Nivela

Nivola is a term created by Miguel de Unamuno to refer to his works that contrasted with the realism prevalent in Spanish novels during the early 20th century. Since his works were not fully novels, or "novelas" in Spanish, Unamuno invented a nonsense word, "nivelas," to describe them.

Origen of the term: "Niebla"

The term "nivola" appears for the first time as a subtitle for Unamuno's book Niebla" With this term, the writer was trying to express his rejection of the dominant principles of realism as expressed in novels: the psychological characterization of the characters, the realistic environments, and the third person omniscient narrator.

He expresses this in his prologue to Niebla:

ORIGINAL

IN TRANSLATIONquote" [...] I've heard about an archaeologist who studied architecture who was wanting to knock down a bascilica from the 10th century. He didn't want to restore it, but rather to make it how it should have been made in the first place. It was based off a plan from that period that he intended to have found. It conformed to the project of the 10th century architect. What he didn't realize was that bascilicas make themselves, jumping over any plans thought out in advance, using the very workers' hands as their tools in self-creation. Such is the novel, like epics or drama. A plan is made, but later the novel, the epic, or the drama imposes itself upon the author's vision. The characters, his supposed creations, impose themselves on him. In this way Lucifer and Satan, and later Adam and Eve, imposed themselves on Jehovah. This is not a "novel", but a "nivel", not a tragedy but a "trigidy!" In this way Augusto Perez imposed himself on me. And between my critics, my good Catalan friend Alejando Plana saw this tragedy when this my work appeared. Because of sheer mental laziness, allll the others didn't catch on to this, my diabolical invention: the nivola. This idea, to call it a nivola, which in truth is not truly mine, as I tell in the text - it was another ingenious trick to intrigue the critics. A novel, and as much of a novel as any other. That is to say, that this is its name, therefore to be is to have a name. Who says the age of novels or epic poems has passed? As long past novels live, the novel shall live and live again. The story is to redream it.

"Niebla" is the story of Augusto Pérez, a single man, philosophic and melancholy, that dedicates his time to long walks and reflection with his dog Orfeo. Augusto falls in love with Eugenia, and idealizes her in a similar way to Don Quijote's idealization of Dulcinea. He dedicates himself to winning her love. The most famous passage of the novel occurs towards the end, when the principle character decides to confront the real author, Miguel de Unamuno, to ask for advice about his destiny. The encounter degerates in a confrontation in which the author decides to kill his character, which leads to the character's death a few pages later.

Características de las "nivolas"

A "nivola" is characterized by the following characteristics:

*Predominance of ideas over form: Just like in his poetry and plays, the Unamuno's "nivolas" give priority to content over form. In fact, novels like "Amor y pedagogía" approach the genre of thesis novel or novela de tesis, cultivated by Benito Pérez Galdós or Blasco Ibáñez, among others.

*Scarce psychological development of the characters: the characters of thelos "nivolas" many times are characterized by on single personal quality, which some see as making them seem a little flat, in contrast to the multifaceted characters of realist novels. The characters of "Niebla", "Amor y Pedagogía" or "Abel Sánchez" are incarnations of an idea or a passion, which impedes them from relating with the world in a normal way.

*Scarce realism in the environment: Except for his first novel"Peace in the War", and perhaps his last, "San Manuel Bueno, mártir", Unamuno's novels hardly describe the place or time in which they develop. In this form, they accent their abstract nature.

*Rapid writing process: in contrast to the slow and progressive writing of realist novels, Unamuno's nivolas, according to him, came out of a pressured birth, without a long period of preparation, documentation, and planning.

Other Works

Beyond "Niebla", the following works can be classified as "nivolas": Abel Sánchez", "Love and Pedagogy" o "Aunt Tula". Es más discutible la adscripción de "San Manuel Bueno, mártir" is arguably a "nivola", but some disagree, saying it shows greater psychological development and description of the environment, which has led it to be seen as the Unamuno's masterpiece.

ee Also (all in Spanish

*Miguel de Unamuno

Bibliografía

*Ayala, Francisco: "La Novela: Galdós y Unamuno", Seix Barral, Barcelona, 1974
*Elizalde, Ignacio: "Miguel de Unamuno y su novelística", Zarauz, Caja de Ahorros Provincial de Guipuzcoa, 1983
*Moncy, Agnes: "La Creación del personaje en Miguel de Unamuno", La Isla de los Ratones, Santander, 1963