Sobre la autora y la obra
-
Rodoreda
o
Barcelona (Catalan), 1908-1983
o
Married
a much older man and had an unhappy marriage
o
Worked
for government of Catalonia during Civil War
o
Was exiled
after war – Switzerland, then France
o
Was interested
in writing about women; tendency in her work to write about different phases of
female life
-
This
text is noted by its use of stream of consciousness.
-
The
book is named after a square in Barcelona's district of Gràcia.
-
This is
arguably the author's most accomplished work
-
Dealing
with the Second Spanish Republic and the Spanish Civil War, the novel is set in
Barcelona before, during and after the war and pictures a young woman's
struggles in life as well as her conflictive relationships with two men, and
her progression from nearly complete submission until she develops a
full-fledged outlook in life, personal maturity and independence. It's also a
faithful chronicle of life in the city at the time, in a balanced mixture of psychologism
and naturalism.
Comps ideas to consider
-
Otras narradoras: de Barcelona al exilio: Ana María
Matute y Mercè Rodoreda
Characters
-
Natalia
– protagonist, woman who lives in Barcelona; nickname: Colometa
-
Quimet
– Natalia’s husband; he’s controlling, jealous, and lazy
-
Antoni/Toni – Natalia and Quimet’s son
-
Rita –
Natalia and Quimet’s daughter
-
Antoni
(elder) – a shopkeep who returns wounded from the war and Natalia marries to be
able to help her kids during tough times
Summary
This novel follows the life of Natalia, a young woman that
lives in Barcelona.
The novel begins with her meeting a young man at a dance named Quimet (whom she
always refers to as ‘el Quimet’). She goes out often with her friend Julieta,
but she dumps her other boyfriend to be with Quimet, who dubs her “Colometa” in
spite of her protests. They decide to get married and his two best friends,
Cimet and Mateau(?) help them fix up a place to live. Quimet is petty,
controlling, jealous, and lazy, although their wedding is awesome. His own
friends recognize Quimet’s shortcomings, knowing he’ll duck out “for work” when
they are fixing up his house for him. Still, they tolerate and hang out with
him all the time. It’s not always clear what Quimet does for work, or what he
does with his money, but he sometimes works as a carpenter. He buys a
motorcycle, which everyone thinks is a good and modern thing to do, but it
secretly makes Natalia super nervous. She doesn’t get on too well, nor too
poorly, with Quimet’s mother, but she has an older woman friend named Enriqueta
who gives her advice.
They eventually get pregnant and give
birth to a boy named Antoni, who almost dies in infancy. He survives though,
and becomes quite a handful. Quimet really loves him, and takes him on
motorcycle rides even as a tiny baby (which also makes Natalia nervous). They
also have a girl named Rita and, after bringing a wounded one home, Quimet
decides he wants to raise birds in their home/on their terrace. During all this,
Natalia is working all day. She’s also expected to keep up the house. At this
time, Quimet doesn’t seem to be making any money and so Natalia gets super
pissed when she’s told by one of their friends that Quimet gives away lots of
birds instead of selling them. So, she begins the secret task of stealing all
the bird eggs at night. So, eventually all the birds disappear (metaphor for
the war?).
Eventually the war comes, and Quimet
has to go and Natalia loses her job (that’s basically all we know. She is the
narrator and knows nothing of politics). Food becomes very hard to come by and
the kids wither into almost nothing. Julieta, the friend she went out dancing
with before dating Quimet, is rich now because of her marriage, and she helps
put Antoni into a “colonia” for boys because simply there is no food. He
doesn’t want to go, but they leave him there for a time. When he comes back,
after Natalia/Colometa has found more work, it’s clear that he has suffered. At
different times, the men come back for short periods of time, but never can
stay. It’s never really said, as far as I can tell, which side they fight on (a
war whose methods are approved by a man who fought in WWI), but I think it’s
the Republic. The sides being unclear I guess shows how the problem affected
the entire nation regardless of which side won. All three friends end up dead.
There is a breathtaking scene in which Natalia goes to a church and, as the
rest of the church kneels in prayer, she and an older woman (who seems
incapable of kneeling) have a vision of all the ghosts of the dead men from the
war). The day that she plans to kill herself and her kids because their life is
so miserable, Natalia finds work thanks to a shop owner who’s returned wounded
from the war named Antoni. He ends up proposing to her and, in spite of her
lack of feelings for him, Natalia marries him for her kids’ sake. They go to
school, Antoni menor (Toni) decides eventually that he doesn’t want to go to
school, but rather run the shop when Antoni mayor cannot any more (he says to
his step-father that, after coming back from the colonia, he never wanted to
leave home again. Antoni says that’s how he felt after the war). Rita becomes
unpredictable and says she wants to travel, although she eventually marries a
bar owner who lives down the street.
In the end, Natalia becomes “señora
Natalia” and has grown up, leaving her youth behind (she goes back one day and
visits the place she lived with Quimet, but cannot get in the building.
Metaphor for the past being past?). The night after her daughter’s wedding, Natlaia
cradles her husband in bed (who still suffers aftereffects from the war). Life
goes on, with rain and birds and parks reflecting and disturbing one another.
Themes/ideas
-
Writing
style
o
Written
in first person – Natalia (influenced by this perspective; for example, she
doesn’t know anything about politics so there’s no political commentary about
the war or much info about what’s going on there – just about the effect that
it has on them)
o
Stream-of-consciousness
o
Sad tone
-
Female
concerns / gender
o
Describes
various phases of female life: youth/single, marriage, motherhood, second
marriage
o
Submission
(during first marriage); has to tolerate his shortcomings and work to support
household anyway
o
Importance
of motherhood – Natalia will do anything for her kids
o
Female
perspective of war (more focus on effect on families)
-
Novela
posguerra
o
Discusses
effect of war on town/families/society
o
Great poverty/suffering
during war
o
Second
husband – recovering from time in war
General plot notes
Ch 1.
First person.
Julia takes narrator out to a dance. Mom's been dead for years, can't help her anymore; father remarried another woman i jo joveneta i sola a la plaça del Diamant. She feels bad that she's going to dance while her fiancé Pere is working in a kitchen. Runs home.
Ch 2.
Quimet is an hour late to meet her in the park; she excuses it. "em va dir que si volir ser la seva dona havia de començar per trobar bé tot que ell trobava bé" (controlling relationship from the start). She looks at houses with him, clearly exhausted, not in love. Sky is dark.
Ch 3.
He tells her he doesn't want her to work at the bakery anymore because the baker likes to look at her. She tells him he's crazy; he beats her. They stay apart for three weeks and she excuses him, again (classic abusive relationship). He wants her to be like his mom. Setting her up to be very subservient. She compares herself to a cat, yet a cat does better than her (p. 28- good connection for Caterina Albert)
Ch 4.
At senyora Enriqueta's house. Buys her wedding clothes. Later, back with Quimet "I em va fer demanar perdó agenollada per dintre per haver sortit a passejar amb en Pere..."
Ch. 5.
Her dad asks when they're getting married. He was the third one to come and ask him for her hand in marriage. They have lunch with her parents, leave early-ish to work on their flat. Go out to eat and when she leaves, walking home by herself, catcalls in the street "està bona...com si jo fos un plat de sopa."
Ch. 6.
Slowly putting together their house, very few possessions. Get married. She dances, she's happy-a beautiful day for her.
Ch. 7.
Been married 2 mos, 7 days. Get a moto. He drives in a very uncomfortable way-tries to scare her, makes her cold. Mother of Quimet becomes obsessed about her having a baby.
Ch. 8
"Sempre havia tingut por d'aquell moment. M'havien dit que s'hi arriba per un camí de flors i se'n surt per un camí de llàgrimes." "Les dones, deien, moren partides." --Sex is something feared/awful for her.
Ch. 9.
Lost key. Drill a hole. Key hanging inside house.
Ch 10.
She's pregnant. Family suggests lots of names. Physically, difficult experient (plus, Quimet still wants to be taken care of.)
Ch. 11.
Childbirth. Baby is born big and healthy, yet she isn't producing much milk so it's losing weight quickly. "Era nerviós"---symbolic, born into unhealthy home.
Ch.12.
Baby gets better. Considering a colomar.
Ch. 13.
"Vam fer el colomar." Add a new pair of doves.
Ch. 14.
More about the doves. They fly, poop on clothesline, etc. (Kind of like pets/members of family.)
Ch. 15.
Pregnant again. Baby Rita (1st: Baby Antoni).
Ch. 16.
Quimet has a worm in his body...has to get treatment. "Quimet deia que ell i jo érem igual perquè jo havia fet els nens i ell havia fet un cuc de quinze metres..."
(starts lots of sentences with "and" as if it were all one run-on idea she's saying in a single breath.)
Ch 17.
Quimet's furniture restoration business is not going well. So, she looks for a job working at a house.
Ch 18.
Description of the house. House is kinda old, some parts are newer.
Ch 19.
Quimet says if she wants to work outside of the home, that's her choice. He wants to get rich selling doves. Kids stay at home when she works (?)
Ch. 20.
People she works for rent houses, but they have such specific requirements that sometimes, they can't find inquilinos. She tries to bring her kids to work, but they're not happy there.
Ch. 21.
Leaves kids at home. One day, comes home early and the doves are in the house. Her children learned to be quiet so they wouldn't scare the doves and thus, could play with them. Enriqueta tells her that even though Quimet wants to make a business out of doves, that he keeps giving them away..."I tu, treballant com una beneita..."
Ch. 22.
Palomas make a big mess, make things smelly. She doesn't get any help. She's exhausted, but if she say's she's tired, Quimet says his leg hurts.
Ch 23.
Quimet's mom dies.
Ch. 24.
Narrator repeats how tired she is. Neighbors are a little fed up with the doves.
Ch. 25.
Son cries, daughter cries, she cries. (She's spent). Goes outside on the terrace-boiling hot. She takes eggs from dove. Starts to shake eggs "esperava que ja hi hagués el colomí a dins." Starts to sleep terribly, like when she was little. Now, no more coloms...Quimet gets sick of them too. Everyone is chupándole la vida a ella.
Ch. 26.
No more gas. Milk doesn't come. (economic situation is getting bad). The senyora she works for tells her that yesterday someone came to kill her husband because they thought he was a chaplain. Then, 5 militia show up because they haven't been paying their hipoteca. Doves start to leave the house.
Ch. 27.
Mossèn Joan gives her two gold coins for her/her kids. Anuncio "sense els rics els pobres no poden viure" War is going on. She goes a long time without seeing Quimet. Gets a job cleaning Ajuntament.
Ch. 28.
She remembers the past, working at the bake shop, meals with Quimet's mom. Just when she thinks she'd never see Q again, he comes home. Antoni and Rita are really interested in Quimet's life at war. He goes back to fight, thinks things will be over in a month.
Ch. 29.
Cintet, Q's brother, comes by. Talks about war, how they are peaceful people and don't like fighting like this.
Ch. 30.
She sees Julieta, who's looking a little rough. Julieta later comes by her house, tells her about this guy she fell in love with. Was going to meet him at night-things were dark-she walked into this seemingly abandoned house. She tells Julieta "Nice story, but I've got a real life and real things to attend to". "Tot s'havia acabat per mi i que només esperava tristesa i maldecaps." (It's as if she has lost her innocence more than the girl who's been to war.)
Ch 31.
Her father dies from a scare from the bombs. Quimet comes by, spends some time with the kids. "Tenia dues boques obertes a casa i no tenia res per omplir-les." They start going to bed early so they won't think so much about the fact they haven't eaten. She sends her kids off "va enfilar la carretera blanca que duia a l'engany."
Ch. 32.
Julieta and Colometa go to the colònia to find kids. Mentions her kids aren't what they were at the beginning of the war, but they're still beautiful. Antoni comes running up to her "i jo em vaig haver de fer un cor de fusta". But she can't take them home or they'd all die.
Ch. 33.
She's toughening up. The colònia was a sad thing- changes Antoni. Still in war. Very little food. Executions in a plaza. She still hasn't spent the two gold coins.
Ch. 34.
Tries to get a job back at the other house. They don't want to involve themselves in any mess and she's a red, so....Just like she shook the dove eggs, her kids have now been shaken by the war. Quimet died at war. Considers a sort of collective suicide to get them all out of their pain (her and her two kids).
Ch 35.
She goes back in church. Hasn't been since she was married. Forgets to genuflect. Starts seeing/hearing things. Imagines Colometa, up flying away.
Ch. 36.
Goes to fill up with salfumant...doesn't have money. Says she'll pay later. admires shop windows. Store owner knows she has no money and he offers her a job at her house. She cries from his compassion
Ch. 37.
Aren't you tired, Antoni asks her (first time anyone has asked her that) He gives her basic instruction for the house.
Ch. 38.
Mica a mica tornava a la vida després de haver viscut en el forat de la mort. He always sends her home with a little extra, He talks to her, knows when she's not doing well.
Ch. 39.
They start to talk about themselves. Feels like a relationship could blossom. He proposes- Let's get married? I no vull enganyar ningú, va dir, Natàlia- calls her by her first name, being genuine.
Ch. 40
She tells Enriqueta, tells her kids about the marriage. He takes good care of her.
Ch. 41.
I didn't marry you to have you clean. I married you to have a family. Let's hire a cleaning lady.
Colometa's son hits it off with Big Antoni.
Ch 42.
Vivia tancada a casa. El carrer em feia por (hard to break old habits). Uh Oh. What if Quimet hadn't died and all of this would go away?
Ch. 43.
Antoni says he's never been so happy. Tot era igual. Però tot era bonic. And tot em feia plorar.
Ch 44.
Sleeps poorly-gets up in the middle of the night. Kitchen is full-hunger is over.
Ch. 45.
A boy comes to ask Rita out. Rita is not interested in being a housewife.
Ch. 46.
Rita tells boy he should ask her, no her family, for permission to get married. The whole family has dinner at his bar. Boy will have to do a year of service in mili (?)
Ch. 47.
Rita getting married. Modista makes her sofa cover (marriage with much more $ than her mother's). Natàlia has some difficult flashbacks.
Ch. 48.
Rita dressed as a bride because I wanted her to (back to 1st person narrator). La Rita, quan es va casa, tenia de tot (again, in a better economic place than her mom). Yet, she's in a bad mood when her veil gets wet (more "selfish") Rita's reception.
Ch. 49.
She gets up and goes to the kitchen. Looks at knives. Flood of memories. Walking through her past. Writes her name into the door with a knife. She screams-release. "L'Antoni s'havia passat anys dient gràcies i jo mai no li havia donat les gràcies de res." Things seem to get bad, feels cold, worried about death...then she goes back to bed, and with the new morning there is hope and happiess.
First person.
Julia takes narrator out to a dance. Mom's been dead for years, can't help her anymore; father remarried another woman i jo joveneta i sola a la plaça del Diamant. She feels bad that she's going to dance while her fiancé Pere is working in a kitchen. Runs home.
Ch 2.
Quimet is an hour late to meet her in the park; she excuses it. "em va dir que si volir ser la seva dona havia de començar per trobar bé tot que ell trobava bé" (controlling relationship from the start). She looks at houses with him, clearly exhausted, not in love. Sky is dark.
Ch 3.
He tells her he doesn't want her to work at the bakery anymore because the baker likes to look at her. She tells him he's crazy; he beats her. They stay apart for three weeks and she excuses him, again (classic abusive relationship). He wants her to be like his mom. Setting her up to be very subservient. She compares herself to a cat, yet a cat does better than her (p. 28- good connection for Caterina Albert)
Ch 4.
At senyora Enriqueta's house. Buys her wedding clothes. Later, back with Quimet "I em va fer demanar perdó agenollada per dintre per haver sortit a passejar amb en Pere..."
Ch. 5.
Her dad asks when they're getting married. He was the third one to come and ask him for her hand in marriage. They have lunch with her parents, leave early-ish to work on their flat. Go out to eat and when she leaves, walking home by herself, catcalls in the street "està bona...com si jo fos un plat de sopa."
Ch. 6.
Slowly putting together their house, very few possessions. Get married. She dances, she's happy-a beautiful day for her.
Ch. 7.
Been married 2 mos, 7 days. Get a moto. He drives in a very uncomfortable way-tries to scare her, makes her cold. Mother of Quimet becomes obsessed about her having a baby.
Ch. 8
"Sempre havia tingut por d'aquell moment. M'havien dit que s'hi arriba per un camí de flors i se'n surt per un camí de llàgrimes." "Les dones, deien, moren partides." --Sex is something feared/awful for her.
Ch. 9.
Lost key. Drill a hole. Key hanging inside house.
Ch 10.
She's pregnant. Family suggests lots of names. Physically, difficult experient (plus, Quimet still wants to be taken care of.)
Ch. 11.
Childbirth. Baby is born big and healthy, yet she isn't producing much milk so it's losing weight quickly. "Era nerviós"---symbolic, born into unhealthy home.
Ch.12.
Baby gets better. Considering a colomar.
Ch. 13.
"Vam fer el colomar." Add a new pair of doves.
Ch. 14.
More about the doves. They fly, poop on clothesline, etc. (Kind of like pets/members of family.)
Ch. 15.
Pregnant again. Baby Rita (1st: Baby Antoni).
Ch. 16.
Quimet has a worm in his body...has to get treatment. "Quimet deia que ell i jo érem igual perquè jo havia fet els nens i ell havia fet un cuc de quinze metres..."
(starts lots of sentences with "and" as if it were all one run-on idea she's saying in a single breath.)
Ch 17.
Quimet's furniture restoration business is not going well. So, she looks for a job working at a house.
Ch 18.
Description of the house. House is kinda old, some parts are newer.
Ch 19.
Quimet says if she wants to work outside of the home, that's her choice. He wants to get rich selling doves. Kids stay at home when she works (?)
Ch. 20.
People she works for rent houses, but they have such specific requirements that sometimes, they can't find inquilinos. She tries to bring her kids to work, but they're not happy there.
Ch. 21.
Leaves kids at home. One day, comes home early and the doves are in the house. Her children learned to be quiet so they wouldn't scare the doves and thus, could play with them. Enriqueta tells her that even though Quimet wants to make a business out of doves, that he keeps giving them away..."I tu, treballant com una beneita..."
Ch. 22.
Palomas make a big mess, make things smelly. She doesn't get any help. She's exhausted, but if she say's she's tired, Quimet says his leg hurts.
Ch 23.
Quimet's mom dies.
Ch. 24.
Narrator repeats how tired she is. Neighbors are a little fed up with the doves.
Ch. 25.
Son cries, daughter cries, she cries. (She's spent). Goes outside on the terrace-boiling hot. She takes eggs from dove. Starts to shake eggs "esperava que ja hi hagués el colomí a dins." Starts to sleep terribly, like when she was little. Now, no more coloms...Quimet gets sick of them too. Everyone is chupándole la vida a ella.
Ch. 26.
No more gas. Milk doesn't come. (economic situation is getting bad). The senyora she works for tells her that yesterday someone came to kill her husband because they thought he was a chaplain. Then, 5 militia show up because they haven't been paying their hipoteca. Doves start to leave the house.
Ch. 27.
Mossèn Joan gives her two gold coins for her/her kids. Anuncio "sense els rics els pobres no poden viure" War is going on. She goes a long time without seeing Quimet. Gets a job cleaning Ajuntament.
Ch. 28.
She remembers the past, working at the bake shop, meals with Quimet's mom. Just when she thinks she'd never see Q again, he comes home. Antoni and Rita are really interested in Quimet's life at war. He goes back to fight, thinks things will be over in a month.
Ch. 29.
Cintet, Q's brother, comes by. Talks about war, how they are peaceful people and don't like fighting like this.
Ch. 30.
She sees Julieta, who's looking a little rough. Julieta later comes by her house, tells her about this guy she fell in love with. Was going to meet him at night-things were dark-she walked into this seemingly abandoned house. She tells Julieta "Nice story, but I've got a real life and real things to attend to". "Tot s'havia acabat per mi i que només esperava tristesa i maldecaps." (It's as if she has lost her innocence more than the girl who's been to war.)
Ch 31.
Her father dies from a scare from the bombs. Quimet comes by, spends some time with the kids. "Tenia dues boques obertes a casa i no tenia res per omplir-les." They start going to bed early so they won't think so much about the fact they haven't eaten. She sends her kids off "va enfilar la carretera blanca que duia a l'engany."
Ch. 32.
Julieta and Colometa go to the colònia to find kids. Mentions her kids aren't what they were at the beginning of the war, but they're still beautiful. Antoni comes running up to her "i jo em vaig haver de fer un cor de fusta". But she can't take them home or they'd all die.
Ch. 33.
She's toughening up. The colònia was a sad thing- changes Antoni. Still in war. Very little food. Executions in a plaza. She still hasn't spent the two gold coins.
Ch. 34.
Tries to get a job back at the other house. They don't want to involve themselves in any mess and she's a red, so....Just like she shook the dove eggs, her kids have now been shaken by the war. Quimet died at war. Considers a sort of collective suicide to get them all out of their pain (her and her two kids).
Ch 35.
She goes back in church. Hasn't been since she was married. Forgets to genuflect. Starts seeing/hearing things. Imagines Colometa, up flying away.
Ch. 36.
Goes to fill up with salfumant...doesn't have money. Says she'll pay later. admires shop windows. Store owner knows she has no money and he offers her a job at her house. She cries from his compassion
Ch. 37.
Aren't you tired, Antoni asks her (first time anyone has asked her that) He gives her basic instruction for the house.
Ch. 38.
Mica a mica tornava a la vida després de haver viscut en el forat de la mort. He always sends her home with a little extra, He talks to her, knows when she's not doing well.
Ch. 39.
They start to talk about themselves. Feels like a relationship could blossom. He proposes- Let's get married? I no vull enganyar ningú, va dir, Natàlia- calls her by her first name, being genuine.
Ch. 40
She tells Enriqueta, tells her kids about the marriage. He takes good care of her.
Ch. 41.
I didn't marry you to have you clean. I married you to have a family. Let's hire a cleaning lady.
Colometa's son hits it off with Big Antoni.
Ch 42.
Vivia tancada a casa. El carrer em feia por (hard to break old habits). Uh Oh. What if Quimet hadn't died and all of this would go away?
Ch. 43.
Antoni says he's never been so happy. Tot era igual. Però tot era bonic. And tot em feia plorar.
Ch 44.
Sleeps poorly-gets up in the middle of the night. Kitchen is full-hunger is over.
Ch. 45.
A boy comes to ask Rita out. Rita is not interested in being a housewife.
Ch. 46.
Rita tells boy he should ask her, no her family, for permission to get married. The whole family has dinner at his bar. Boy will have to do a year of service in mili (?)
Ch. 47.
Rita getting married. Modista makes her sofa cover (marriage with much more $ than her mother's). Natàlia has some difficult flashbacks.
Ch. 48.
Rita dressed as a bride because I wanted her to (back to 1st person narrator). La Rita, quan es va casa, tenia de tot (again, in a better economic place than her mom). Yet, she's in a bad mood when her veil gets wet (more "selfish") Rita's reception.
Ch. 49.
She gets up and goes to the kitchen. Looks at knives. Flood of memories. Walking through her past. Writes her name into the door with a knife. She screams-release. "L'Antoni s'havia passat anys dient gràcies i jo mai no li havia donat les gràcies de res." Things seem to get bad, feels cold, worried about death...then she goes back to bed, and with the new morning there is hope and happiess.
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