Toward an understanding of Víctor Quintanar: A comparative analysis of Clarín's “La Regenta” and “Su único hijo”

John Noel Herda, Purdue University

Abstract

Clarinian scholarly criticism has often either ignored or greatly mischaracterized Víctor Quintanar, a secondary yet important character in Leopoldo Alas' La Regenta (1884-85). Consequently, readers have been left with cursory descriptions of a complex and interesting character. While many critics have concentrated on Ana Ozores, Quintanar's wife, few have dedicated a sufficient amount of scholarship to Quintanar, and therefore a comprehensive study of this vital character was needed. Ana's husband has been routinely discarded as an insignificant character who is not consequential enough for deep literary analysis. However, his consistent presence in the novel negates this assertion, as this study delineates. This investigation postulates that Víctor Quintanar is not only a significant character in La Regenta, but is also a heroic one, due to his spiritual transformation and subsequent death. In addition, this study analyzes Clarín's only other novel, Su único hijo (1891), to further elucidate how Quintanar is the most genuine character of the two works. Furthermore, I propose that if a character from Alas' novels is worthy of denunciation, indeed it should be Víctor's counterpart in Su único hijo, Bonifacio Reyes, a truly weak and uninspiring individual. In addition, I analyze how cursilería functions in the novels. Succinctly put, cursilería can be defined as feigning refinement, and I propose Quintanar to be significantly less cursi than the other major characters of the works. While many characters feign sophistication, through textual support I underscore how Víctor does not. Regarding Catholicism, which is an important component of Clarinian discourse, this study avers that Quintanar's discovery of Christianity late in La Regenta has been essentially ignored by critics, and I demonstrate how his faith causes one to see the positive aspects of religion. While indeed there is severe criticism of the Church in each novel, I maintain that the uniqueness of Víctor's faith is perhaps the best indication of Clarín's complex belief system. Additionally, this investigation studies how adultery in each novel assists the reader in distinguishing Quintanar's moral superiority from the adulterous characters, as I underscore how the former magistrate does not participate in René Girard's theory of triangular desire. Finally, I employ Mikhail Bakhtin's writings on ethics and aesthetics to argue that Quintanar's death in La Regenta aestheticizes his completed life, thus making him into a heroic character. Therefore, if one can view Don Víctor from another perspective, one is able to view Clarín's literary trajectory in a different way as well.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Sanchez-Llama, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Romance literature

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