“It was a Matritense museum”: About the cursilería in Benito Pérez Galdós’ Tormento and La de Bringas

Abstract

La de Bringas was published in 1884 and has remained one of the most discussed novels penned by Benito Pérez Galdós. Critics have studied its structure, meaning, and transcendence to better understand Galdós’ conceptualization of the contemporary novel. Furthermore, it has been seen as a text that embodies the profound knowledge of Spain’s society during a crucial time: the months before la Gloriosa. The traits and characterization of the novel’s main character—Rosalía de Bringas—can only be understood by following her passionate preference for garments and luxury items and by considering her affiliation to the higher middle class; this article suggests that cursilería defines and shapes her. To fully probe this point other texts by Pérez Galdós are taken here into account, chiefly Tormento as well as Lo prohibido and La desheredada. Rosalía’s actions and decisions become more and more influenced by social ambition. Our analysis of the novel reflects on her path toward cursilería. By adjusting her image to an ideal, the character becomes more and more displaced from her original habitus. Fashion has the power to seduce her and dislocate her conduct in such a way accumulation becomes her sole life purpose. Many scenes from La de Bringas are discussed to demonstrate such a hypothesis.