Main themes of Los Pazos de Ulloa

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We are going to discover an important issue in one of the best known books on Spanish realism and naturalism. Let us know in this lesson from a TEACHER the main themes of The Pazos de Ulloa. This basic work of the literature of our country was written by Emilia Pardo Bazán, Galician author who had a great literary and journalistic career, and who was strongly influenced by other great writers of her time, such as the French, among which Emile Zola stands out.

The issues they dealt with in their time were always related to the presentation very realistically of the characters, who appear influenced by their circumstances and by their own environment. In fact, when we speak of the aforementioned naturalism, we observe profiles that are clear victims of their rural environment, bordering on savagery as in the case at hand here.

Index

1. Brief summary of Los Pazos de Ulloa
2. The themes of Los Pazos de Ulloa
3. Other themes that influence the work

Before entering fully with the main themes of The Pazos de Ulloa, It is convenient to make a short introduction to the work to know in what environment we move.

This novel narrates the adventures of Julian, a timid young priest who moves to the Pazos de Ulloa, where he will have to take charge of the administration and property of the Marquis of Moscoso, Don Pedro, owner of the place. Once there, Julián discovers the marquis's relationship with Sabel, the servant's daughter, Primitivo, the result of which an almost wild child, Perucho, has been born.

Julian considers that it is his duty to impose sanity in the life of the Pazos, where Primitivo rules with an iron fist while he lets a marquis clearly influenced by the decay of the place, maintain relations with Sabel, his daughter, who also acts with a certain impunity.

After the march of the parish priest and the marquis to Santiago, where the aristocrat married Nucha, a refined woman and his family, the return to the Pazos triggers the events. The nobleman's new wife gives birth to a girl while Primitivo, interested in the new movements politicians, he ends up murdered, being the young priest Julián accused of his death, so he ends up leaving of the place.

In this other lesson you will find a summary of The Pazos de Ulloa so that you better know the plot of this classic of Spanish literature.

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Knowing briefly the plot of the work, it is observed that it is quite difficult to clarify what are the main themes of The Pazos de Ulloa, since there are many, and some are treated in greater depth than others, but all are quite important.

Determinism

The first theme, strongly related to the literary movement of naturalism, which strongly influenced its author, Emilia Pardo Bazán, is the relationship of the environment and human beings.

It is evident throughout the work how the rural environment influences powerfully in the characters. The marquis represents an aristocrat in frank decline, while Primitivo manages the Pazo with an iron hand and Sabel and Perucho, especially the latter, live in an almost savage state. Moreover, it is also observed how this environment is taking its toll on Julián, who, although he is refined and educated, ends up being a victim of the oppressive environment of the area.

The aristocratic decline

Another important theme that we can observe in the work is the decline of the aristocracy and burgeoning political movements. There is a marquis totally influenced by his surroundings, while his servant, Primitivo, is interested in starting his political career while managing the Pazos.

An important detail of naturalism is the brutalization that the environment causes in humans. He considers them victims of their circumstances, in this case the rural environment, but he also refers to the underworld, etc.

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As we have seen, naturalism greatly influences Emilia Pardo Bazán, and that is something that is powerfully noted in all of her work, mainly in The Pazos de Ulloa. Here we leave you some others secondary themess that appear in the novel:

• Since this literary and cultural movement has a marked anticlerical base, doubts are observed in the character of the young priest Julián, with the mannered forms of him, who even ends up in love with Nucha, the marquis's wife.
• We also find true class clash, among the aristocrats or educated, such as Julián or Nucha, compared to those influenced by the depressed Galician rural environment, such as Primitivo, Sabel or Perucho.
• And, of course, we cannot forget about other important issues, such as social class relationshipLike the marriage between the cousins ​​Nucha and Pedro, the marquis, or his love affair with Sabel, his cook and daughter of his servant, Primitivo.

In this other lesson we will discover the characteristics of naturalism in The Pazos de Ulloa.

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