44 pages • 1 hour read
Miguel de UnamunoSaint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1930A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Historical Context: Spain’s Political Instability and Cultural Divide
In the early 20th century, Spain was experiencing faith and identity crises stemming from political upheaval and social unrest. This period, following on the heels of the Carlist Wars (1833-1876), exposed deep societal divides over succession, tradition, and the emerging clash between conservative Catholicism and liberal ideologies. The political instability, characterized by frequent government changes and military interventions, culminated in significant events, such as Queen Isabella’s deposition, the ephemeral existence of the First Republic, and the monarchy’s restoration.
Catholicism’s dominant role in shaping societal norms, education, and politics during this time is pivotal to understanding the novella. The Church’s influence pervaded daily life, guiding social behaviors and community practices. In rural Spanish villages like the fictional Valverde de Lucerna, traditional practices and a deep-rooted sense of community survived, with life revolving around agriculture, religious festivals, and local customs. These communities held tightly to their collective identity and traditions, contrasting sharply with the urbanized cities, such as Renada, which experienced rapid modernization, industrial growth, and cultural diversification. This modernization brought about a more individualistic lifestyle, introducing new ideas, technologies, and cultural influences that accelerated the pace of life and complicated traditional social structures.
Unamuno’s work, especially its portrayal of characters like Don Manuel, reflects this period’s intellectual and cultural challenges. Don Manuel, grappling with doubts about the afterlife while remaining dedicated to his pastoral duties, embodies the tension between enduring faith and rising skepticism, mirroring the broader societal conflict between the conservative Catholic values of rural Spain and the liberal, secular ideologies emerging in urban areas. His existential crisis also reflects a broader search for stability and meaning in a rapidly changing world.
Among those changes was the loss of Spain’s last overseas colonies in 1898. This marked a national identity crisis, prompting intellectuals, including Unamuno, to question traditional values and the Church’s societal influence. This introspection informs the novella’s themes, which Unamuno infuses with his existential reflections and critiques of institutional religion, mirroring the characters’ struggles with faith and identity.
The era also witnessed General Primo de Rivera’s dictatorship—a response to military failures and political fragmentation. His regime, initially welcomed to avert a Bolshevik uprising, eventually led to his dismissal. The military’s weakened grip on power allowed for the 1931 establishment of the Second Republic, Spain’s first significant democratic shift, which introduced reforms such as women’s suffrage and church-state separation. These historical events directly influence the characters, offering a backdrop to their lives and decisions.
Authorial Context: Unamuno’s Personal and Political Conflicts
Miguel de Unamuno’s life and experiences deeply informed his writing. He was born in 1864, in Bilbao, Spain, to a devoutly Catholic mother and raised alongside a liberal grandmother critical of Carlist traditionalism. Unamuno’s early life was thus marked by contrasting influences. This dichotomy shaped his worldview, embedding a complex understanding of faith, skepticism, and nationalism. His education in psychology, logic, and ethics, notably under a priest, lent further nuance to his intellectual pursuits and left a profound imprint on his philosophical and literary endeavors.
Unamuno’s aversion to urban life and disillusionment with modernity were catalyzed by his move to Madrid for further studies, where he also encountered Krausismo. This philosophy, which posits divinity as an all-encompassing essence rather than a personal deity, significantly influenced his conceptualization of spirituality and existential inquiry. Additionally, the personal tragedy of losing a six-year-old child with disabilities deeply affected him, infusing his work with themes of sorrow, loss, and the search for meaning in suffering.
Involvement with the Generation of ‘98, a collective critical of Spain’s stagnation and decline, marked Unamuno’s early career. Advocating for educational reform, social justice, and spiritual revival, he sought to elevate the working classes through the Popular University of Salamanca. This period reflected his progressive political views, although his support for the Second Spanish Republic during its establishment as a liberal and democratic regime highlighted his capacity for political nuance and evolving beliefs.
The outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 was a pivotal moment for Unamuno. Initially supporting the Nationalist uprising as a means to restore order, he quickly grew disillusioned with the Franco-led faction’s repressive tactics and fascist elements. His public denunciation of these forces, culminating in a dramatic confrontation at the University of Salamanca, underscored his commitment to intellectual and moral integrity. His declaration in one of his last letters, “They will win, but they will not convince; they will conquer, but they will not convert,” epitomized his stance against authoritarianism and his belief in the power of moral persuasion over physical conquest (Unamuno, Miguel de. “Epistolario inédito II (1915–1936).” Espasa Calpe, 1991, pp. 354–55).
Following this act of defiance, Unamuno was placed under house arrest, where he remained until his death on December 31, 1936. This period of isolation, coupled with his moral courage, solidified his legacy as a defender of intellectual and personal freedom.
Philosophical Context: Precursor to Existentialism
Miguel de Unamuno delved into existential conflicts with a tragic sense of life. He posited that the core of human existence lies in the paradoxical struggle between the desire for immortality and the acceptance of mortality. This existentialist vein, which emphasizes personal experience and the primacy of emotion over rationality, positions Unamuno as a precursor to formal existentialism.
Unamuno wrestled with the dichotomy of faith and reason, advocating for a faith that transcends rationality. He underscored the significance of personalism, focusing on individual emotions and subjective experiences, thereby challenging abstract universals. His concept of “intrahistory” highlighted the value of ordinary lives and events, offering a counterpoint to grand historical narratives and emphasizing the individual’s role in shaping history. In his later works, Unamuno championed human solidarity and love as essential for transcending existential despair. His philosophy, characterized by its depth, personalism, and constant evolution, reflects a lifelong engagement with existential questions.
In Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr, these philosophical underpinnings come to the fore, with Don Manuel’s life encapsulating Unamuno’s existential inquiries and ethical considerations. The novella not only probes deep metaphysical questions and ethical conundrums, but also illustrates Unamuno’s belief in the transformative power of love and solidarity.
Besides explicating Unamuno’s own views, the novella engages with various schools of philosophy that were well-established at the time, examining ethical dilemmas through utilitarian and deontological frameworks. Don Manuel’s concealment of his disbelief aims to maximize communal happiness, aligning with utilitarian ethics that judge actions by their outcomes. However, his priestly duties introduce a deontological perspective, defining actions’ morality based on their adherence to principles. The two ethical systems thus spotlight the tension between duty and personal belief.
Unamuno also engages with the Marxist view of religion as an “opiate” used to maintain societal order and ease suffering by promising a heavenly afterlife. However, the novella suggests that if the solace religion provides can function as a tool for control, then it also holds compassionate potential.
