31
Ibid., p. 49.
32
Freud, p. 121.
33
Galdós' pre-Freudian insight into psychoanalysis has been recognized by Rodolfo Cardona with reference to La sombra: «[...] this novel [La sombra] is probably one of the earliest works anywhere in Europe to present a complete 'case history' aimed at explaining the delusions of a psychotic individual, thus making this a remarkably 'Freudian' novel long before Freud had even begun his investigations.» Rodolfo Cardona, Introduction to La sombra (New York: W. W. Norton and Co., 1964), p. xix.
Another critic believes that the works of Galdós in general disclose an insight into human personality superior to that of Freud's: «Galdós evinces an astonishing pre-Freudian grasp of the most enduring tenets of psychoanalysis. At the same time he discloses a conception of personality which is superior to Freud's and coincides with the view of man espoused by humanistic psychologists.» Arnold M. Penuel, «Galdós, Freud, and Humanistic Psychology», Hispania 55, 1 (March 1972), 67.
34
For Ramón Aroca Hernández-Ros.
35
While I was working at the Biblioteca Nacional (Madrid) I compared the final version of the manuscript with the Guirnalda edition of La desheredada. This edition has no date, but is autographed by Galdós. However, for the sake of clarity, the page numbers heinsafter cited will be those of the Aguilar edition of F. C. Sainz de Robles, Benito Pérez Galdós: Obras completas, Novelas I (Madrid: 1973). Words crossed out in the manuscript are represented here by brackets [ ]; words added interlinearly are in italics, and words underlined in the manuscript are in boldface type.
36
We are reminded of Celestina's detailed praise of Areúsa's body by Encarnación's observances about Isidora: the girl has rounded out while living with her uncle in La Mancha; «en la cara tienes ángel»; «qué bonitos dientes», etc. (see OC p. 1000b). There is another echo, more faint, of Celestina's «Dile que cierre la boca y comience abrir la bolsa» referring to Calisto (Auto primero) in Encarnación's demand for money if Isidora wishes to send Mariano, her brother, to school (see OC p. 1003a).
37
Religious references in this novel have very little to do with what is usually though of in connection with religion in Galdós' works (Christian charity in its many forms, Christ figures such as Benina and Nazarín, etc.). Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe La desheredada's references as «Catholic and Bible-related». In this novel the Bible' is equal to absolute truth (we recall that in the popular language of the time, if something is true, «es el Evangelio»).
38
Later Riquín will be urged by Encarnación to be merciless when he becomes Pope: «¡Leña a los herejes, duro, firme!» (p. 1164b).
39
Encarnación is the character who transfers the Biblical name that she originally gave to Mariano -Holofernes- to Isidora's son. She also gives him a name by which the narrator will later refer to him -the Antichrist: «Riquín fue atacado de la tos ferina y era preciso llevarle a otra parte. ¡Pobrecito Anticristo! Daba pena verle...» (p. 1121b).
40
«¿Saben ustedes algo de lo que ha dicho la crítica acerca de La desheredada? ¿Han escrito los periódicos populares, con motivo de este libro, artículos de sensación, de los que tienen un titulejo o rótulo especial para cada párrafo? Nada; el silencio... nadie ha dicho a La desheredada por ahí te pudras.» Leopoldo Alas «Clarín», Galdós (Madrid: Renacimiento, 1912), p. 105.