Publication Date

7-1970

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Carol Brown, William Nolan, Joseph Velez, Paul Hatcher

Degree Program

Department of Modern Languages

Degree Type

Master of Arts

Abstract

Although certain critics have mentioned Blasco Ibáñez’s women characters in their writings, they often relegate these persons to a subordinate role relevant to the development of the plot and of the philosophy of the author. Many of the earlier critics have mentioned the importance of the setting in Blasco Ibáñez’s novels, as did James O. Swain when he wrote in 1935, “Especially in his Valencian novels, Arroz y Tartana, Flor de Mayo, La barraca, and Cañas y barro, does the setting play an important role.” As recently as 1961, Sherman Eoff has pointed out how characterization is secondary to the milieu of the people in some of Blasco Ibáñez’s early writing.

There are, nonetheless, notable women who play an important part in some of Blasco Ibáňez’s early novels. Eduardo Betoret-Paris has mentioned the significance of women in both Cañas y barro and Flor de Mayo. Doña Manuela in Arroz y tartana and Neleta in Cañas y barro are cited by Antonio Espina as being significant human portraits. M. Romera-Navarro has indicated the mastery with which Blasco Ibáñez created a particular kind of woman in Entre naranjos. Tía Picores in Flor de Mayo has been called a strong and dominant character. Still another woman has been singled out for the complexity of her character in Blasco Ibáñez’s La Maja Desnuda.

In recognition of the fact that some women do play an important role in some of Blasco Ibáñez’s earlier novels, this investigation seeks to reveal certain aspects of a particular kind of woman – the dominative woman. In order to present some of the significance of the dominative woman, an examination of portions of the life and philosophy of Blasco Ibáñez will be made. In addition, Arroz y Tartana, Flor de Mayo, Entre naranjos, Cañas y barro and La Maja Desnuda will be studied in order to illustrate Blasco Ibáñez’s presentation of the dominative woman, her characteristics, imagery related to her, and her roles in these works as they relate to aspects of the author’s life and philosophy.

Disciplines

Arts and Humanities | European Languages and Societies | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature | Spanish Literature

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