Author
Benito Pérez Galdós
1843-1920
Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920) is a public-domain author available on Rivro. Read free books, explore subjects, and discover related classics.
Subjects
Books by Benito Pérez Galdós
Doña Perfecta
"Doña Perfecta" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a realist novel published in 1876. When liberal-minded Pepe Rey arrives in the provincial cathedral city of Orbajosa to marry his cousin Rosario in an arranged match, he expects a simple union. Instead, he faces fierce opposition from his aunt Doña Perfecta and the meddling cathedral canon Don Inocencio. Their conflict exposes a bitter clash between modern liberal values and traditional provincial power, revealing the church's overwhelming influence in nineteenth-century Spain.
Fortunata y Jacinta: dos historias de casadas
"Fortunata y Jacinta: dos historias de casadas" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published between January and June 1887. Set in Madrid during the second half of the nineteenth century, it tells the intertwined lives of two women from different social classes united by tragic destiny. Fortunata, a young woman from the lower classes, and Jacinta, a sensitive member of the upper class, orbit around each other in a tale populated by over a hundred vividly drawn characters, creating a sweeping portrait of Spanish society.
Mariucha
"Mariucha" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a five-act comedy written in the early 20th century." This play explores themes of morality and societal change amidst the decline of aristocracy in Spain, centering on characters like Don Pedro and María as they navigate their challenges. With a focus on personal virtues over social ruin, the play presents a vivid portrayal of contemporary Spanish life. "The opening of "Mariucha" introduces the setting in the once-grand palace of Alto-Rey, where we meet Cirila, a maid, and Corral, a plebeian who appears to be wealthy but is inquiring about the impoverished state of the marquises living there." The characters discuss the deterioration of the nobility and the struggles of those who once held power, establishing a backdrop of societal decline. As the scene unfolds, Don Pedro, the marquis, enters looking troubled, hinting at the pressures he faces in maintaining dignity while confronting his family's financial struggles. This initial dialogue sets the stage for the exploration of class and the quest for a renewed sense of identity amid turmoil.
El Doctor Centeno (novela completa)
"El Doctor Centeno (novela completa)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1883. It follows Felipe Centeno, a provincial adolescent who arrives in Madrid hoping to study medicine. Instead, he becomes a modern-day Lazarillo, navigating the capital's streets while serving different masters—including a romantic law student and a priest with secrets. Through Felipe's eyes, Galdós captures the vivid world of nineteenth-century Madrid, introducing characters who would return in subsequent novels, making this work a doorway into his interconnected literary universe.
Marianela
"Marianela" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a Spanish novel written in 1878. In the fictional town of Socartes, a poor orphan girl named Marianela loves Pablo, a blind boy who believes she is beautiful because of her voice. When a famous doctor offers Pablo the chance to regain his sight, their relationship faces an uncertain future. The story explores themes of inner and outer beauty, examining how perception shapes love and identity in unexpected ways.
Gloria (novela completa)
"Gloria" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story unfolds in the fictional Spanish village of Ficóbriga, focusing on the life of a young woman named Gloria, whose character is lively and full of curiosity. The narrative hints at themes of love and societal expectations, particularly as Gloria engages with her father and the impending arrival of her uncle, a bishop. The opening of "Gloria" introduces the picturesque setting of Ficóbriga, a coastal village with a vibrant landscape shaped by the sea and agriculture. It establishes the background through vivid descriptions of the town and its surroundings, showcasing Gloria's anxious anticipation for her uncle's visit. We meet her father, D. Juan de Lantigua, who embodies a serious yet caring presence, imparting wisdom to Gloria, who is characterized by her restlessness and desire for action. This dynamic sets the stage for Gloria's internal conflicts regarding expectations of marriage and her contemplation of life's choices, while the arrival of her uncle brings new possibilities and challenges for her future.
La familia de León Roch, Tomos 1 y 2
"La familia de León Roch, Tomos 1 y 2" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel written in 1878. This work explores the tragic collapse of a marriage between two incompatible spouses: León, an atheist freethinker with rational convictions, and María Egipcíaca, a devout woman consumed by religious fervor. Set in Madrid's upper-class society, the story weaves a passionate love triangle involving León, his wife, and Pepa, a woman who secretly loves him. Religious intolerance and societal hypocrisy collide, leading to devastating consequences.
La desheredada
"La desheredada" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1881. It follows Isidora, a beautiful young woman who arrives in Madrid convinced she is the rightful heir to a noble title. Filled with dreams and illusions about her supposed inheritance, she pursues her claim with unwavering conviction. But her quest leads her down a devastating path through the streets of nineteenth-century Madrid, where reality proves far darker than her fantasies. Her story becomes a tragic exploration of delusion and downfall.
Lo prohibido (tomo 2 de 2)
"Lo prohibido (tomo 2 de 2)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1884-1885. The story follows José María Bueno de Guzmán, a wealthy bachelor who pursues forbidden relationships with his married cousins in Madrid's high society during the final years of Alfonso XII's reign. Set against a backdrop of financial speculation and social ambition, the narrative explores adultery, moral boundaries, and family scandal. As José María's obsessions shift between his cousins Eloísa and Camila, his world of privilege begins to unravel.
Miau
"Miau" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1888. Set in bureaucratic Madrid after the Bourbon Restoration, it follows Ramón Villaamil, a civil servant dismissed from the Ministry of Treasury following a change in political power. As his family struggles with dwindling finances and fractured relationships, his mystical grandson Luisito experiences visions of God—a strangely vulgar deity who makes increasingly grim promises about the old man's fate. This realist satire explores the precarious lives of Spain's administrative class through domestic tragedy and dark comedy.
El abuelo (Novela en cinco jornadas)
"El abuelo (Novela en cinco jornadas)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1897. Count Albrit returns from Peru to Spain, impoverished and nearly blind, only to discover a shocking family secret: one of his two granddaughters is illegitimate. Determined to identify his true blood heir, the proud aristocrat embarks on a painful quest that will challenge everything he believes about honor, lineage, and family. What he ultimately discovers transforms his understanding of what truly matters in life.
Lo prohibido (novela completa)
"Lo prohibido (novela completa)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1884-1885. Set in Madrid during the final years of Alfonso XII's reign, it follows José María Bueno de Guzmán, a wealthy bachelor who pursues forbidden relationships with his married cousins. His obsessive attraction to "the prohibited" leads him through adultery, social scandal, and financial speculation in a city consumed by luxury and ambition. This lesser-known work explores moral boundaries and family ties against the backdrop of Madrid's glittering yet corrupt high society.
Electra
"Electra" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a five-act play premiered on January 30, 1901. The work reimagines the classical Greek myth as a fierce critique of the Catholic Church's growing influence in Spain. A young heroine confronts centuries of religious oppression and fanaticism in a drama that sparked national scandal. The premiere ignited passionate confrontations between liberals and conservatives, with audiences erupting in cheers and protests. Inspired by a real-life controversy involving a young woman and a convent, the play became a cultural and political flashpoint.
El amigo Manso
"El amigo Manso" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1882. The protagonist, Máximo Manso, is an idealistic intellectual who narrates his own story—despite claiming not to exist. In Restoration-era Madrid, Manso becomes attached to his student Manolito and the young woman Irene, but his idealism blinds him to reality. Through a metafictional frame where the deceased narrator questions his own existence, Galdós critiques Spanish intellectual life and society, portraying a world where idealists struggle against deception and self-delusion.
El caballero encantado (cuento real... inverosímil)
"El caballero encantado (cuento real... inverosímil)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel written in 1909. Marqués Carlos de Tarsis, a wealthy nobleman who squanders his fortune through extravagance, faces ruin and seeks salvation through marriage. When his plans fail, he suffers an enchantment that transforms him into Gil, a humble laborer in the Castilian countryside. Through this magical punishment imposed by "La Madre," he experiences the harsh reality of rural poverty and exploitation, setting him on a path toward personal redemption and social regeneration.
La Incógnita
"La Incógnita" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1889. Told through letters from Manuel Infante to a mysterious correspondent, the story follows Infante as he arrives in Madrid as a new deputy and becomes entangled in the lives of Francisco Viera, Tomás Orozco, and Orozco's wife Augusta. When Infante falls for a married woman and a friend dies under unclear circumstances, he confronts troubling questions: Was he rejected out of virtue or rivalry? Was the death suicide or murder?
Tristana
"Tristana" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1892. Set in nineteenth-century Madrid, it follows a young woman who becomes dependent on an older guardian after her mother's death. When he seduces her, Tristana rebels and pursues love and independence. Through language and self-invention, she develops feminist ideals and dreams of professional freedom. But circumstances conspire to test her aspirations, forcing her into difficult choices about autonomy, love, and survival in a society that limits women's possibilities.
El Doctor Centeno (Tomo I)
"El Doctor Centeno (Tomo I)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1883. It follows Felipe Centeno, a young boy from northern Spain who arrives in Madrid dreaming of studying medicine. Instead, he becomes a servant navigating the capital's harsh realities. Through masters both eccentric and flawed—a would-be writer, a wayward priest, and other struggling souls—Felipe witnesses ambition, vice, and survival in Galdós's vividly rendered Madrid. This picaresque tale blends autobiography with fiction, introducing characters who reappear throughout the author's interconnected novels.
Los apostólicos
"Los apostólicos" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel written between May and June 1879. Set during Spain's turbulent succession crisis of 1829-1832, the novel follows liberal hero Salvador Monsalud and other characters through the power struggle surrounding Fernando VII's final wife and daughter, the future Isabel II. Named after an ultratraditional sect supporting rival claimant Carlos María Isidro, the work depicts secret societies and political intrigue that would plunge Spain into civil war. The story blends melodrama with historical events leading to the Carlist Wars.
El 19 de marzo y el 2 de mayo
"El 19 de marzo y el 2 de mayo" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1873. The third volume in the first series of the National Episodes, it follows Gabriel de Araceli through tumultuous events in early 19th-century Spain. Set between Aranjuez and Madrid, the story chronicles the popular uprising of May 2nd and the political intrigue surrounding minister Manuel de Godoy's downfall. Gabriel navigates these historic moments alongside his fiancée, uncle, and a parish priest, witnessing heroes and villains emerge from all social classes.
Misericordia
"Misericordia" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1897. Set in Madrid's impoverished underworld, it follows Benina, a servant and beggar, and her companion, the blind Almudena, as they navigate life among beggars and the destitute. The novel explores themes of charity and spiritual redemption through Benina's compassionate acts. Galdós portrays a crumbling Madrid where struggling bourgeois families and dignified beggars intersect, examining virtue and survival in a society's forgotten margins.
Saragossa: A Story of Spanish Valor
"Saragossa: A Story of Spanish Valor" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a historical novel written in the late 19th century. The story is set during the brutal Spanish War against Napoleon and focuses on the heroic defense of Zaragoza (Saragossa) during its second siege in 1808-1809. It introduces notable characters, including the brave citizen Don José de Montoria, his daughter Mariquilla, and the miserly Candiola, as the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of national struggle and valor. The opening of "Saragossa" sets the stage for the epic tale by describing the dire circumstances faced by four escaped patriots who have just arrived in the city, worn from their journey. We learn about their desperate state as they seek shelter and food, eventually taking refuge in the ruins of a monastery. As they attempt to reconnect with local friends for support, one of them recalls the city's earlier heroic actions against the French, setting a tone of hope against adversity. This segment introduces the city as a bastion of resistance and hints at the love story between Augustine and Mariquilla, while also embodying the themes of camaraderie and sacrifice.
Lo prohibido (tomo 1 de 2)
"Lo prohibido (tomo 1 de 2)" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a novel published in 1884. Set in Madrid during the final years of Alfonso XII's reign, this story follows José María Bueno de Guzmán, a wealthy bachelor who is drawn to forbidden pleasures, particularly in matters of matrimonial morality. Through his pursuit of his married cousins Eloísa and Camila, the novel explores themes of adultery, social ambition, and financial speculation against the backdrop of a Madrid consumed by luxury and vice.
Los cien mil hijos de San Luis
"Los cien mil hijos de San Luis" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a historical novel written in February 1877. The sixth installment of Galdós's second series of national episodes, it depicts the intrigues of King Fernando VII and his inner circle as they facilitate a French invasion of Spain in 1823. Told through a fictional manuscript by Jenara Baraona, the narrative blends historical figures with literary characters in a romantic thriller plot, exploring the end of the constitutional period and the beginning of an era of terror.