Creating the Present From the Ideological Margins of Society: Pseudo -Autobiographies in Post -Dictatorship Spain

An introduction discusses the characteristics of pseudo-autobiography and the techniques developed by these authors to battle society's dominant ideologies and discusses the dramatic changes both in Spanish society and in the authors themselves, which contributed to the rise of the new historical novel in Spain. To comprehend the rise of pseudo-autobiography, Chapter one reviews recent theories of historical discourse, the historical novel, and autobiography itself. Chapter two notes that Azana is the first pseudo-autobiography of an historical figure written by a Spaniard. It analyzes how Rojas uses his (re)creation of Azana to offer Spaniards guidance during the transition after Franco's death. Chapter three analyzes how Gala brings to the present a new version of the history of Al-Andalus; Gala/Boabdil provide the people of Andalusia with new historical myths to help them (re)create their regional identity. Chapter four analyzes how Vazquez Montalban (re)created Francisco Franco by appropriating the dictator's discourse to make his ideology comprehensible to a generation ignorant of the Civil War and the dictatorship. The conclusion examines the role these novels play in the authors' work as a whole. It questions whether the historical novel, and particularly the pseudo-autobiography of historical figures, can be considered effective forms of battle for the ideologically marginalized in postmodern societies that have lost their historical memory.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Spanish

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Gardner, Steven Michael

Contributors dc:contributor

• John Wilcox

• History, European

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3111545

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/86126