16. Pedro Minio, comedia en dos actos. Madrid, Teatro Lara, Dec. 15,1908. A fair success.
Galdós' only real comedy is distinctly a minor play, with a languidsecond act. The scene is laid in a wonderfully perfect Old Folks' Home.The hero is an inmate, once a jolly liver and spendthrift, who stillenjoys every moment, while as a foil to him is placed a wealthymoney-grubber, who at forty is ridden with a dozen plagues. There ismuch quiet humor, and some obvious symbolism,—perhaps also some not soobvious. That reformed profligates wish to restrict the pleasures ofothers, while the blameless allow them harmless freedom; that themoney-seeker meets with torment, while the generous spender liveshappily; that "peace, fraternity and innocent love of life are all Godhas given humanity, to make its passage through the world less painful";these are the plain morals. It is thus united in spirit with Galdós'latest work. But the form in which this lesson is conveyed is notcalculated to encourage a life of productive toil.
16. Zaragoza," "drama lírico en cuatro actos; música del maestro D.Arturo Lapuerta. Saragossa, Teatro Principal, June 4, 1908.
This opera, only the libretto of which has ever been published, wasgiven four nights during the centennial celebration of the siege ofSaragossa, and was never performed elsewhere. The book is a merescenario of the well-known Episodio nacional, and contains practicallyno spoken lines. It cannot be judged without the music. The chorus ofcitizens is the protagonist.
17. Casandra, drama en cuatro actos. Madrid, Teatro Español, Feb.28, 1910. Adapted from the "novela en cinco jornadas" of the same name,1905. The occasion of hot political demonstrations.
Casandra is frankly anti-clerical, but with an Olympian irony, notbitterness. The central figure is an aged, childless widow, whoseenormous wealth is eagerly awaited by a host of distant relatives. Shechanges her mind, and starts to give away her property to the Church,with natural disappointment to the heirs.
Casandra, not an heir, but themistress of an illegitimate son of Doña Juana's husband, is a womanwithout money-interest, but Doña Juana's desire to deprive her of herchildren and lover stirs her to stab the aged bigot. The novel isadmirably genial, full of convincing characters and pregnant thoughts;the play much changed, and inferior to it. It teaches that Dogmatism issterile and only Love is fertile. Only Love is powerful enough to driveaway the specter that oppresses Spain. Unconscious well-doing aloneaids humanity, not ostentatious aristocratic charity.
It is doubtful ifthe elaborate allegory suggested by R. D. Perés
(see above, p. xxii,note 1 [Footnote #8]) was intended by Galdós.
18. Celia en los infiernos, comedia en cuatro actos. Madrid, TeatroEspañol, Dec. 9, 1913. Successful.
The story of a beautiful, good-hearted marchioness who, being an orphan,comes at the age of twenty-three into the free management of herenormous property. She soon becomes disgusted with society life, and,accompanied by an elderly confidant, disguises herself as a peasantgirl, and visits the infernal regions of the slums, partly to learn howthe other half lives, and partly to learn the fate of some formerservants. After interviewing don Pedro Infinito, a half-dementedastrologer and employment agent, who furnishes the best scene and themost interesting character in the play, they inspect a rag-pickingfactory. Celia buys it and promises to establish profit-sharing andold-age pensions, if all the workers will live decently. The project ishailed with delight, and the benefactress returns to her heaven. The ragfactory is a symbol of Nature:
"Nothing dies, nothing is lost; what weabandon as useless is reborn and again has a part in our existence."Only silk rags, the refuse of elegant things, are of no further use.
The plot of Celia en los infiernos is romantically commonplace. Indramatic interest each act is weaker than the one before. The slumsshown here would never appal an unaccustomed visitor. Moreover, Galdósabets in Celia the vice of ill-considered charity which he condemnedin Mariucha.
Decidedly, the author's heart got the better of hisintelligence in this play.
19. Alceste, tragicomedia en tres actos. Madrid, Teatro de laPrincesa, April 21, 1914. Succès d'estime.
The sacrifice of Queen Alceste, who dies in place of her husband,Admetus, was used for a drama by Euripides, and from his have beendrawn many later plays, as well as a famous opera by Gluck. In hisPreface Galdós details the changes which he introduced into the story,so many that his plot and characters may almost be considered original.Galdós has abandoned the surpassing lyric quality of the Greek, so farremoved from his own genius, and set the theme down into a key ofeveryday humanity, at times half humorous. The figure of the queen haslost at his hands its poignant tenderness, but Admetus has gained indignity, and the dramatic movement is much heightened. The realisticvisualization of Pherés and Erectea, Admetus' selfish parents, theexcision of the buffoonery in the rôle of Hercules, who restores thequeen to life, are excellent adaptations to modern taste. Galdós' Alceste, mingling comedy and pathos with singular charm, power, anddiscretion, must henceforth take its place among superior moderninterpretations of the story, beside Alfieri's severely dignified Alceste seconda (1798). Balaustrion's Adventure (1871) by RobertBrowning is hardly more than a rude paraphrase of Euripides.
20. Sor Simona, drama en tres actos y cuatro cuadros.
Madrid, TeatroInfanta Isabel, Dec. 1, 1915. Received with applause, but soonwithdrawn.
The action takes place during the last Carlist war (1875) in Aragonesevillages. Sister Simona is a runaway nun, thought slightly demented, whodevotes herself to nursing the wounded of the war. She attempts to savethe life of a young Alfonsist spy by declaring him her own son. Thisserves only to destroy her reputation for saintliness, and the situationis suddenly saved by an offer to exchange prisoners.
It will be seen that there is, properly speaking, no plot, and theending is full of improbabilities. Once more Galdós, with characteristicpersistence, has used the justifiable lie, which failed so signally in Los condenados. The work is saved by its poetic atmosphere and by thespiritual central figure. Charity is not to be imprisoned in convents;it is as free as the divine breath that moves the planets. God isreached by good works; the only fatherland worth fighting for ishumanity; the only king, mankind. These are the teachings of SorSimona. Her name is to be connected with Simon Peter, the cornerstoneof the Church of Christ.
21. El tacaño Salomón, comedia en dos actos. Madrid, Teatro Lara, Feb.2, 1916. (Sub-title, Sperate miseri.)
The scene is the modest home of a Madrid engraver who earns good wages,but is victimized by all who appeal to him for help.
Stingy Salomón issent him by a wealthy brother in Buenos Aires to assist his want if hewill reform and acquire thrift. The engraver proves incorrigible, but,through his brother's death, receives the money nevertheless.
The play is of the same type as Celia en los infiernos, but is lessinteresting and even more improbable. In a way it is a complement to Pedro Minio, which taught the beauties of an open and generous life,while El tacaño Salomón appears to preach thrift. But the author hashard work to become enthusiastic over that virtue, and at the closequite lets it slip away from him. Both Celia and the present play arethe work of a man who has despaired of accomplishing any good in societyby logical and practical means, and resorts to the illusions of a childdreaming of a fairy godmother.
22. Santa Juana de Castilla, tragicomedia en tres actos.
Madrid,Teatro de la Princesa, May 8, 1918.
A picture of the old age and death of Juana la Loca, the daughter of theCatholic Kings, and widow of Philip the Handsome. The Queen's madpassion for Philip is barely mentioned, her figure is idealized, and sheis made a symbol of humility, self-effacement, and love for the humble.Closely guarded by a harsh agent of her son Charles V, she escapes for aday to a country village, where she talks in a friendly way with thepeasants, discussing their problems with a simplicity which concealsmuch wisdom. To those who wish to use her name as a standard to restorethe power of the common people, she insists that she desires nothingbut darkness and silence in which to end her days. She had beensuspected of heresy, because she read Erasmus, but the Jesuit Franciscode Borja, a man of saintly life, is with her at her death, and bearswitness that her faith is untainted and that she will receive in thebosom of God the reward for her many sufferings.
As far back as 1907 Galdós was deeply interested in the life of thiswretched Queen: "No hay drama más intenso que el lento agonizar deaquella infeliz viuda, cuya psicología es un profundo y tentador enigma.¿Quién lo descifrará? "[14] In his interpretation of her last moments,Galdós has made the figure of the Queen vaguely symbolic of present-daySpain, like Laura of Alma y vida. But she embodies still more the soulof the aged author, blind, feeble, living in silence and obscurity,absorbed in contemplation of approaching death.
The construction of the play is flawless, of diaphanous simplicity, thedialog is pure and brief, the characters are delicately outlined in afew sure touches. "A mournful, somber triptych," says Luis Brun of itsthree acts, "the central panel of which is lit by a ray of light." Anatmosphere of serene melancholy broods over this admirable drama,fitting close to the career of a well-poised spirit.
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
No definitive critical study has yet been made of any side of Galdós'work. The following list, by no means complete, does not include generalhistories of Spanish literature, encyclopedia articles or reviews incontemporary periodicals of first performances. The best of thelast-named are those by Gómez de Baquero in España moderna. Criticismsdealing only with the novels of Galdós are not cited here.
1. BIOGRAPHY
Leopoldo Alas (Clarín), "Galdós" in Obras completas, tomo I, Madrid,1912.
L. Antón del Olmet and A. García Carraffa, Galdós, Madrid, 1912.[Contains the most information.]
"El Bachiller Corchuelo" (González Fiol), "Benito Pérez Galdós," in Poresos mundos, vol. 20 (1910, I), 791-807; and vol. 21 (1910, II), 27-56.[Important.]
William Henry Bishop, in Warner's Library of the World's BestLiterature, vol. XI, pp. 6153-63.
"El Caballero Audaz" (José María Carretero), Lo que sé por mí, 1ªserie, Madrid, 1915, pp. 1-11.
E. Díez-Canedo, "La Vida del Maestro," in El Sol, Jan. 4, 1920.
Archer M. Huntington, "Pérez Galdós in the Spanish Academy," in TheBookman, V (1897), pp. 220-22.
Rafael de Mesa, Don Benito Pérez Galdós, Madrid, 1920.
Emilia Pardo Bazán, "El Estudio de Galdós en Madrid," in Nuevo teatrocrítico, agosto de 1891, pp. 65-74. ( Obras completas, vol. 44.)
B. Pérez Galdós, "Memorias de un desmemoriado," in La esfera, vol.III, 1916 (especially the first two instalments).
B. Pérez Galdós, Prólogo to J. M. Salaverría, Vieja España, Madrid,1907.
Camille Pitollet, "Comment vit le patriarche des lettres espagnoles," in Revue de l'enseignement des langues vivantes, Feb. 1918 (vol. XXXV).
Camille Pitollet, "Le monument Pérez Galdós à Madrid," in Revue del'enseignement des langues vivantes, Feb. 1919 (vol.
XXXVI).
Luis Ruiz Contreras, Memorias de un desmemoriado, Madrid, 1916, pp.10, 65-72.
2. CRITICISM
J. M. Aicardo, De literatura contemporánea, Madrid, 1905, pp. 316-50.[A Catholic point of view.]
Leopoldo Alas (Clarín), Galdós, Madrid, 1912. [Already a classic.]
Leopoldo Alas (Clarín), Palique, Madrid, 1893.
Rafael Altamira, De historia y arte (estudios críticos), Madrid, 1898,pp. 275-314.
Rafael Altamira, Psicología y literatura, Madrid, 1905, pp.
155-56 and192-98.
Andrenio (Gómez de Baquero), Novelas y novelistas, Madrid, 1918, pp.11-112.
Anonymous, "Benito Pérez Galdós," in The Drama, May, 1911, pp. 1-11(vol. I).
Azorín, "Don Benito Pérez Galdós," in Blanco y negro, no.
1260 (July11, 1915).
Azorín, Lecturas españolas, Madrid, 1912, pp. 171-76.
R. E. Bassett, in Modern Language Notes, XIX (1904), pp. 15-17.
Luis Bello, Ensayos e imaginaciones sobre Madrid, Madrid, 1919, pp.95-129.
Christian Brinton, "Galdós in English," in The Critic, vol. 45
(1904),pp. 449-50.
Manuel Bueno, Teatro español contemporáneo, Madrid, 1909, pp. 77-107.
Barrett H. Clark, The Continental Drama of To-day, New York, 1915, pp.228-32.
Barrett H. Clark, in Preface to Masterpieces of Modern SpanishDrama, New York, 1917.
José Díaz, Electra, Barcelona, 1901.
Havelock Ellis, " Electra and the progressive movement in Spain," in The Critic, vol. 39 (1901), pp. 213-217.
Havelock Ellis, "The Spirit of Present-day Spain," in The AtlanticMonthly, vol. 98 (1906), pp. 757-65.
A. Gassier, Théâtre espagnol, Paris, 1898, pp. 308-13.
J. Geddes, Jr., Introduction to edition of Marianela, New York,1903.
Georges Lenormand, "A propos de l' Electra de D. Benito Pérez Galdós,"in Revue hispanique, VIII (1901), pp. 567-73.
J. León Pagano, Al través de la España literaria, Barcelona, 1904, II,77-112.
Eduardo de Lustonó, "El primer drama de Galdós," in Nuestro tiempo,1902, I, pp. 155-65.
E. Martinenche, " El Abuelo," in Revue latine, IV, 419-28.
E. Martinenche, "Le théâtre de M. Pérez Galdós," in Revue des deuxmondes, 5me période, vol. 32, pp. 815-50 (1906). [This is, as far asit goes, by far the best study yet made of Galdós' drama. It appeared ina Spanish translation in España moderna, no. 210, pp. 118-58.]
Antonio Maura, Necrología de D. Benito Pérez Galdós, discursopronunciado en la Real Academia Española. Madrid, 1920. [Contains asappendix a useful Catálogo sincrónico of Galdós' works, compiled byCotarelo.]
M. Menéndez y Pelayo, "Discurso leído ante la Real Academia Española enla recepción pública del 7 de febrero de 1897"
(reprinted in his Estudios de crítica literaria, 5ª serie).
Luis Morote, Teatro y novela, Madrid, 1906, pp. 59-75, 259-70.
E. Pardo Bazán, " Realidad," in Obras completas, vol. VI, 197-239. [Asplendid interpretation written in 1892.]
R. D. Perés, " Casandra," in Cultura española, 1906, pp. 135-38.
Ramón Pérez de Ayala, Las máscaras, Madrid, 1917, pp. 17-102. [By afervent admirer.]
J. Pérez de Guzmán, " Electra en América," in La Ilustración españolay americana, 1901, II, pp. 230-31.
Ricardo Rojas, El Alma española, Valencia, n.d., pp. 87-106.
Boris de Tannenberg, "B. Pérez Galdós," in Bulletin hispanique, II(1900), pp. 340-50.
C. A. Turrell, Introduction to Contemporary Spanish Dramatists,Boston, 1919, pp. 10-12.
F. Vézinet, Les maîtres du roman espagnol contemporain, Paris, 1907,pp. 41-128.
R. W. Waldeck, "Benito Pérez Galdós, Novelist, Dramatist and Reformer,"in The Critic, vol. 45 (1904), pp. 447-49.
Elizabeth Wallace, "The Spanish Drama of To-day," in The AtlanticMonthly, vol. 102 (1908), pp. 357-66.
José Yxart, El arte escénico en España, I, Barcelona, 1894, 309 toend, passim. [Objective and historical.]
MARIUCHA
COMEDIA EN CINCO ACTOS
Estrenada en el Teatro Eldorado de Barcelona el 16 de Julio de 1903
PERSONAJES
MARÍA
SRA. GUERRERO
FILOMENA, Marquesa de Alto-Rey
SRTA. CANCIO
VICENTA PULIDO, alcaldesa
SRTA. VILLAR
TEODOLINDA, viuda americana,
SRA. MARTÍNEZ
millonaria
CIRILA, criada
SRA. BUENO
MENGA, jovenzuela, vendedora en la plaza SRTA. BLANCO
SEÑORA de González
SRA. SEGURA
SEÑORITA
SRTA. TORRES
ÍDEM
SRTA. VILLAR (D.)
SR. DÍAZ DE
LEÓN
MENDOZA (D.F.)
D. PEDRO DE GUZMÁN, Marqués de
SR. MEDRANO
Alto-Rey y de San Esteban de Gormaz
SR. DÍAZ DE
CESÁREO, su hijo
MENDOZA (D.M.)
DON RAFAEL, cura párroco
SR. CIRERA
CORRAL, plebeyo enriquecido
SR. GUERRERO
EL ALCALDE de Agramante
SR. JUSTE
EL POCHO, mayoral y alquilador de coches SR. URQUIJO
SR. SORIANO
BRAVO, juez municipal
VIOZCA
ROLDÁN, contratista
SR. MANRIQUE GIL
Villa de Agramante 1903
MARIUCHA
ACTO PRIMERO
Sala en el palacio de Alto-Rey. El soberbio artesonado es el únicovestigio de la antigua magnificencia. Las paredes desnudas;el mueblaje moderno, poco elegante; algunas piezas, ordinarias.Puerta al fondo y a la derecha. A la izquierda, ventana o balcón.Cerca de éste una mesa de escribir. A la derecha, sillón de respeto,sillas. Es de día.
ESCENA PRIMERA
CIRILA, arreglando y limpiando los muebles; CORRAL, EL
POCHO,que entran por el fondo. Corral viste con afectación y mal gusto,ostentando brillantes gordos en la pechera, cadena de reloj muyllamativa y sortijas con piedras de valor.
POCHO. ¿Dan su permiso?
CIRILA. Adelante.
CORRAL. ¿No han vuelto de misa los señores?
CIRILA. No tardarán. ( Displicente. ) ¡Vaya, otravez aquí estos moscones!5
POCHO. Otra vez, y cien más, hasta que...
CORRAL. Perdone la señora Cirila, yo no vengo acobrar.
CIRILA. Viene a fisgonear, que es peor, y a metersus narices en las interioridades de la casa...10
CORRAL. Ea, no despotrique, señora.
CIRILA. ( Aparte. ) ¡Farsante!
POCHO. Yo no hago papeles. Vengo por el aquélde mi propio derecho. ( Saca un papel y lo muestra. )El Sr. D. Pedro de Guzmán, Marqués de Alto-Rey y15de San Esteban de Gormaz, es en deber a FranciscoMuela, apodado El Pocho, la cantidad de...
CIRILA. Basta.
POCHO. Por cuatro servicios de coche...
CIRILA. ¡Agobiar al señor por tal porquería!...20
CORRAL. Ya cobrarás, Pocho. ( Dando largas. ) Tenpaciencia...
POCHO. ¡Paciencia!... que es como decir hambre.
CIRILA. ( Incomodada, señalándoles la puerta. ) Haganel favor... Tengo que hacer...25
POCHO. Yo espero al señor.
CORRAL. Dos preguntas no más, señora Cirila, yperdone. Aún no hace un mes que estos señores Marquesesvinieron acá de Madrid huyendo de la quema.¿Es cierto que se encuentran ya en situación tan precaria30que...?
CIRILA. Para nadie es un secreto que los que ayerfueron poderosos hoy no lo son.
CORRAL. Sí: ya saben hasta los perros de la calleque la casa de Alto-Rey es casa concluida. Hace más35de veinte años que viene cayendo, cayendo, y por fin...( Con afectada pena. ) ¡Las volteretas que de este mundoloco!... En la villa se dice que los señores Marqueseshan llegado a carecer hasta de lo más preciso para lamanutención.40
POCHO. Y que se ven y se desean para poner unpuchero.
CIRILA. ¡Eh... habladurías!
CORRAL.
( Queriendo
internarse
por
la
derecha. )
Déjeme,déjeme ir a la cocina a ver qué es lo que guisan...45