La crisis existencial en dos obras de Leopoldo Alas: La Regenta y Su Unico Hijo

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation is to study the existential crisis of Leopoldo Alas (Clarin) as reflected in his two main prose works, La Regenta and Su unico hijo. I have limited myself only to these two works because this crisis is more fully developed in these longer novels. However, the same theme can also be found in some of his short stories such as Supercheria, Dona Berta and Cambio de luz, among others. I have not included in my discussion any mention of Clarin's critical works, included in the series Solos and Paliques, because the focus of these works is not within the scope and limited length of my topic of investigation. This undertaking is the study of the duality of Clarin's existential crisis dealing on the one hand with the loss of religious faith, exemplified by the character Ana Ozores. On the other hand this study analyzes the search for the fulfillment of personal identity through the various manifestations of human love, as seen in Ana Ozores, don Fermin, Bonifacio Reyes and Serafina. My first chapter covers the biographical data of Leopoldo Alas "Clarin", his works and ideological development. The following chapter deals with the religious and aesthetic aspects of the aforementioned ideological crisis focusing in detail on the main characters of these two novels. The third chapter is an in-depth analysis of love, be it maternal or passionate, as a justification of existence and a reason for being. My investigation shows that Clarin could not accept love in any form other than maternal-paternal as a justifiable and legitimate reason for being. Clarin proves himself to be the forerunner of Miguel de Unamuno and other authors of the so-called "generation of 98" by exerting and exalting the creed of immortality achieved through parentage.