This work studies the extent to which the novels written by Jorge Edwards between 1973 and 1987 respond to the historical Chilean context that they seem to address, openly in some instances and evasively in others. It examines the way in which the novelist represents the Chilean situation under the dictatorship of Pinochet. In the novels, Los convidados de piedra (1978), Elmuseo de cera (1981), La muier imaginaria (1985) and Elanfitri On (1987), not only is the apparent decadence of asocial class revealed, but also the regenerative capacity of this class to perpetuate its dominance in society. The analysis of Edwards' works written during the dictatorship allows the possibility of comprehending the historical reality within the fiction through some themes: Chileanhistory, its culmination in the 1973 military coup and its aftermath, the decline of the bourgeois way of life, the status of women in Chile, and the problems of exile. To study the dialogue between the novel and society, and to reflect on the writer's role in facing the conflicts of his time, an eclectic methodology has been used which incorporates elements of narratology, Bakhtin's dialogism, sociology and history. These elements lead to further questioning rather than offering categorical answers; Edwards' own voice is used frequently to contrast or to clarify some aspects of his works. With the study of Edwards as an intellectual and with the review of his novels, this dissertation concludes that the Chilean writer shows a constant preoccupation with Chilean society. Moreover, his writings suggest that the causes of the dictatorship are anchored in an unresolved distant past. This explains the ironic gaze that questions the upper class and its origins from within. The voices of the novels are also ironic and reveal a rejection of the self-bestowed historical importance of the upper class. Finally, this study underlines the role the author has assigned to himself by converting the act of writing into an authentic personal mission.

This work studies the extent to which the novels written by Jorge Edwards between 1973 and 1987 respond to the historical Chilean context that they seem to address, openly in some instances and evasively in others. It examines the way in which the novelist represents the Chilean situation under the dictatorship of Pinochet. In the novels, Los convidados de piedra (1978), Elmuseo de cera (1981), La muier imaginaria (1985) and Elanfitri On (1987), not only is the apparent decadence of asocial class revealed, but also the regenerative capacity of this class to perpetuate its dominance in society. The analysis of Edwards' works written during the dictatorship allows the possibility of comprehending the historical reality within the fiction through some themes: Chileanhistory, its culmination in the 1973 military coup and its aftermath, the decline of the bourgeois way of life, the status of women in Chile, and the problems of exile. To study the dialogue between the novel and society, and to reflect on the writer's role in facing the conflicts of his time, an eclectic methodology has been used which incorporates elements of narratology, Bakhtin's dialogism, sociology and history. These elements lead to further questioning rather than offering categorical answers; Edwards' own voice is used frequently to contrast or to clarify some aspects of his works. With the study of Edwards as an intellectual and with the review of his novels, this dissertation concludes that the Chilean writer shows a constant preoccupation with Chilean society. Moreover, his writings suggest that the causes of the dictatorship are anchored in an unresolved distant past. This explains the ironic gaze that questions the upper class and its origins from within. The voices of the novels are also ironic and reveal a rejection of the self-bestowed historical importance of the upper class. Finally, this study underlines the role the author has assigned to himself by converting the act of writing into an authentic personal mission. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate

The encounter between Spain and the New World --the Americas-- is one of the distinctive historical events of the 15th century. So it is surprising that there is very little reference to the Americas in the many plays remaining from the Spanish Golden Age theatre. This thesis studies six plays centering on the Arauco wars in Southern Chile and the figure of one of the first governors of that country, don Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate to what extent the literary elaboration of the topic contributed to the vision of the New World held by the Spanish public. The dramatists that dealt with this theme did not have any direct contact with the Americas, therefore their representation of that world was based on oral accounts and literary sources available at the time. Among the latter are the letters of a conqueror, two chronicles, two epic poems and a panegiric text. The first part of this thesis consists of the textual analysis of this literary corpus. The main focus of the analysis is the influence of these sources on the dramas and how the characteristics of each genre contributed to their creation. The analysis of the dramatic works with Araucanian content (five plays and one auto sacramental) forms the second part of this thesis. The approach centers particularly on the representation of the Indian world as the "Other" opposed to the Spanish world. The analysis of these texts shows the subtle evolutionary process by which the treatment of the historical fact --Arauco and the Conquest-- in the theatre contributed to create the "idea" of America held at the time in Spain. Also, the re-elaboration of characters and motives indicates the emergence of native mythical figures which have become part of the historic and cultural patrimony of Chile today.

The encounter between Spain and the New World --the Americas-- is one of the distinctive historical events of the 15th century. So it is surprising that there is very little reference to the Americas in the many plays remaining from the Spanish Golden Age theatre. This thesis studies six plays centering on the Arauco wars in Southern Chile and the figure of one of the first governors of that country, don Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate to what extent the literary elaboration of the topic contributed to the vision of the New World held by the Spanish public. The dramatists that dealt with this theme did not have any direct contact with the Americas, therefore their representation of that world was based on oral accounts and literary sources available at the time. Among the latter are the letters of a conqueror, two chronicles, two epic poems and a panegiric text. The first part of this thesis consists of the textual analysis of this literary corpus. The main focus of the analysis is the influence of these sources on the dramas and how the characteristics of each genre contributed to their creation. The analysis of the dramatic works with Araucanian content (five plays and one auto sacramental) forms the second part of this thesis. The approach centers particularly on the representation of the Indian world as the "Other" opposed to the Spanish world. The analysis of these texts shows the subtle evolutionary process by which the treatment of the historical fact --Arauco and the Conquest-- in the theatre contributed to create the "idea" of America held at the time in Spain. Also, the re-elaboration of characters and motives indicates the emergence of native mythical figures which have become part of the historic and cultural patrimony of Chile today. / Arts, Faculty of / French, Hispanic, and Italian Studies, Department of / Graduate