Lexico-semantic features of creating the image of the protagonist in the novel Zumalacárregui by B. Pérez Galdós

Abstract

The article analyzes the linguistic features of the novel Zumalacárregui by the Spanish writer Benito Pérez Galdos, first published in 1898. The novel opens the third series of the National episodes (Episodios Nacionales) and is dedicated to the First Carlist War in Spain (1833–1840). The protagonist is the Carlist general T. de Zumalacárregui, whose Doppelgänger is the priest José Fago. General T. de Zumalacárregui is frequently mentioned in periodical publications, in memoires and in fiction of the 19–20th centuries. The article analyzes nouns, adjectives and substantive combinations used by the writer to create the image of the protagonist. The semantic fields “war”, “politics” and “religion” are distinguished among the lexical units used in relation to the general. The image of T. de Zumalacárregui is analyzed separately in the direct speech of the characters of the novel. The most common lexemes used to describe the general are “caudillo” (“leader”), “guerrero” (“warrior”), and “héroe” (“hero”). These lexical units, commonly used with positive connotations, acquire a comic connotation in the context of the novel or serve to express a negative value judgment. The vocabulary related to the semantic field “religion” at first sight repeats the clichés of Carlist propaganda, according to which T. de Zumalacárregui appears as a “martyr” who suffered for the “Cause”. At the same time, by replacing individual lexical units, the author turns the protagonist into a parody of Christ. The vocabulary related to the semantic field “politics” is analyzed. T. de Zumalacárregui appears in the work as a supporter of “Absolutism”. It is concluded that B. Pérez Galdós, copying some clichés of Carlist propaganda, created a negative image of T. de Zumalacárregui.

Keywords

• carlism
• language of carlism
• spanish literature
• benito pérez galdós
• zumalacárregui