The great chiasmus : word and flesh in the novels of Unamuno / Paul R. Olson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Olson, Paul R. (Paul Richard)

Series:

Purdue studies in Romance literatures ; v. 26.

Purdue studies in Romance literatures ; v. 26

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Unamuno, Miguel de, 1864-1936--Criticism and interpretation.

Unamuno, Miguel de.

Unamuno, Miguel de, 1864-1936--Technique.

Unamuno, Miguel de, 1864-1936.

Symmetry in literature.

Chiasmus.

Technique.

Criticism and interpretation.

Physical Description:

vii, 264 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

West Lafayette, Ind. : Purdue University Press, [2003]

Summary:

In The Great Chiasmus, Paul R. Olson explores the use of the chiasmus in the work of Miguel de Unamuno. The chiasmus, a reversal in the order of words or parts of speech in parallel phrases, appears on a variety of levels, from brief microstructures ("blanca como la nieve y como la nieve fr?a"), to the narrative structures of entire novels, and even, Olson suggests, to encompass the stages in Unamuno's novelistic work. Olson's close readings of the texts in terms of this structure lead to observations on Spanish history, events in Unamuno's life, the psychological dimensions of his characters, and the authorial self found within his texts. The Great Chiasmus shows readers how Unamuno uses grammar to reflect apparent contraries as freely reversible and thus identical. In this connection, Unamuno explores concepts usually considered opposites-spirit and matter, word and flesh.

Contents:

Introduction: Chiasmus, Word, and Flesh 1

I. Chiasmus, Paradox, and Contradiction 3

II. "Primacy of Language": Tyranny of Words 9

III. The Corporeal World 11

IV. Worlds within Worlds 13

V. Chiasmus, Closure, and Openness 16

Chapter 1 History as Presence: Paz en la guerra 19

I. History and the Novel 19

II. History and Presence 21

III. Historical Carlism 22

IV. Carlism and Intrahistory 25

V. The Poetics of Intrahistory 28

A. Art of Character: Pedro Antonio 30

B. Art of Character: Ignacio Iturriondo 33

C. Collective Character: The Siege of Bilbao 36

VI. Above the Battle: Pachico Zabalbide 40

VII. Word and Flesh: Ideocracia and the Hombre de carne y hueso 46

Chapter 2 Invention of the Nivola 50

I. Amor y pedagogia and the "Linguistic Turn" 51

II. Niebla: Person Depersonalized 65

A. The Nivolesque Hero 66

B. Structures of Mist 75

1. Structure of Text 77

b. Theme and Variations 77

c. Repetition and Regression 82

2. Structure of Story: Shape of Life 87

Chapter 3 Novels of Passion: Monsters of Will 100

I. The Prologue as Novel: Realism as Desire 101

II. Depths of Desire: Nada menos que todo un hombre 103

III. Abel Sanchez: Ontological Envy 109

IV. Tulio Montalban y Julio Macedo: Mask and Man 126

V. Depths of Desire: Twice Two Mothers 133

VI. La tia Tula: Consanguinity and the Cult of Family 136

VII. Miguel de Unamuno: Signature and Presence 153

Chapter 4 Lacquer Boxes: Como se hace una novela and the Return of the Nivola 156

Chapter 5 The Return of Intrahistoria: San Manuel Bueno, martir y tres historias mas 175

I. From Manuel Bueno to Saint Manuel the Good 176

II. Tres historias mas: Theme and Variations 198

A. Don Sandalio: Image and Reality 199

B. Flesh and Spirit: Two Histories of Love 212

Chapter 6 Retrospect: The Great Chiasmus and Beyond 222.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 249-258) and index.

ISBN:

1557532613

OCLC:

50006539