Galdós - Amazon Web Services

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Anales galdosianos [Publicaciones periódicas]. Año XII, 1977 weighed Lázaro's exhortations, rejects them: « Ni Lázaro persuadió al público, ni éste aplaudió al orador » (p. 56). « Lázaro - idea » has been considered by the Fontana-organism and, found unacceptable, is rejected. Lázaro desired to become a cell of the organism, albeit a rather important cell located in the brain, but failed. An effective image is employed by Galdós to describe this rejection of an idea by a mind unwilling to or incapable of incorporating it. Lázaro's experience is expressed thus: « como si hubiera encendido un sol en un mundo de ciegos » (p. 56). Perhaps paradoxically, the individual (Lázaro) is saddened at not being deprived of his individuality by the group: « Bajó con el alma atribulada, oprimido el corazón... » ( ibid. ). For the nonce the personality has regained its integrity; the « hombre » and the « orador, propiamente dicho » have been reintegrated into an independent unit. Another orator ascends the platform while: « la multitud celebraba con aplausos maquinales las frases de su orador favorito... » (p. 57). The fact that the « multitud » applauds « maquinalmente » this other speaker who is classified as « favorito » even before he begins his discourse is analogous to the mind's predisposition to accept familiar ideas (« orador favorito ») while being disinclined to readily embrace new ones (Lázaro). Le Bon refers to this quality of the crowd mind: « S'il faut longtemps aux idées pour s'établir dans l'âme des foules, un temps non moins considérable leur est nécessaire pour en sortir ». 14 When the favorite speaker ends his exhortation declaring the necessity for putting into effect the demonstration prepared for the following day, the audience reacts enthusiastically: « Todos se levantaron unánimes gritando: '¡Sí' » ( ibid. ). The organic character of the group is emphasized by Galdós who qualifies its action as « unánimes ». After having rejected a new idea (Lázaro), the organism's mind reconsiders a familiar one (« orador favorito ») to which it is already favorably disposed, becomes entirely convinced (« ¡Sí! ») and prepares to act on its final decision: « Todos prometieron concurrir... » ( ibid. ). Galdós, as we have seen, considered that the organism referred to as « público » holds opinions which do not necessarily reflect those of its component parts, He has implied that those parts might well have reacted favorably to Lázaro's perorations had they considered them as individuals. One might speculate whether the reverse would hold true. Whereas the organism approves with « aplausos maquinales » the favorite speaker even before hearing his words and unanimously and emotionally begins to transform resolution into action, might not the individuals composing the group-organism have thought better of the rash action embarked upon in exaltation? 14 Ibid. , p. 34. 14
Anales galdosianos [Publicaciones periódicas]. Año XII, 1977 In any event, we have witnessed, in this speech-scene in the café, the thought process within the group-organism's mind. The presentation of this thought process within a living body (taken etymologically, « unánimes » suggests the existence of one single soul within this body) lends true life, in the reader's conception, to one more personage in the novel. We observe further development of this new creature: « y tres o cuatro, encargados del ceremonial, dieron cuenta del arreglo de la procesión; se fijó la hora, se designó el punto de reunión » ( ibid. ). The organs or cells of the organism, that is, the totality of persons in the café, are arranged so that it has a body (most of the members) and a brain formed of the « tres o cuatro » who arrange the details of the action to be taken. This organism, whose thought patterns we have been observing, will be seen in action and in conflict with another group-organism at a later time. As the patrons of the Fontana de Oro take their leave, one small group characterized by Galdós as « aquella fracción ignorante y turbulenta » decides to end the evening by creating civil disorder outside the home of Morillo, Captain General of New Castile. This group has as its nucleus a small number of individuals who had been seated in one corner of the café. At the instigation of Calleja, the barber, who shouts, « ¡Señores, serenata a Morillo! », their ranks are augmented by: « toda la gente dispuesta para el caso que por allí pasaba » (p. 57). This entity, which we may denominate the Calleja group, may be viewed as yet another personage, one which is quite distinct from the group formed within the café and which is scheduled to participate in a demonstration the following day. The Calleja group is as much the product of oratory (« serenata a Morillo ») as is the other organism, but its difference in character may be noted by its more violent and less considered intentions in addition to the fact that it operates in accordance with Calleja's exhortations rather than the advice of the café's « orador favorito ». Calleja had not dared to speak in competition with the eloquent orators of the Fontana de Oro; nevertheless, Calleja-idea is hastily accepted by the group labeled « ignorante y turbulenta ». As human beings differ in character according to the ideas they accept and the actions they commit, so do the two groups described above (the café group which rejected Lázaro-idea but accepted the « orador favorito »; the Calleja group) differ and may be considered distinct Galdosian personages. Prior to the events of the evening described above, Alcalá Galiano addresses the throng gathered at the Fontana de Oro 15 . This prestigious historical personage finds it necessary finally to step down 15 The footnote on page 20 of the Obras completas , vol. IV ( La Fontana de Oro ) states: « El mismo Alcalá Galiano refiere con mucha franqueza este suceso en sus anotaciones a la Historia de España, por Dunham. » 15
Page 2 and 3: Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervan
Page 4 and 5: Anales galdosianos [Publicaciones p
Page 8 and 9: Estudios Anales galdosianos [Public
Page 22 and 23: (p. 64) Anales galdosianos [Publica
Page 64 and 65:
Anales galdosianos [Publicaciones p
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Máximo Manso: The molde and the he
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Page 98 and 99:
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Documento Anales galdosianos [Publi
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
La incógnita : Anales galdosianos
Page 190 and 191:
Trafalgar , tr.: R. Pohlebkin, Mosc
show all

Galdós - Amazon Web Services

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?