As a man, the priest had been enjoined to

protect women; as a priest, he was enjoined not to kill, yet

the instinct of survival overpowered all these convictions in

true naturalistic fashion. The author explains:

No fu6 61, no fu6 su raz6n; fu6 el puro instintoel que gui6 su mano derecha en busca del cuchillooculto en el pecho. Y mientras la Loba reia contorpes carcajadas del espectaculo del cura sacandola lengua, a tientas la mano impuls6 el arma. Laterrible argolla de las manos de la capitana seabri6 y ella cay6 hacia atris con el pecho atrave-sado (7, p. 1304).

Caciques

The cacique is the local political boss in Spain. In Pardo

Bazdn's short stories, the cacique is pictured as being violent,

pitiless and power hungry. The rise of these caciques as

social institutions is explained by this writer in her short

story "Viernes Santo". The narrator of the story explains:

75

A veces me ponia 6 discurrir, y decfa para mi sotana:este rayo de hombre, Zen qu6 consiste que se nos hamontado a todos encima, y por fuerza hemos de vivirsbditos de 61, haciendo cuanto se le antoja, pidi6ndo-le permiso hasta para respirar? ZQui6n le instituy6duefio de nuestras vidas y haciendas? ZNo hay leyes?INo hay tribunales de justicia? --Pero, mire usted:todo eso de leyes es nada mds que conversacion. Losmagistrados, suponiendo que sean justificadisimos,estan lejos, y el cacique cerca. El Gobierno nece-sita tener asegurada la mecainica de las elecciones,y al que les amasa los votos le entregan desde Madridla comarca en feudo (6, pp. 200-201).

The same character explains that Lobeiro, the cacique, began,

by taking a few liberties, and when he received no opposition

he began to to take more. He says: "Y repare usted lo que

sucedia con Lobeiro: hoy hace una picardia, y le obedecen

como uno; mafiana hace diez, y ya le rinden acatamiento como

diez; al otro dia un mill6n, y como un mill6n se impone" (6,

p. 202). Even though the majority of his subjects hate him,

no one ever dares to speak out against the cacique. The author

states, "Enemigos, a miles se le podian contar; y, sin embargo,

como el hombre se mantenia agachado, nadie se metia con 61,

temeroso de despertar 5 la fiera" (6, p. 210). An example of

his unfair rule is the confiscation of the property of others.

He achieves this result by threatening with imprisonment those

who do not comply. One poor man tells the narrator, "El cuxiflo

es para ese condenado de Lobeiro, que me lo mand6 a pedir, y

si no se lo entrego me arruina, acaba conmigo, y hasta muero

avergonzado en la circel" (6, p. 202).

76

Pardo Bazan describes this ruthless individual as follows:

Pues volviendo al caso, Lobeiro, asi para el tratode la conversaci6n, era un hombre antipa'tico, depocas palabras, que cuando se vela comprometido sereia regafiando los dientes, muy callado, mirando detrav6s. No se fle usted nunca del que no rne franconi mira derecho: muy mala sefial. La cara suya pare-cia el Pico Medelo, que siempre anda embozado enbr6temas (6, p. 201).

The cAcique's ruthlessness is made evident when a daring young

man speaks out against Lobeiro and disappears. Later, the

villagers find his battered body. With naturalistic detail

Pardo Bazdn speculates on the hideousness of this murder.

Debfan de haberle atormentado mucho tiempo, porqueestaba el cuerpo hecho una pura llaga: a mi se ie fi-gura que lo azotaron con cuerdas, 6 que lo tundierona varazos: las sefnales eran a modo de rayas 6 ver-dugones en el pellejo. Para acabarlo,le dieron uncorte asi, en la garganta. El rostro, desfiguradi-simo; s6lo una madre-- ipobre sefiora! --reconoce yse determina a besar un rostro semejante (6, p. 208).

In "Ardid de guerra," the cacique and his brother are

running for the same public office. So ruthless is the former,

that through his friends he threatened his own mother in order

to force her to vote for him. The narrator says: "iYa empezaban

a surtir efecto los 'avisos' an6nimos! Dos habia escrito.

. . . Si la seftora no daba los votos a su hijo don Julidn, que

se atuviese a las consecuencias: la noche menos pensada . .

el pazo saltarfa por los aires" (7, p. 1297).

"La ganadera" is about a community of people who purposely

lead ships to the stony shores of their village so that they

can pillage the remains of the ship. The leader of the ganadera,

or pillaging bout, is the cacigue who sells in another town

77

the merchandise taken from the ships. Pardo Bazin explains,

"El alcalde era la persona influyente, el cacique; 61 vendia

alld, en la capital, los frutos de la 'ganadera', y estaba,

segtn fama, achinado de dinero"(5, p. 192).

The village priest tries to stop this inhuman deed and

pleads with the villagers. However, the caciue, showing his

disrespect for any power other than his own, strikes the priest

and causes the mob to riot and assassinate. Thus, Pardo Bazan

pits the forces of instinct, represented by the cacique who

appeals to men's greed, against the forces of the spirit, as

represented by the priest. The latter are defeated. Again

the naturalistic philosophy of the novelist is manifest: "Pero

el alcalde, vigilante, empedernido, fu6 el primero que desvi6

al cura, blandiendo el garrote, profiriendo imprecaciones . . .

Y la multitud sigui6 el impulso, y se defendi6, ciega, en la

confusion del instinto, en la furia del desenfreno pasional" (5,

pp. 193-194).

Social Outcasts

Beggars and thieves are two types of social outcasts that

populate Pardo Bazan's rural short stories. The beggar in

Galicia is not presented as a despicable character, but rather

as a part of the landscape. Thieves, however, are portrayed

as brutal, violent criminals.

The story "Siglo XIII" deals with the subject of beggars

and their habits. The narrator discusses where beggars find

78

shelter:

Y. . . la verdad es que no sabia hacia qu partecae esa posada de los pobres. En el primer momentocrei :que era el cielo raso, el diamantino pabe'1l6nde estrellas que Dios extiende gratis sobre el mundo;despu6s calcul6 que antes ser. a cualquier alpendre,

cualquier pajar que los dos mendigos encontrasen. A

estos bergantes, ya se sabe, les viene bien todo:aqui caen: aqui se agarran; no hay garrapata m.s malade desprender que ellos. El cubil ruinoso y hediondodel cerdo, el tibio establo de la vaca, el h6rreo vacfo,la choza en construcci6n, excelentes para una noche.Los aldeanos, con bastante frecuencia, en invierno

les permiten acostarse a la vera del hogar, al amor del

rescoldo que se extingue. Las 6nicas puertas que no se

abren para el vagabundo son las de los ricos . . . Alliya no llaman (5, pp. 126127).

In the story "La cruz negra," the author attempts to ex-

plain the wandering nature of .beggars, although her main

character remains stationary because of old age and blindness:

Raro es el mendigo que no tiene instintos de vaga-bundo.. Moverse, trasladarse, es g6nero de libertad,y los pobres estiman mucho el sumo bien de ser libres.Hasta los semihombres que carecen de piernas lagar-

tean velozmente sobre las manos; hasta los paraliticos,en un carro, se hacen zarandear. Una inquietud, un

gigantesco espiritu aventurero suele hurgar y escara-

bajear a los mendigos. La de la encrucijada, por elcontrario, pertenecia al ntmero de los que se pegan,como el liquen, a las piedras, o como el insecto alrinc6n sombrio donde no lo persigue nadie. Dosrazones podrian explicar su caricter estadizo: teniamas de ochenta afnos y no tenia ojos (7, p. 1292).

A naturalistic description of this beggar shows that she is a

wrinkled hulk of a woman, with red holes for eyes and a face

creased by many wrinkles. Pardo Bazdn states:

No agradaba mirar de cerca los agujeros rojos queel pafuelo de algod6n cubria, disimulando tambi6nen lo posible el resto de la cara; plegada por mil

arrugas y bajo cuyo pergamino . . . se adivinabaexactamente la forma de la calavera. Las manos . .eran un haz de sarmientos, y negruzcas, temblonas,

79

ya no aferraban el.paraguas. . . . El cuerpo ca-rec lade forma (7,, pp. 1292-1293) .

Her blindness makes it difficult for her to catch the coins

that people dropped for her. Because, "Se necesitaba gran

destreza para arrojarle una moneda que recibiese, y lo mas

acertado era tomar la resoluci6n de apearse y colocarsela

en la mano. Si la moneda cala entre el polvo o en las zar-

zas, perdida para la mendiga infaliblemente" (7, p. 1293).

A popular character in "Siglo XIII" is tio Amaro, another

blind beggar ifho entertains the guests at weddings and other

celebrations. The author explains: "Goza de gran popularidad

este ciego. . . . le conocen y solicitan en veinte leguas a

redonda para todas las fiestas, holgorios, bodas y romerias,

donde su zanfona y sus cantares son complemento obligado del

recocijo de la gente aldeana" (5, p. 126).

Whereas beggars are presented in Pardo Bazan's stories

in all their deformity and misery, thieves are presented in

terms of their deeds of violence. The reader is not spared

the unsavory details of tortures, maimings and murders.

An example of this is found in "Inu'til" where the violence

and hideous behavior of criminals of this type aredescribed.

These thieves are after a hidden treasure, but, when Carmelo

refuses to tell them where it is, they push both of his hands

in the fire. Thus, "Desviaron las mds pr6ximas, y arrodillan-

do a Carmelo de un empuj6n, le apoyaron ambas manos en la

brasa. Un alarido de salvaje dolor subi6 al cielo (7, p. 1300).

Later, they continue to torture him: "Y despacio, con rabia

80

fria, le extendieron las palmas sobre el brasero, avivado por

llamitas cortas, en que se evaporaba la resina del pino. Cru-

jian, desnudandose de piel y tegumento, los secos huesos, al

tostarse, y el cuerpo, inerte ya, no se revolvia" (7, p. 1300).

Finally, they realize they will not be able to get the treasure,

and they kick his body farther into the fire: "De un puntapi

le empujaron mas adentro del hogar. La llama prendi6 en la

ropa y en el pelo canoso. No hizo un movimiento. Ardia mejor

que la yesca y la madera apolillada" (7, p. 1300).

Like the thieves cited above, those in "Nieto del Cid" use

the threat of burning the victim's hands in the fire in an

attempt to rob him of his treasures. They tell the Victim:

"Le vamos ' freir 6 usted los dedos en aceite del que usted

no ech6. La vamos a sentar en las brasas" (6, pp. 144-145).

They torture him until he dies leaving his body terribly deformed.

The narrator then states, ". . . me asegur6 que el cadaver de

6ste no tenia forma humana, segiin qued6 de agujereado, magu-

llado y contuso" (6, p. 145).

Again in search of treasure the thieves in "Nuestro Seflor

de las barbas" torture their victim. Pardo Bazan describes

the ordeal with naturalistic detail: ". . . le ataron, y con

amenazas y por ultimo refinados tormentos, echdndole aceite

hirviendo en la planta de los pies y sobre el vientre desnudo,

le obligaron 6 que revelase el escondrijo" (6, p. 254). Then,

"Como ya no quedaba sino lo encerrado en la cueva, al hincarle

lancetas de cafias entre las ufias, resolvi6se don Gelasio,

81

moribundo de dolor, 6 :guiar alli d los ladrones t (6, p. 255).

The thieves, hearing dogs: barking, decide to kill their vic-

tim: "T los ladrones, :que temian ser sorprendidos porque los

perros ladraban, apoyaron en la sien de Gelasio el cafion de

una carabina,dispararon"(6, p. 255).

A Naturalistic View of Life

Pardo Bazdn's stories are flavored with naturalism. One

aspect of naturalism, pessimism, is especially evident in her

treatment of the indiano, and of Galician family life.

As seen in Pardo Bazain's short stories, the indiano or

Spaniard who goes to America and returns to Spain, is always

disappointed upon returning home. In the book Spain ad

Portugal there is an explanation of the Galician indiano who

goes away from home to earn his fortune and returns home to

change his life: "Whether he goes to Castile or America,

Madrid or Lisbon, his sole concern is to reap a fortune and

return to his native village to restore his father's house or,

if he is rich enough, construct the village steeple or even

build a luxurious home with a view of the sea" (3, p. 174).

In "El tetrarca en la aldea," the indiano's feelings upon

returning home are analyzed as he speculates on how his family

will react to his apparent wealth: "Si en su casa todo marchaba

en orden, imagnifica sorpresa la de verle llegar tan bien por-

tado y hasta con su cadena de oro de tres vueltas! Y si habfa

alld choyo . . . imagnifica sorpresa tambi6n" (6, pp. 219-220)'

82

When he reaches his old: home he glances in the window to find

his wife looking very healthy, nursing a baby. He notices the

improvements since he left:

Antes de que 61 se marchase, eran alli descono-cidos los lujos de colchones, colhas, cunas, mesas,sillas, armarios y buen quinqu6 de petr6leo; nuncaSabel habia vestido de lana rasa como entonces, ni

calzado rico borceguI de becerro, ni usado tan finas

ropas como las que se entreparecian al trav6s del

justillo aun desabrochado (6, p. 223).

The trials of another indiano are described in "El vidrio

roto." At the age of fifteen Goros, the main character, sneaks

aboard a ship bound for America. Once he makes his fortune,

he sends money home for his parents to repair their old house,

especially the broken window in his room. Goros decides to

come home without telling anyone. But upon reaching the old

house he can not believe his eyes, for nothing had changed.

Pardo Bazan elaborates:

Al avistar el sitio sofado, dud6 de sus ojos...

Porque la fe tiene esta rara virtud: creemos quees 1o ge debia ser, y descreemos de la evidencia.. . . Alli estaba la casa, alli, pero identica a

como don Gregorio la habia dejado al marchar: elmismo mont6n de esti6rcol a la puerta, el mismo

charco infecto que las lluvias hablian saturado del

hediondo pur6 del estercolero, iguales carcomidaspuertas despintadas, igual fachada de tierra y pi-zarra donde las parietarias crecian (5, pp. 156-157).

The expectations of the indiano were shattered. He had

hoped that the money he had sent would have inspired his family

to repair the house, not just the broken window. But they are

victims of their environment and do not know how to change

their manner of living. Since he has changed, since he has

83

fought and escaped the fate that this same environment had

decreed for him, he now feels that he must go away forever.

However, "en la aldea de Santa Morna no saben por qu6 el

indiano se fu6 tan cabizbajo y tan cariacontecido, cuando su

madre, segtin ella repite,' le habia complacido en casi todo" (5,

p. 157).

In the story "Barbastro" a man named Barbastro goes to

America early in life and returns home in order to fulfill

his dream. Barbastro "Liquid6 su caudal, lo impuso en fondos

europeos, y se vino a su tierra, deseoso de realizar dos en-

suefios: construiruna casa de campo nunca vista y desposarse

con una muchacha sin bienes, pero linda y virtuosa" (6, p. 235).

He encounters a problem in trying to purchase the land on which

he wants to build his dream house. This land belongs to an

ugly, ill-mannered woman. She says that he can buy her land

only if he will take her as his wife. Finally, he gives in

and marries her in order to fulfill his dream. However, his

wife controls him and drinks all day while he spends his time

showing his beautiful house to all who wish to admire it. In

pessimistic tones the author concludes:

Ella, la Domingona, ha vencido en la lucha; hacelo que quiere, le tiene bajo el zapato; se pasala vida echando traguetes de licor, y merendandoy jugando a la brisca con las doncellas y el co-chero; y 61,para consolarse de su atroz mujer,ensefia a todo el mundo las bellezas de su amada,de su verdadera novia . . . que es la quinta (6,p. 237).

An indiano in "Contra treta" returns home with the hope of

eloping with a former girlfriend who is now married. His plans

84

were: " . . . iiba a viajar cuidado por Cunchifia, y la tendrIa

a su lado, atendi6ndole s6lo a 61, limpidndole el sudor de la

angustia gstrica con su pafnuelo de lienzo, que olla a man-

zanas camuesas" 5, p. 145)! However, Cunchifia and her hus-

band kill him and run away with his money. As recounted: "En

breve escena violenta, ayudando Cunchina, con vigor no suponible

en sus brazos m6rbidos, el indiano qued6 amarrado a la cama

por fuertes sogas, amordazado, tapado con sus ropas, asfixian-

dose. Martiflo se apoder6 de los billetes del barco, de la

cartera, del reloj, de las mantas, de cuanto valfa" (5, p. 145).

One can see by these illustrations that in Pardo Bazan's

short stories the expectations of the returning indianos are

always frustrated by the harsh realities of the backward en-

vironment that they had previously abandoned. They are powerless

to change their much longed-for Galicia to the extent that they

themselves have changed.

Happiness and contentment are virtually nonexistent in the

Galician family, where sheer survival is a problem. Because

most poor Galicians own no land, they find it difficult to

support all of the children in the family. Consequently, the

children are often put to work at a young age. For example,

in the story "Entre humo," a young boy has to work for a woman

in exchange for his room and board. At the beginning of the

story the protagonist explains:

A pocos dias de residir en el poblach6n de la

montafia donde me confinaba mi carrera y la

necesidad de empezar a formarme un porvenir

85

--eramos seis hermanos, y mis padres tenfan loestricto y nada mds- ., empezaron a hablarme de

mi patrona a medias palabras reticentes. Paracombinar un arreglo. econ6mico, mi madre hablaescrito a aquella mujer, de quien supo por re*'

ferencias, para que ne cediese habitaciones yguiase mi pitanza (5, p. 48).

In "Planta months," a similar situation occurs. Julidn

offers the services of a young boy in his family to a city

family in exchange for payment of the rent on his place. The

narrator states:

Comprendimos que el tio Julidn venia animado delfirme prop6sito de vendernos su mozo a truequede la renta del lugar, reconstruccion de moraday dinero para unos bueyes 9 parecia, que contabale sacasen de apuros. En arras de este contratotacito, ofreci6nos dos empedernidos quesos, cuatroonzas de rancia manteca, y hasta media hanega decastafnas gordas (6, p. 156).

When the harshness of circumstances cannot be overcome

by finding employment for the children of poor families, the

fathers are forced to migrate. Such is the case of the father

in "El tetrarca en la aldea" who, in order to support his

family, migrates to America. In America, he hopes to make

enough money so that his wife and children will not go hungry.

The author states that: "El tio Marcos Loureiro emigr6 porque

no podia sobrellevar el peso de las contribuciones, ni sostener

con su labor agricola a la mujer y a los tres rapaciftos" (6,

p. 218).

Perhaps because of the poverty of the Galician people, the

children in "La cruz negra" are forced to steal. When people

threw offerings at the blind beggar woman and she could not

86

see the offerings to pick them up, the little children quickly

gathered up what they could, while their mothers chided them.

Si la moneda cafa entre el polvo o en las zarzas,

perdida para la mendiga infaliblemente. La apro-vecharfan los golfitos de la aldea. . . . Estosgorriones sol'an comerse el grano de trigo ofre-cido a la mendiga, a no ser que, vi6ndolos susmadres, les gritasen indignadas, prontas alestreg6n de orejas: -aiTeney verguenza! Soltaylos cuartos! jEso es de la malpocada (7, p. 1293)!

Young girls in Pardo Bazdn'-s short stories are usually

unfortunate and have to look forward to a life of hard work,

or, as many do, have their lives come to an early, tragic end.

In "Accidente" a young one-eyed girl has a job digging

ditches. Since there were twelve in the family, she, being

the oldest, must work. While eating lunch with the other

workers, she tells them of her situation.

--En casa eramos doce--corrobora la tuerta, contono de indefinible vanidad--, y mi madre baldada,y yo cuidando de la patulea, porque full la masgrande. . . . Peleaba con ellos desde l'amanecere.A fe, mds quiero arrancar terrones. Habia un chi-quillo de siete affos que era el pecado. Estandoya dormida me meti6 un palo de punta por este ojoy meloech6 fuera(7, p. 1294) .

Her life has been full of trials, and, since she has to take

on such a hard job, there seems to be little hope for a brigh-

ter future for this Galician girl.

Another young girl whose hopes for the future are dashed

is Ildara in "Las medias rojas." When her father notices that

she has bought some red-stockings he becomes angry and beats

her. The ferocious beating is described as follows:

Ildara, apretando los dientes por no gritar de

dolor, se defendia la cara con las manos. Era

87

siempre su temor de mocifa guapa y requebrada, queel padre "La mancase". . . . Y tanto mas defendfasu belleza, hoy que se acercaba el momento de fundaren ella un suefio de porvenir. Cumplida la mayor edad,libre de la autoridad paterna, la esperaba el barco,en cuyas entrafias -tantos de su parroquia y de lasparroquias circunvecinas se habilan ido hacia.lasuerte, hacia lo desconocido de los lejanos paisesdonde el oro rueda por las calles y no hay que bajar-se para cogerlo (5,- p. 12).

As a result of the beating, she is left with only one eye and

is no longer eligible to go to America since she is not in

perfect physical condition. She is now doomed to a life of

servitude under her father's iron hand.

In "El pafuelo," a girl who is only twelve years old be-

comes an orphan. Out of necessity she begins to work as a

servant. In order to eat, she must tend to neighbors' fires,

cows, and children. Pardo Bazdn explains that:

Era temprano para ganarse el pan en la pr6ximavilla de Marineda; tarde para que nadie la re-cogiese. iDoce anos! . . . Ahora que no habiacasa, faltando el que trala a ella la comida yel dinero para pagar la renta, Cipriana se de-dic6 a servir. Por una taza de caldo, por unpufado de paja de maiz que sirviese de lecho,por unas tejas, y sobre todo, por un poco decalor de compafia, la chiquilla cuidaba de lalumbre ajena, lindaba las vacas ajenas, teni aen el colo toda la tarde un mam6n ajeno, can-tandole y divirtiendole, para que esperase sinimpaciencia el regreso de la madre (5, pp. 56-57).

Whenever she has any spare time, Cipriana goes to the beach to

gather fish to sell in order to have enough money to buy a

handkerchief: "Cuando Cipriano disponia de un par de horas,

se iba a la playa. . . . recogia mariscada, cangrejos . . . y

venia su recoleccion por una o. dos perrilas. . . . En un

andrajo envolvfa su tesoro y lo llevaba siempre en el seno.

88

Aquello era para mercar un pai'uelo de la cabeza".C5, p. 57).

The handkerchief is important to her since "El pafluelo es la

gala de las mocitas en la aldea, su lujo, su victoria. Lucir

un pafiuelo majo, de colorines el dia de la fiesta; un pafiuelo

de seda azul y naranja . . . Qu6 no hard la chicuela por con-

seguirlo" (5, p. 57)? But one day as she ventures out to

gather fish to sell, the waves overpower her, and her young

life is quickly snuffed out.

The life of a young girl born on the seashore is the

topic of "La Camarona." Her playthings were sea animals; she

never went to school because her life belonged to the sea.

The author states:

Los juguetes de la nifia fueron navajas, almejasy berberechos, desenterrados en el arenal cuandose retiraba la marea.,. . . A la escuela, ni in-tertaron llevarla, ni ella iria sino entre civiles;a la iglesia si que solia asistir, porque la gentepescadora ve tan a' menudo cerca la muerte, que seacuerda mucho de Dios y le siente mejor que loslabriegos y que los sefores (6, p. 194).

In this story the author, exalting the virtues of nature, shows

the reader a picture of the young healthy girl who lives by

the sea. Pardo Bazan pictures her with a basket of sardines

on her head wearing a short skirt of green baize. Poetically

she writes:

Imaginadla joh pintores! con su cesta de sardinasen equilibrio sobre la cabeza; su saya corta de

bayeta verde, que en.las caderas forma un rollo;sus agiles y rectas piernas desnudas; su gran bocabermeja, como una herida en un coral; sus dientesblancos y lisos a manera de guijas que las olasrodaron; sus negros ojos pestan-ados, francos, lu-minosos; su tez de dgata brufnida por el sol y la

89

brisa de los mares.- La salud y la fuer za rebrillabanen sus facciones y se delataban ' cada movimiento de

su duro cuerpo virginal (6, p. 196).

When her parents try to persuade her to marry a rich boy who

has fallen in love with her, she replies that she would die

if she stayed away from the sea. She says, "Camarona naci

y Camarona he de morir. Otras que la echen de senoras. A

mi, si me hacen fondear en una sala, a los dos meses me en-

tierran" C6, p. 197). Finally, she marries a boy whom she

does not love, but one who will provide her a life by the

sea. "Ella misma se explic6 con el encogido de Tomds, que

no le gustaba ni pizca, pero que al fin era cosa de mar, un

pescador como ella, empapado en agua salobre y curtido por el

aire marino, que trae en sus ondas vida y vigor. Y se casaron,

y la pareja de gaviotas se pasa el dia en la lancha, contenta,

porque el ave le gusta su pobre nido" (6, pp. 197-198).

Here it is evident that the main character, although able

to leave an environment that keeps her in squalor, refuses to

do so. Probably, because there is a basic conflict in the

author's view of life in close contact with nature. On the

one hand, she exposes it as the catalyst for people's brutal

and instinctual behavior, on the other hand she seems enamoured

with the physical beauty of the landscape.

The Galician boy, like the Galician girl, has a difficult

life. Many have to go to work very young to help support the

family, while others have to help around the house. The story

"Accidente" concerns a thirteenyear-old boy who is working

90

for the first day. His weekly salary will go to his family

who needs it to live. Pardo Bazdn explains that ". . . un

real diario parece poca cosa, pero al cabo de la seimana son

iseis reales!, y la madre le ha dicho que los espera, que le

hacen mucha falta" '(7, p. 1294). Unfortunately, the boy never

lives to receive his wages because he is killed by a landslide

on his first day of work.

Even more tragic is the fate of the children in "Respon-

sable." In this story a young boy is left in charge of the

other children while his mother goes to the market. He takes

care of his two brothers, makes the fire for the soup, and

after they have eaten, puts them to bed. After he is assured

that they are asleep he sneaks out of the house to dream about

his father who is dead and was allegedly rich. The awesome

responsibilities of this child are touchingly outlined by the

writer as follows:

El mayorcito, de cinco a-nos, en camisa rota, depie, miraba a la menor absorto, meti6ndose elpulgar en la boca rosada y sucia. Cirilo rin-6,salv6 a la traviesa, receb6 la lumbre y corri6 aordenar la vaca, para dar a los chicos buenas sopasde leche con pan de ma*lz desmigajado. Estos menes-teres piden tiempo. Asi que atrac6 de sopas a losrapaces y les vi6 con el vientre tenso, redondo, lesarrul16: les acost6 juntos sobre un lecho de poma,hojas de malz seco, con las cuales rellenan en elpais los jergones. Aguard6 impaciente hasta que larespiracifn igual y dulce de las criaturas le indic6que por una hora, al menos, no necesitaban vigilancia;rebaAo el puchero de las sopas, y despacio, hundidaslas manos, a falta de bolsillos, en la cintura delastroso panta.16n, se meti6 por los sembrados hacia elh6rreo: de la senora Eufemia (5, p.: 152).

Suddenly, he is awakened from his dream by the 'smell of smoke.

He discovers that their hut is on fire. Knowing that he is

91

responsible for the situation, he decides that the best thing

for him to do is to die with the others, and he walks into

the burning hut to accept his punishment.

In the portrayal of .the Galician people Pardo Bazdn's

naturalistic pessimism is more evident than in her descriptions

of customs or landscape. Her characters are stifled and often

shattered by living conditions. The environment weighs heavily

upon them, bringing forth the more despicable aspects of human

behavior. In spite of this, she succeeds in probing the soul

of her countrymen and giving them life in her short stories.

CHAPTER BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Baquero Goyanes, Mariano, El cuento espanol en el sigloXIX, Madrid, Talleres GrTicos, 1949.

2. Bates, Katharine Lee, 'Spanish Highays 'and 'Byeways, NewYork, The Macmillan Company, 1900.

3. Ogrizek, Dor6, Spain _and 'Prttgal, New York, McGraw HillPublishing Company Ltd., 1953.

4. Palencia y Alvarez Tubau, Ceferino, E'spafna vis'to p los

espanoles, M6xico, D.F., Almendros y Vila, Editores, S.A.,1947.

5. Pardo Bazdn, Emilia,' 'Cuentos de la tierra, Buenos Aires,Emec6 Editores, S.A., 1940.

6. Pardo Bazdn, Emilia, Un destripador de antanlo, Madrid,V. Prieto y Companiia, Editores, 19

7. Pardo Bazan, Emilia, 'Obras cotpetas, 3rd ed., Vol. II,Madrid, Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

8. Pattison, Walter T.,' Emilia Pardo Baz'.n, New York, TwaynePublishers, Inc., 1971.

9. Peers, E. Allison, Spa4n--A 'Companion to Spanish Studies,London, Methuen and Company Ltd.,196.

10. Phillips, Henry Albert, Meet the Spaniards, Philadelphia,J.B. Lippincott Company, 1931.

92

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

In Emilia Pardo Bazan's rural short stories there is a

conflict in her views oflife in Galicia. She presents the land-

scape almost idealistically, the customs and daily life with

the realism of a costumbrista,and her characters with the

pessimism of a naturalist.

In "La gallega" there is a passage describing the landscape

of Galicia as a paradise on earth with fertile valleys, many

streams, trees, and granite mountains. A view of the Galician

countryside after a thunderstorm given in "Un destripador de

antaflo" allows the reader to sense the pleasant sights and

odors of the setting. In "Barbastro," the environs of a man-

sion are described as having beautiful trees, flowers, fountains,

and statues. Two descriptions of an estate are given in "La

Deixada." The first one tells of how it was many years ago

with beautiful staircases,symmetrical gardens, tapestries, and

flowers. The second description tells of its present state of

disrepair with its overgrown gardens, its mansion that no longer

has a roof, and its inhabitants that are rabbits. There is a

noticeable difference in the treatment of these two descrip-

tions. The first is almost idealistic where as the second is

very naturalistic. When describing the dwellings of the

peasants such as the one in "La gallega," Pardo Bazdn uses

94

tendencies of naturalism. Since these houses are associated

with the characters that :she treats in a naturalistic fashion,

this naturalism carries over into her descriptions of shacks

with dirt floors and leaky thatched roofs where the people and

animals live in close proximity.

More realistically described than either the characters

or the landscape are the customs observed by the Galicians.

In "Cuesta abajo" Pardo Bazdn presents the proceedings of a

typical cattle fair where even the women participate in the

disputes over prices. The popular peasant stew, the p gallego,

is mentioned in many stories. In "La Mayorazga de Bouzas" and

in "Vampiro" Pardo Bazan explains the arrangement of marriages,

the wedding feast, and the charivari. The activities involved

in religious celebrations are described in "El tltimo baile,"

"Lumbrarada," "Viernes santo," and "La soledad."

The characters, in close contact with nature, are brutal

and instinctual beings. Examples of this brutal, naturalistic

behavior are shown in "En silencio," "La Mayorazgade Bouzas"

"La hoz," "Intitil," "Nuestro Sefnor de las Barbas," "La Ganadera,"

and "Las medias rojas." A man in "En silencio" kills his wife

because he fears that she has been unfaithful, while a wife in

"La Mayorazga de Bouzas" cuts off the ears of her husband's

lover. A girl plans to kill her boyfriend's new girlfriend in

"La hoz." Thieves in "Infitil" and "Nuestro Senior de las Barbas"

torture their victims by burning parts of their bodies and by

driving pieces of cane under the victim's fingernails. The

95

characters in "La Ganadera" purposely wreck ships in order to

steal any items of value; f'rom the passengers or cargo. The

father in "Las imedias rojas,'" in a fit of anger, beats his

daughter until she loses an eye.

The main character in "La cruz negra,'' a blind beggar

woman, is described minutely and naturalistically. Tragedy

marks "El pafinuelo" and "Responsable." In the former story

an orphan girl who must work is killed at the seashore while

looking for fish to sell in order to buy herself a handker-

chief. A boy in the latter story is responsible for his

younger brothers and sisters. He leaves them for a few minutes

in which time their house catches on fire. He returns to the

burning shack and enters it to accept his fate.

Although Pardo Bazan classified herself as a realist, her

rural short stories also contain elements of idealism and natu-

ralism.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baquero Goyanes, Mariano, El cuento espafnol en el 'siglo XIX,Madrid, Talleres Grdficos, 1949.

Barja, C6sar, Libros y autores' modernos, Battleboro, VermontPrinting Company, 1933.

Bates, Katharine Lee, Spanish Highways and Byeways, New YorkThe Macmillan Company, 1900.

Bensusan, S.L., Home Life 'in Spain, London, Methuen and Com-pany Ltd., 1910.

Casas Gaspar, Enrique, Costumbres espafioles, Madrid, EditorialEscelicer S.L., 1947.

Casona, Alejandro, La dama del alba, edited by Juan Rodriguez-Castellano, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1947.

Correa Calder6n, E., "El costumbrismo, germen de la novelarealista," Costumbristas espafioles, Vol. I, Madrid,Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1940.

Diez-Echarri, Emiliano and Jos6 Maria Franquesa, Historiade la literatura espaflla e hispanoamericana, Madrid,Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1968.

Feibleman, Peter S., The Cooking of Spain and Portugal, NewYork, Time-Life Wi6iUks, 1969.

G6mez-Baquero, Eduardo, De Gallardo a Unamuno, Madrid, EditorialMundo Latino, 1926.

Gonzdlez L6pez, Emilio, Emilia Pardo Baz-.n, Novelista de Galicia,New York, Hispanic Institute, 1944.

Martin, Elvira, Tres Mujeres Gallegas del Siglo XIX, Barcelona,Editorial Aedos, 1962.

Merim6e, Ernest, A History of Spanish Literature, New York,Henry Holt and Company, 1930.

Morton, H.V., A Stranger in Spain, London, Methuen and Company1930.

Ogrizek, Dor6, Spain and Portugal, New York, McGraw Hill Pub-lishing Company Ltd., 1953.

96

97

Osborne, Robert E., Emilia Va"rdo 'Baz.n, Su jida ysos oras,Mexico City, Ediciones de Andrea, 19'64.

Palencia y Alvarez Tubau, Ceferino, 'Esp'ada visto par 'loses 2ls, M6xicD, D.T., Almendros y Vila, Editores, S.A.,-1947.

Pardo Bazdn, Emilia, Cuentos de la tier'ra, Buenos Aires, Emec6Editores, S.A., 1940.

Pardo Bazan, Emilia, Uides'Tiador de antafi, Madrid, V. Prietoy Compania, Editores, 190.

Pardo Bazadn, Emilia, 'Obras' 'c'o'mpl'e'tas, 3rd ed., Vol. I., Madrid,Aguilar, S.A. deEiciones, 1957.

Pardo Bazan, Emilia,' Obras 'completas, 3rd ed., Vol. II, Madrid,Aguilar, S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

Pattison, Walter,' Emilia Parda Bazan, New York, Twayne Pub-lishing, Inc., 1971.

Peers, E. Allison,' Spain-"'-A Companion to Spanish Studies,London, Methuen and Company Ltd., 1956.

Perrier, J.L., History of 'Spanish Literature, New York, J.L.Perrier, Editor, 1925.

Phillips, Henry Albert, Meet 'thSpaiards, Philadelphia,J.B. Lippincott Company, 1931.

Sainz de Robles, Federico Carlos, "Pr60lgo," Obras completas,3rd ed., Vol. I, by Emilia Pardo Baza'n, Madrid, Aguilar,S.A. de Ediciones, 1957.

Sainz de Robles, Federico Carlos, "Su obra," Obras comletas,3rd ed., Vol. I, by Emilia Pardo Bazdn, Madr1i"d,7AguiiTar,SA. de Ediciones, 1957.