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Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Unamuno, Miguel de, --1864-1936--Criticism and interpretation; Unamuno, Miguel de, --1864-1936; Criticism, interpretation, etc;

Abstract

The present study attempts to point out the abundant irony in four works of fiction by the Spanish writer and thinker, Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936) and explain its function in expressing his thought. An introductory chapter defining irony and differentiating among its various types is applied to each of these four short novels (considered chronologically): Niebla, Abel Sanchez, Nada menos gue todo un hombre, and San Manuel Bueno, Mátir. The definition and classification of irony comes primarily from the work of D. C. Muecke on this subject, and secondarily from that of Wayne C. Booth. The former divides irony into two classes: Verbal and Situational. The essential difference between the two is that Verbal Irony imparts a linguistically intelligible idea which contrasts with, but does not always directly oppose, what is in fact stated. Situational Irony, on the other hand, results from a series of actions which are seen by an ironic observer, e.g., a reader of fiction, as ironic. That is, he sees some conflict or disparity or perhaps something unexpected in what is happening in the work. Thus, though both classes of irony involve some conflict or contrast, the result in the case of Situational Irony is less finite and tends to raise questions of a more general type. The two classes of irony defined here can be seen in all four of Unamuno's works: the Verbal expressing individual and concrete issues and the Situational larger, more profound, religious and philosophical themes which form a major part of the lifetime of thinking of Unamuno. More examples of Verbal Irony are found in the first two works than in the latter two (suggesting a pattern in the development of the author's writing and thinking, i.e., moving from a more superficial and obvious technique to a more subtle and all-encompassing one to reflect his more profound thoughts) though both contain significant Situational Irony also. The principal ideas expressed by Unamuno are the question of man's immortality (all four works); the Existentialist belief that man must create his own worth by a constant effort to define and comprehend himself (all four works); the conflict between reason and faith (mainly San Manuel Bueno, Mártir): and the destructive nature of envy and hate, considered by Unamuno to be a serious problem for Hispanic peoples (Abel Sanchez). As can be seen in Niebla, irony functions not only as a technique but also as a quality inherent in Unamuno's outlook. The ironic and irrational development of this novel goes beyond being merely an element of style to reflect the true nature of the universe according to Unamuno. The reader is left in great doubt as to the order and reliability of his world. Finally, the titles of all four novels are a significant example of Unamuno's insistence on an ironic attitude toward his work and thought.

Year of Submission

1981

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Modern Languages

First Advisor

Manuel Fables

Second Advisor

George Zucker

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

1981

Object Description

1 PDF file (91 leaves)

Language

spa

File Format

application/pdf

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