Emilia Pardo Bazan
Born in 1851, Emilia Pardo Bazan was a woman of strong character and presence. She was a writer, scholar and critic whose efforts were widely recognized. Her novels reflected her personality and background, particularly in the region of Galicia where she lived. Her skills could be seen through her integration of naturalism into her work, in which she made the reader feel in touch with the story rather than picturing it as a fictional dream. Her most noted pieces of work have been Los Pazos de Ulloa and this was soon followed by La Madre Naturaleza.
She had a strong passion for politics, which became evident later in life when she was initiated in the senate. She married at the young age of 18 and released her first novel under the name Pascual Lopez. This didn't make the impact she had hoped, but it was later resolved when she released Un Viaje de Novio in 1881. This work attempted to subtly introduce Spain to the idea of French Realism. Other notable pieces include La Tribuna in 1885. She would go on to receive the title of countess in 1907 and, as mentioned, was appointed to the senate in 1921. Sadly, however, she passed away that year.
Some of her best works include
- El Cisne de villamorta
- Los Pazos de Ulloa
- La Madre Naturaleza
- La Cristiana
- Cuentos de amor
- Arco Iris
- Misterio
- La Quimera