The Image of Spain in the Theater of Antonio Gala (1963-1985)
Kirsner, David Michael
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/70979
Description
Title
The Image of Spain in the Theater of Antonio Gala (1963-1985)
Author(s)
Kirsner, David Michael
Issue Date
1988
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Wilcox, John C.
Department of Study
Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese
Discipline
Spanish
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Literature, Romance
Abstract
The theater of Antonio Gala began in a mood of social and political protest. However disguised the characters and events depicted on the stage, during the first phase of the dramatist's theatrical productions the intent of the dramatist was nurtured by his opposition to the repressive government of Francisco Franco. The death of the Generalisimo in 1975 signaled not only a new era for Spain, but also for the theatrical pursuits of Antonio Gala. The demise of what Gala perceived to be the source of Spain's malady did not intrinsically affect the course of Spanish history. To be sure, social conditions improved, but problems endemic to the inherent character of the Spanish way of life remained unabated. Thus, Gala experienced an artistic crisis which seems to have rendered him immobile as a playwright for a period of five years, from 1975 to 1980. In his quest to comprehend the meaning of Spanish existence, in his search for truth, Gala intuitively embraced the historical concepts of Americo Castro. As he accepted the inevitability of Spain's destiny, he began to celebrate with tears as with laughter the Hispanic social structure. In a word, the art of Antonio Gala evolved from the political to the patriotic. In the final analysis, hope for Spain lay in the future, in the lives of the children. His misgivings about the years ahead were outweighed by his abiding faith in the generations to come. Indeed, it is this belief that has sustained him and his art.
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