Il western come tremendismo. Cristo Versus Arizona di Camilo José Cela

Abstract

This essay aims to analyse one of Camilo José Cela’s last novels, Cristo versus Arizona (1988) by applying a thematic and formalist approach. It moves from the several terminological debates on the word “tremendismo” and from its pervasiveness within Cela’s works to explore the stylistic and thematic choices of the author, focusing in particular on those images that make Cristo versus Arizona one of his best works – those of deranged sexuality, violence, cruelty, animalization – and an atypical example of a western novel.

Keywords

• letteratura
• letteratura americana
• western
• camilo josé cela