Episodios nacionales

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Episodios nacionales ( National Episodes ) are a multi-volume series of mostly historical novels by the Spanish author Benito Pérez Galdós (1843–1920), in which the society and the political history of Spain in the 19th century are described.

Cover of Trafalgar (Hernando edition, Madrid, 1934), the first volume of the First Series (in the colors of the flag of the Second Spanish Republic (1931-1939))

The forty-six volumes of the unfinished Episodios nacionales appeared in the years 1873–1912. The whole consists of five series : four cycles of ten novels each and an unfinished fifth of only six books. They begin with the Battle of Trafalgar and end in 1874, the year of the fall of the Liberals and the First Spanish Republic . With his complete works comprising more than a hundred titles, the author is considered to be the founder of the modern Spanish novel, and some see him on the next rank after Cervantes . He is still popular in Spain today and is known as the Spanish Dickens , Balzac or Tolstoy .

The leitmotif of the cycle was love for the fatherland. Each series of novels is dedicated to a specific historical period and has its own hero. However, the real hero who unites all "national episodes" is the Spanish people. The Episodios nacionales not only became an artistic chronicle of the political and social life of Spain in the 19th century, but also expressed the author's view of the existing social structure.

The works have often been filmed and translated.

Overview

Pérez Galdós at the age of 51 (painting by Joaquín Sorolla )

Links in the German translation of the titles are usually made to people or historical events, not to the works. The year numbers in the headings of the various series refer to the date of publication.

First series (1873–1875)

The protagonist of this first series, Gabriel Araceli, is a participant and veteran of the war with Napoleon . He tells his life story in old age.

Cover of The Court of Charles IV (Hernando edition, Madrid, 1934), the second volume of the first series
Cover of Girona (1874 edition, in the colors of the flag of the First Spanish Republic (1873–1874))

Second series (1875–1879)

The second series shows the struggle between the restored monarchy in Spain and its opponents. It begins with a description of the evacuation of French troops from Spain and tells of the events before the beginning of the Carlist War .

  • El Equipaje del Rey José. ( The equipage of King Joseph )
  • Memorias de un cortesano de 1815.
  • La Segunda Casaca.
  • El Grande Oriente.
  • 7 de Julio. ( July 7th )
  • Los Cien Mil Hijos de San Luis. ( Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis )
  • El Terror de 1824. ( The Terror of 1824 )
  • Un voluntario realista. ( A realistic volunteer )
  • Los Apostólicos.
  • Un faccioso más y algunos frailes menos.

Third series (1898–1900)

The third series shows Spain plagued by a civil war between the Carlist and the central government.

  • Zumalacárregui. ( Zumalacárregui )
  • Mendizábal. ( Mendizábal )
  • De Oñate a La Granja. ( From Oñati to La Granja )
  • Luchana.
  • La campaña del Maestrazgo. (German 1902 as The Novel of a Nun )
  • La estafeta romántica.
  • Vergara.
  • Montes de Oca.
  • Los Ayacuchos.
  • Bodas reales.

Fourth series (1902–1907)

The fourth series is devoted to depicting the reign of Isabella II . In this, the author deviates from actual historical events and provides a painting of individuals and their psychology.

  • Las tormentas del 48. ( The storms of 48 )
  • Narváez. ( Narváez )
  • Los duendes de la camarilla.
  • The Revolution of Julio.
  • O'Donnell.
  • Aita Tettauen.
  • Carlos VI en la Rápita.
  • La vuelta al mundo en la Numancia.
  • Prim.
  • La de los tristes destinos.

Fifth series (1908-1912)

The fifth series is dedicated to the crisis and fall of Isabella II and the subsequent restoration of the monarchy . Pérez Galdós himself was already a contemporary of these events and could therefore rely on his own impressions.

The last novel in this series, Sagasta , remained a draft; other planned volumes are said to have been Las colonias perdidas , La reina regente y Alfonso XII .

References and footnotes

  1. ↑ Davies, Rhian. Teaching European Literature and Culture with Communication and Information Technologies: The Pérez Galdós Editions Project
  2. ↑ See e.g. B. the complete digitization under Episodios nacionales at Wikisource.
  3. ^ German under the title: Trafalgar. The adventures of Pepita González. Bastei-Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach 1997. ISBN 3-404-13858-9 .

literature

  • Hinterhäuser, Hans : The Episodios nacionales by Benito Pérez Galdós. (= Hamburg Romance Studies / B, Ibero-American Series, Volume 28). Hamburg,: Cram, de Gruyter & Co., 1961
  • Casalduero, Joaquín: Vida y obra de Galdós. Madrid: Gredos 1951, ISBN 8424905776 .
  • Gómez de la Serna, Gaspar: España en sus Episodios Nacionales. Madrid: Ediciones del Movimiento 1954.
  • Fernández Cordero, Carolina: Ideología y novela en Galdós (1901–1920) . 2014. UAM (thesis).
  • Metzler Lexikon Weltliteratur : Volume 3: N – Z, edited by Axel Ruckaberle. 2006 ( partial online view )

Web links

Wikisource: Episodios nacionales  - Sources and full texts
Commons : Episodios Nacionales  - collection of images, videos and audio files