San Manuel Bueno, Mártir
Encyclopedia
San Manuel Bueno, mártir (1930) is a novella
by Miguel de Unamuno
(1864-1936). It experiments with changes of narrator as well as minimalism of action and of description, and as such has been described as a nivola
, a literary genre invented by Unamuno to describe his work. Its plot centers on the life of a parish priest in a small Spanish village.
Both the mountain and lake acquire a human dimension in the character of Don Manuel, evidenced in the quote “Ya toda ella era don Manuel, don Manuel con el lago y la montaña” ("now everything was don Manuel, don Manuel with the lake and the mountain.") The mountain and lake have also been interpreted as symbolizing powerful faith and superficial faith, respectively, due to the frequent appearance of the mountain's reflection in the lake. This reflection does not penetrate the surface of the lake.
The fictional location in San Manuel bueno, mártir was perhaps inspired by a real place, as suggested by the real life lake San Martín de Castañeda, in Sanabria
, at the foot of the ruins of a convent to St. Bernard where to this day lives a legend of a submerged city (Valverde de Lucerna) sleeping at the bottom of the lake.
as told through the eyes of Angela, one of the townspeople. Throughout the course of the story Manuel is adored by the people of the town. He is constantly in the service of the townspeople. He refrains from condemning anyone and goes out of his way to help those whom the people have marginalized. Instead of refusing to allow the holy burial of someone who committed suicide, don Manuel explains that he is sure that in the last moment, the person would have repented for their sin. Also, instead of excommunicating a woman who had an illegitimate child, as the Catholic Church would have done, don Manuel arranges a marriage between the woman and her ex-novio (ex-boyfriend), so that order will return to the town, and the child will have a father figure. The people of the town consider him their "Saint" because of all of the good deeds he does.
Angela, after a brief stint away for education, returns to the town to live with her mother where she continues to be amazed at Manuel's devotion.
Later, Lazarus, Angela's brother returns from the New World
, disgusted with the poverty both mental and physical he finds in the town. He too is amazed at Manuel's devotion but believes that "He is too intelligent to believe everything he teaches." It is clear that Lazarus does not have a sense of faith. Angela's and Lazarus's mother passes away. On her death bed she makes Lazarus promise to pray for her- he swears he will. Her dying wish is that Manuel can convert him.
Lazarus begins following don Manuel "to the lake" where Manuel is known to walk and think. Time passes and Lazarus takes Communion
- to the towns people and he appears to be converted. In reality, Lazarus is only praying for his mother, because it was her wish, not because he has faith.
Immediately following the Communion, Lazarus sits down with Angela and tells her that he has something he must tell her: Both Manuel and Lazarus have no faith in God, specifically no belief in an after-life. Angela is upset and incredulous but confronts Manuel about what Lazarus has said. In their conversation it becomes obvious that what Lazarus has said is accurate. Manuel believes that religion and the preaching of religion is the only way for the people to "live content"- Lazarus through their talks had come to admire Manuel's determination to do what he thinks is right despite his lack of belief in the veracity of what he teaches. To that end, Lazarus felt it best to continue that same path by coming back into the fold. Lazarus and don Manuel have a unique connection and understanding at this point in the story, because both are displaying faith when neither truly has faith. Although Angela questions the goodness of such a deed, Lazarus insists that don Manuel is a saint for what he has done all his life for the town.
Manuel grows increasingly weak. He is unable to bear the weight of teaching the resurrection
when he does not believe it is real. He falls further and further into a depression, the towns people see this as a reflection of Christ
in their local priest. When Manuel dies he chooses to do so publicly in the center of the town, and the people see it as their "second Christ." Lazarus takes on Manuel's role until his own death. Angela moves out of town. She finishes her record talking about how Manuel was being considered for beatification and that he is being held up as the ideal and exemplar priest.
Novella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
by Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno
Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo was a Spanish essayist, novelist, poet, playwright and philosopher.-Biography:...
(1864-1936). It experiments with changes of narrator as well as minimalism of action and of description, and as such has been described as a nivola
Nivola
Nivola is a term created by Miguel de Unamuno to refer to his works that contrasted with the realism prevalent in Spanish novels during the early 20th century...
, a literary genre invented by Unamuno to describe his work. Its plot centers on the life of a parish priest in a small Spanish village.
Setting
The events of the novel occur in Valverde de Lucerna, a small village located on the edge of an idyllic lake. Legend tells that submerged beneath that lake exists a hidden city. The physical village and the legendary city serve as symbols of the spiritual and the material.Both the mountain and lake acquire a human dimension in the character of Don Manuel, evidenced in the quote “Ya toda ella era don Manuel, don Manuel con el lago y la montaña” ("now everything was don Manuel, don Manuel with the lake and the mountain.") The mountain and lake have also been interpreted as symbolizing powerful faith and superficial faith, respectively, due to the frequent appearance of the mountain's reflection in the lake. This reflection does not penetrate the surface of the lake.
The fictional location in San Manuel bueno, mártir was perhaps inspired by a real place, as suggested by the real life lake San Martín de Castañeda, in Sanabria
Sanabria
Sanabria may refer to:*Sanabria - genus of bush crickets or katydids in the family Tettigoniidae subfamily Phaneropterinae* Sanabria or Senabria, a comarca in the province of Zamora, Spain...
, at the foot of the ruins of a convent to St. Bernard where to this day lives a legend of a submerged city (Valverde de Lucerna) sleeping at the bottom of the lake.
Plot
The novella tells the story of the local Catholic Priest (Don Manuel) in fictional Valverde de Lucerna, SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
as told through the eyes of Angela, one of the townspeople. Throughout the course of the story Manuel is adored by the people of the town. He is constantly in the service of the townspeople. He refrains from condemning anyone and goes out of his way to help those whom the people have marginalized. Instead of refusing to allow the holy burial of someone who committed suicide, don Manuel explains that he is sure that in the last moment, the person would have repented for their sin. Also, instead of excommunicating a woman who had an illegitimate child, as the Catholic Church would have done, don Manuel arranges a marriage between the woman and her ex-novio (ex-boyfriend), so that order will return to the town, and the child will have a father figure. The people of the town consider him their "Saint" because of all of the good deeds he does.
Angela, after a brief stint away for education, returns to the town to live with her mother where she continues to be amazed at Manuel's devotion.
Later, Lazarus, Angela's brother returns from the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
, disgusted with the poverty both mental and physical he finds in the town. He too is amazed at Manuel's devotion but believes that "He is too intelligent to believe everything he teaches." It is clear that Lazarus does not have a sense of faith. Angela's and Lazarus's mother passes away. On her death bed she makes Lazarus promise to pray for her- he swears he will. Her dying wish is that Manuel can convert him.
Lazarus begins following don Manuel "to the lake" where Manuel is known to walk and think. Time passes and Lazarus takes Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
- to the towns people and he appears to be converted. In reality, Lazarus is only praying for his mother, because it was her wish, not because he has faith.
Immediately following the Communion, Lazarus sits down with Angela and tells her that he has something he must tell her: Both Manuel and Lazarus have no faith in God, specifically no belief in an after-life. Angela is upset and incredulous but confronts Manuel about what Lazarus has said. In their conversation it becomes obvious that what Lazarus has said is accurate. Manuel believes that religion and the preaching of religion is the only way for the people to "live content"- Lazarus through their talks had come to admire Manuel's determination to do what he thinks is right despite his lack of belief in the veracity of what he teaches. To that end, Lazarus felt it best to continue that same path by coming back into the fold. Lazarus and don Manuel have a unique connection and understanding at this point in the story, because both are displaying faith when neither truly has faith. Although Angela questions the goodness of such a deed, Lazarus insists that don Manuel is a saint for what he has done all his life for the town.
Manuel grows increasingly weak. He is unable to bear the weight of teaching the resurrection
Resurrection
Resurrection refers to the literal coming back to life of the biologically dead. It is used both with respect to particular individuals or the belief in a General Resurrection of the dead at the end of the world. The General Resurrection is featured prominently in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim...
when he does not believe it is real. He falls further and further into a depression, the towns people see this as a reflection of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
in their local priest. When Manuel dies he chooses to do so publicly in the center of the town, and the people see it as their "second Christ." Lazarus takes on Manuel's role until his own death. Angela moves out of town. She finishes her record talking about how Manuel was being considered for beatification and that he is being held up as the ideal and exemplar priest.
External links
(all in Spanish)- Texto completo de la obra - Ciudad Seva
- Text in Spanish with English Translation
- Web sobre la obra
- Estudio paralingüístico de estudios filológicos
- San Manuel Bueno, mártir, ejecución de un proyecto totalitario
- La santidad de San Manuel Bueno, mártir
- Sobre San Manuel Bueno, mártir - La casa de los Malfenti nº 4 (PDF)
- La novela "San Manuel Bueno, mártir" de Unamuno y la "Leyenda del Gran Inquisidor" de Dostoyevski (PDF)
- Análisis contrapuntual de San Manuel Bueno, mártir (PDF)
- La "meta-antrópica" unamuniana en San Manuel Bueno, mártir, a la luz de los símbolos naturales (PDF)