joan sales and incerta glòria - institut ramon llull · thérèse desqueyroux), georges bernanos,...

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Overthelong,slowandlimitedreturntothenovel,thesubjectoftheSpanishCivilWarwasoneofthelasttobetackledbycreators.Aperfectlyunderstandablesilenceabouttheconflictasawholereigned:firstofall,itcouldonlybespokenoffromthewinners’pointofview,andwhentheybegantodosotheirnovelswerewritteninSpanish.Andso,atleastforthefirstfifteenyearsoftheFrancodictatorship,death,thefightingonthefrontorinthetrenches,theresistance,thejails,theconcentrationcampsortheexecutionsofthelosersmadeveryrareappearancesinthenovelspublishedinCatalonia.Thesituationofthenovelistsinexilewasdifferent:theycouldreflectaworldwhichhadnovoiceinsideCatalonia,aworldwhichconsequentlycouldhardlyberecognised,recreatedandthusreappropriatedandreinterpretedbyCatalansociety.

In1956thepublicationofthenovelIncerta glòria(UncertainGlory)byJoanSalesmarkedthebeginningoftheendofthatlongsilence.ItisnowalmostacommonplacetosaythatIncerta glòriaisthefirstCatalannovelwhichpresentstheCivilWarfromthelosers’pointofviewand,moreover,triestoconveytothereaderthedeep,inherentcomplexityofthesufferinginflictedonitscharactersbythreeyearsofwar.ItisundoubtedlyanovelabouttheCivilWarwhichhashighambitionsandiscontroversialatthesametime.Salesdescribesthewarinitsfullcomplexity,avoidsanysimplisticdivisionintogoodandbad,allfromaCatalannationalist,Republicanbutalsocatholicperspective,anddenouncesbothfascismandanarchism,bothblacksandreds,withvirulence.

Thatisnodoubtwhy,whenthenovelwasfirstpublishedinCataloniathe

Joan Sales and Incerta glòria

Xavier Pla

InthewakeoftheSpanishCivilWar,contemporaryCatalanliteratureingeneralandthenovelinparticularbrokeradicallywiththeexistingnarrativetradition.Thencameaninevitablestepback,whichledwriterstoreappropriatemainlytherealistandcomedyofmannerscurrentsofthesecondhalfofthe19thcentury.

The polyphonies of a roman-fleuve

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indifferenceorsilentindignationofsomeandtherancouroropenhostilityofothersmetadecidedlyawkwardworkwithrespectfulsilence.

WhenweexaminethedifferentoptionsavailabletoCatalanwritersandintellectualsduringtheCivilWar,weoftenforgettomentionthedelicatepositionthepeoplewhowerebothRepublicansandCatalannationalistsmusthavefoundthemselvesinwhentheyhadtostandfirmagainstFranco’stroops.Notonlythat:whileremainingcatholics,theyfoundthemselvesattheheartofamoralconflictofthegreatestimportancetotheirownpersonal,ideologicalandevenaestheticevolution.

Wecanonlycountasmallnumberofactiveparticipantsinthewarwhomanagedtoextractawork,adefinitivenovel,fromitimmediatelyafteritwasover.Thatmayhavebeenbecauseoftheexcessiveclosenessoftheirtragicexperiencesortheirliteraryimmaturityor,naturally,theirradicalandsometimesdogmaticpartyspirit.

Thesamedoesnotholdfortheforeignnovelists“devotedtothelastgreatcause”.Mostofthempublishedtheirmostimportantworksduringthewarorshortlyafterwards,mostlynovelssupportingtherepublicanside:wemayrecallGeorgesBernanos’Les grands cimetières sous la lune,whichappearedin1937,AndréMalraux’sL’Espoir andGeorgeOrwell’sHomage to Cataloniain1938,orErnestHemingway’sFor Whom the Bell Tollsin1940.

Howeveritturnsout,acivilwarleavesawoundwhichissodeep,solacerating,thatitcertainlypreventsthoseinvolvedinit,atleastforatime,fromfacingthedifficultiesinherenttoanyfictionalornovelisticreaction.Thatiswhatthecritic

andnovelistRafaelTasisstatedsorightlyinJuly1938:

“Anovelhastobethoughtandconstructedwithtimeandrest.Thebestnovelsaboutwar,likethemostsensationalonespublishedaboutthe1914-1918war,werewrittenafewyearslater,oncetheembersofthecombathadburnedout.Itwasthenthatexperienceandmaturitybroughttheirmagnificentharvest.Itwasthenthatwecouldhaveatruewarliterature”.

The enormous symbolic potential

Incerta glòriaisacatholicnovel,althoughithasoftenbeenquotedasoneofthewaysExistentialismwasintroducedintocontemporaryCatalanliterature.Throughthelivesoffourcharacters(aRepublicansoldierontheAragónfront,aBarcelonaanarchistconvertedtocatholicism,ayoungpriestobviouslyinfluencedbySartre,andJuliSoleràs,eccentricandwild,oneofthemostfascinatingcharactersincontemporaryCatalanliterature),thefourparts(includingEl vent de la nit,TheNightWind)ofthisnovelprovideanexceptionaltestimony.

Thattestimonyisendowedwithenormoussymbolicpotentialaboutthewarandthemoralevolutionofthecharacterswho,sunkinadeepmoralcrisis,faceyouth,lonelinessandtheirdestinywithtenacity.Moreover,thedifferentthreadsofthenarrativemakeupagreatclassicalnovelaboutloveandwar,withthreemeninlovewiththesamewoman,aboutyouthandmaturity,aboutwarandrevolution.Notforgettingoneofthemostintensememento moriinCatalanliteratureaboutthedeathofPresidentLluísCompanys,arrestedbytheGestapoinFrance,deportedtoSpainandexecutedbyFranco’sarmyatMontjuïcCastleinBarcelona.

Theauthor,JoanSalesiVallès,whowasborninBarcelonain1912anddiedin

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1983,belongedtooneofthegenerationsthatlivedtheyearsoftheSpanishRepublic,andmostofalltheoutbreakandprogressoftheCivilWar,mostintensely.Hetookanactivepartbecauseofhisageandendedupdevotinghisentireyouthtoit.Moreover,asamemberofthelosingside,likeotherauthorsofthatgenerationhehadtobeconstantlyjustifyinghimselftoHistory.

Sales,whohadadegreeinlawbutneverpractised,startedworkattheageof15aseditorofthenewspaperLa Nau.AfterworkingsporadicallyascorrectorandtypesetterhewasoneofthefirstCatalanteachersfortheRepublicanCatalangovernment.Whilehewasstillveryyoung,underthePrimodeRiveradictatorship,hewasamemberofthefirstandclandestineCatalanCommunistParty,foundedin1928byJordiArquer,whichtriedtocombinecommunismandnationalism.Aftertheoutbreakofthewarheendedupturningtowardscatholicismandquicklyanddefinitivelydistancedhimselffromthecommunistandanarchistworld.

WecanplaceSales’evolutionparallelto,thoughdistantfrom,thatoftheyoungintellectualswhowereclosetothecatholicandindependentCatalannewspaperEl Matí,foundedin1929byagroupledbyJosepM.Capedevila,whotriedtoconfirmChristianpositionsinCataloniaintellectually.Incidentally,henevermetthemorworkedwiththem.Thatgroupofwriters,amongwhomwemightmentionPauRomeva,MauriciSerrahimaorRamonEsquerra,muchinfluencedbyFrenchcatholicism,calledintoquestionthevaluesofChristianityamidtheideologicaltensionsofEuropean

societybetweenthewars,andtriedtofindaframeworkforitsmembers’concernsaboutthemetaphysicaldimensionsofexistence.

JoanSaleswasaboveallanindependentman,anoutsiderofCatalanliterature,certainlylessself-taughtthanhepretended,acreatorwhonever“married”anyoneandwhomwemightdefineasanactionwriterwho,sincehisyouth,hadmanufacturedhisownimageasanintellectualwemightcalla“militant”.Themilitantwriter,thesoldierwriter,placedhimselfattheserviceofacause;hewasthe“combatant”.

AmilitantofCatalannationalism,Republicanismandcatholicism,Salesalwaysfeltaneedtoexplaineverything,toexplainhimselfandjustifyhimselfceaselessly,whetherinprologues,epiloguesorfootnotes,asifhewantedtopreservehislonglifeexperiencefromoblivionorconfusion.AfriendandeditorofMàriusTorres1,anassociateofJoanCoromines2,publisherofLlorençVillalongaandMercèRodoreda,directorofthepublishinghouseElClubdelsNovel·listes,Saleswasfirstandforemostagreatreader.HewasfirstexcitedbyStendhal’swork,andthendefinitivelybythenovelsofDostoyevsky(hetranslatedThe Brothers Karamazov),andtheliteratureofthegreatFrenchcatholicwritersandphilosopherssuchasFrançoisMauriac(hetranslatedThérèse Desqueyroux),GeorgesBernanos,EmmanuelMounier,GabrielMarcelorTeilharddeChardin.

■ 1MàriusTorres(1910-1942),poet. 2JoanCoromines(1905-1997),philologist,author

ofthedictionaryknownastheCoromines.

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The fraught history of a novel

AttheoutbreakoftheCivilWar,SalesenteredtheCatalangovernmentWarSchooltoacquirethenecessarymilitarytrainingtotakepartinthefightingasanofficer.Attheendof1936hejoinedtheDurruticolumninMadridanditwasinXàtivawherehecontinuedhismilitarytraining(April1937).Later,hewasontheAragónfront(May1937-March1938)andlastlyontheCatalanfront,intheMacià-Companyscolumns(April-June1938).Whenthewarended,hewascommanderoftheRepublicanarmy.HeleftCatalonia,defeated,viaColld’Ares.Ayearlaterhestated:

“Formethewarwasthegreatestexperienceofmylife,themostinterestingthing,whatexcitedmemost.Ithinkawritermustbecomeawitnesstothetruth.”

BetweenJanuaryandDecember1939helivedinexileinParisuntil,afteratriptoHaiti,hefinallysettledinMexico,whereheclungtohopesforanalliedvictorytodriveFrancofrompower.BackinBarcelonain1948,hehadtoearnaliving.Hewasacorrectorandtypesetterandworkedforpublishingcompanies.Hisfirstpublication,Viatge d’un moribund(Journey of a Dying Man,Barcelona,Ariel,1952)isanimpressivecollectionofpoemsclearlyinfluencedbyBaudelaire,whichgivesproofofasoundlanguagetrainingandanextraordinarymasteryofformandmetre.

In1948hebegantowritewhatwouldbehisonlypublishednovel,Incerta glòria.HeprobablyembarkedonitinhislastyearsinexileinMexico.Thetitlewasnaturallychoseninmemoryofthatfar-off14thApril1931,thedateoftheproclamationoftheRepublic,“thehappiestdayofmylife”,inhisownwords.Heneverceasedtorepeat

that,whileconcealingthesource:thetitleistakenfromsomeversesattheendofActIScene3ofShakespeare’sTwo Gentlemen of Verona,whichhehadfoundquotedinchapterXVIIofLe rouge et le noirbyStendhal:

“O,howthisspringofloveresemblethTheuncertaingloryofanAprilday,Whichnowshowsallthebeautyofthesun,Andbyandbyacloudtakesallaway!”

Incerta glòriawaspublishedin1956,despitedifficultiesofeverykindandthesuppressionsinflictedbyFranco’scensors,whoaccusedthenovelof“religiousimmorality”.Itwasfinallytoappearaftereightyearsofreflectionsandadditions,ofexperiencesandofdisappointments.SalesevenhadtoappealtothearchbishopofBarcelonatoobtainthenihil obstatwhichwasindispensableforpublication.Indeed,itseemsthatheappealedtoAbbotEscarré,whohadhispersonalsecretary,FatherMaurBoix,brotherofJosepM.BoixiSelva,readthenovel.Althoughlittletakenwithit,hefoundnothingcontrarytodogmaormorality.Bywayofanepitaphithadthephrase‘Mentreche’ldannoelavergognadura’,fromaterrifyingpoembyMichelangeloreferringtothepoweroftheMedicisandwhichalsoclosedhiscollectionofpoetryViatge d’un moribund.

Owingtoafortuitouscircumstance,MaisonGallimardshowedaninterestinatranslation,whichappearedin1962intheprestigiousDumondeentiercollection.Since1956JuanGoytisolohadbeenlivinginParisandworkingasreaderoforiginalsatGallimardthankstotheAmericanhispanicistJohnB.Rust.Goytisolo’spresencefavouredthetranslationofmostofthebestSpanish

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novelsofthepost-war(AnaMaríaMatute,CamiloJoséCela,RafaelSánchezFerlosio,JesúsFernándezSantos)and,ontherebound,somenovelsinCatalan,beginningwithIncerta glòriaandLa Plaça del DiamantbyMercèRodoreda.

ThepublicationdateforthenovelwassetforMarch1958.Fouryearsweretopassbeforeitfinallyappeared.Therewasagreatdelayintheprocess,attributedtoadelaybythetranslatordueessentiallytoSales’incessantrewritingsandotherimportantextraliteraryreasons.

Forexample,SalesaskedMichelMohrt,directorofÉditionsGallimard,forthecompanytointervenewiththearchbishopofParistoobtainthenihil obstatinordertoshowuptheexistenceofSpanishcensorship.Hisrequest,completelyoutoforderintheFrenchpublishingcontext,wasreceivedwithstupefactionbythedirectors.SalessufferedagoniesovertheideaofpossiblepoliticalrepercussionsinSpainandmostofallfearedpolicereprisals.Andsoon30thJune1960heinsistedandwrotetoGallimard,onceagaindemandingreligiousconsentforhisbook:

“Formeitisamatterofself-esteem,ifyoulike,butneverthelessratherhumiliating,andthatiswhyIinsist.Grossinsultshavebeenheapedonme,‘hereticandimmoral’istheleastofthethingssaid,andtheyeventoldthepublisherwhenheinsistedonpublishingmynovelthat‘theauthorshouldthinkhimselfluckyhehasn’tbeenshot”’.

Finally,andinthefaceofSales’insistence,MichelMohrtpassedonhisdemandtoFrançoisAmiot,secretaryoftheImprimaturandteacherattheSaint-SulpiceseminaryinParis.Nevertheless,andmostsurprisingly,notonlywasthearchbishop’sanswernegative,butalsotheresponsewasunexpected.Andso Incerta glòria,whichin1956hadobtainedthe

nihil obstatfromtheFrancoistchurch,hadthesamepermissionrefusedbytheFrenchchurch.

Inabitterletterdated15thNovember1960,FrançoisAmiotwrote:

“Itdidnotseemtotheexaminerthatthisworkcouldbeinanywaysanctionedbythereligiousauthority.ItcontainsfartoomuchindecencyandtoomanyscabrousscenesconcerningtheSpanishCivilWar;somemenofthechurchandtheSpanishbishopricarejudgedinamannerthatisnoteven-handed.Itistheworkofapartisan;theauthorobviouslyhastherighttoexpresshisopinions,butitisforhimandhimalonetobeartheresponsibility.TheexaminerwonderswhethertheimprimaturhasreallybeengivenbyaSpanishbishop,giventhetenorofthebookandtheatmosphereinSpain.Idonorconsideritusefultosubmitthisworktoanotherexaminer,theresultwouldbethesame…

PSIwouldbegratefulifyouwouldsendtheusualfeetothecensor,CanonGrimard…”

Moreover,thankstothecorrespondencebetweenSalesandBernardLesfargues,thetranslator,wecanhaveaccesstoalargeamountofinformationaboutthegenesisoftheoriginaleditionandtheworkinprogress.WemustfirstpointoutthatthefirstFrenchtranslationdoesnotcorrespondtothefullorcompleteeditionoftheCatalanoriginal,thatis,totheadditionofthecensoredpartsofthebook:infactitisanew,farlonger,novelwhichSalesmusthaverewrittensomewherebetween1957and1959.Thetranslator’sgreatconcernwastobeabletocalculatethefinalnumberofpages.Thewriter’sonlyreplywastosendnewchapters.

Salesexplains,forexample,inaletterdated8thJuly1957,thefirstonehesenttohistranslator,thatthecensorshavekeptthefirstpartofthenovelalmostintactandthatthesecondandthirdpartsaretheonesthathavebeencut,somuchso

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thattheyhavebecomeincomprehensibletothereader.

Andsothewriter’sworkfromtheoutsetconsistedofretrievingthecensoredpartstorebuildthestoryaccordingtosomenarrativecohesion.Butverysoon,thankstohiscorrespondence,wediscoverthatthenovelist,excitedbyhistale,drivenbytheneedtotellall,toforgetnothing,hasinfactbeguntorewritefrombeginningtoend.AndsoSalesbegantowritefragmentshehadneverthoughtofincludinginthefirstedition,makingexcessoneofthecornerstonesofhiscreativepoetics.

Moreover,hisfearswerenotinvain:aftertheappearanceoftheFrenchtranslationofIncerta glòriatheSpanishpoliceconfiscatedhispassportforatimeandrefusedtoallowhimtoleaveSpain.

Thevolumecontainedfourhundredpages.InMayofthesameyearIncerta glòriaanditsauthorJoanSalesappearedwithJuanGoytisolo,CamiloJoséCelaandAnaMaríaMatuteintheCahiers des librairies,afreepublicationoftheFrenchbooksellers’association.ThereceptionbytheFrenchcriticswas,fromthebeginning,spectacular.ApartfromthenegativereviewinthecatholicjournalLibre Belgique,theywereallpositive,evenenthusiasticinLa Croix,Le Monde,Combat,themagazinesEspritandLa Nouvelle Critique,linkedtotheFrenchCommunistParty.

A deliberate realism

ThereisnodoubtthatIncerta glòriaisanexcessivenovel,butwhatisalsotrueisthatanygoodnovel,anynovelwithpretensionstorepresentingawholeworld,isinevitablyexcessive.Salesconstructsakindofroman-fleuvewhichspreadsoutoneveryside.Thetextualscopeisoverwhelming.Theworkislong,fluidand

slow,butatthesametimeveryfastandasintenseasthecurrentofwaterinanenormousriver,powerfulandsureofitself.

Itisanoveloverflowingwithlife,energyandtalent.ThequantityindeedturnsouttobeoneofthequalitiesofSales’novelinsofarasthisaspectallowshimtogivespacetothedimensionoftime.Theambitiontoincludetime,historicalduration,allowshimtoincorporatethepost-warintothenarrativeflow.Heevenwentsofarastoaddasecond,shorternovel,El vent de la nit,whichbecameanintegralpartofthework.

Incerta glòriaisapolyphonicnovelthatinterweavesahostofnarrativevoicesinadeliberaterealismwithgreatsymbolicpotential.Salesconceivedthenovelasadialecticalgame,madeupofcontradictionsandshiftingperspectives,withawilltoexorciseandconjurehisownghosts,‘metaphysicalghosts’accordingtoJoanFuster,topaintagreathistoricalfrescocharacterisedbyconstantstrayingfromthenarrative,interruptionsanddigressions,anecdotesanddifferentthematicthreads.Thepolyphonyandthevarietyofpointsofviewproduceapicturethatoffersapluralandrealisticvisionofatalethatwouldgrowastimepassed,paralleltoitscreator’sownbiography.Thefifthversion,publishedinJune1981,wasthedefinitiveedition.

Theperpetualconflictthecharactersareinallowsthemtoreachtheethicalormoraldimensionsoftheirownconsciencesand,mostofall,allowsthereadertoreconstructmentallythecentralmessagesofthenovel.Eachcharacterisasubjectiveinterpreteroftheworldaroundhimandisnotjustawitnessorobserverofreality,sinceallofthemfilltheworldwiththeirpersonalities.AndsoSales’skillpreventstheideologicaldiscourselentbythenarratortohischaracters

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fromimprisoningthewholediscourseofthenovel;quitetheopposite,itfavoursanunfinished,constantlyinterrupteddiscourse.ButSalesrejectstheexemplarynovelorthethesisnovelbecauseheiswellawarethattheaestheticqualityofanovelceasestobeseenassuchwhenitreadslikeasermon.Inaletterof25thSeptember1975toBernardLesfargues,forexample,Salescautioned:

“Thatisindeedthesubjectofmybook.Iwantedtoleaditinsuchawaythatthereader,withouteverhavingtheannoyingfeelingofa‘thesis’or,evenworse,a‘sermon’,wouldcomeofhisownaccordtothefollowingconclusion:thethirstforgloryiscongenitaltoallmenandyetitcannotbequenchedbyanythingintheworld;thereisamysterywhichcanonlybeexplainedbyanotherworld,anessentiallygloriousone.Butonemustavoidphilosophyinanovel,andthereismygreatdifficulty.Thisthoughtmustemergeasifitsprangfromthereader,barelyhintedatbytheauthor.”

Anovelthatisatonceuniqueandmultiple,thenovelofagenerationwholivedthroughthewarinthefloweroftheiryouthwithloveanddesire,Incerta glòriaisanopenwork,nodoubtowingtoSales’excitedreadingofTirant lo Blanc,theworkofCervantesand,mostofall,thenovelsofDostoyevsky.Thusfouralmostindependentaccountsfollowononeanother:thatofLluísdeBroca,abourgeoisanarchistwithacomplexidealisticandegotisticalpersonality,whosediaryformsthefirstpartofthenovel;theletterssentbyTriniMalmany,firstmistressandthenwifeofLluísdeBroca,toJuliSoleràs,whichmakeupthesecondpart;andlastlythetwofoldautobiographicalaccountofCruells,asoldierintheRepublicanranksandadefinitelyheterodoxpriestfromthedioceseofBarcelonainthepost-waryears.

Byusingtraditionalnarrativeformslikethediary,theepistolarynovelandthe

autobiographicalaccount,thusthreedifferentnarrators,Salesmanagestoavoidthemonotonyofasinglepointofview.Butinthatwayheresolvesthecreationofthecharacterswho,farfrombeingflat,areinfullrelief,endowedwithabroad,complexspirit,arealmoraldensity,withbrioandahistoryoftheirown.Theyareinvolvedinawarwhichissometimesasimplebackdrop,othersafullelementoftheirlives.Thankstoaperfectmatchbetweennarrativeformandcontent,Sales,withliterarylearning,usesthreedifferentnarrativetechniqueswhichhedoesnotmix,thoughhemanagestomakeeachofthemfulfilitsfunctioninthedevelopmentofthestory.Withtheaimofconveyingtothereaderthefullcomplexityofthewar,heusesLluís’sdiary.Theroleofhiswife’slettersfromBarcelonaistoportraytherearguard,fromwherethecombatantsreceivesparsenews.Andwhenthenovelistdecidestomakethewarseemoveranddistant,heusesthememoirs,whichenablehimtostretchtimeinadurationthatincludesaviewofthepost-warinBarcelonatwentyyearslater.

Salesbuiltthenovelaroundtheenigmatic,eccentricandoriginalfigureofJuliSoleràs,whoservesasalink.However,JuliSoleràs(notethattheinitialsofhisnameandsurnamecoincidewiththenovelist’sandalsowiththoseofJulienSorel,thefamouscentralcharacterofLe rouge et le noir)isneverinfacttheheroofthenovel,butrathertheanti-hero.

Anintelligent,highlycultured,egocentricboy,particularlydrawnbytheforbiddenandtheunknown,heisoneoftheguidingthreadsofthestory.Byhissuddenappearancesanddisappearanceshecreatesaneffectofsurpriseintheothercharacters,andthereaderendsuphavingaglobalideaofwhatheislike

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throughthenews,theexperiencesandthefeelingshearousesinothers.

Whenheisabsenttheothercharactersaresorry.Whoeverhastodowithhimfeelsdrawntohim,thoughhemayalsoinspirerepulsion.Sunkinpermanentdoubt,heisinterestedinsexualperversionsand,forshockeffect,heanswersrudely.Hehasaquiteparticulartasteforfailureandaspiritofcontradiction,whichhepractiseswitheveryone;wefeelhimthirstyforgloryandmovedbyhissingularsearchfortheabsolute.Halfphilosopher,halfcynic,lockedinastrugglewithhimself,heisceaselesslyquotingBaudelaire,Nietzsche,Schopenhauer,KierkegaardandSartre.

Livelyandcontradictory,eccentric,atirelesstraveller,heisacharacterwhofeelstheabsurd.Hisconcernwithnothingnessconsumeshim.Heisobsessedwith“theobsceneandthemacabre”.Awildman,insearchofanabsolutedestinywhosemeaninghehimselfseemsnottoknow,hewandersalonethroughthenovelinasettingladenwithsymbolicintensity,theAragónfront.SuddenlyhedisappearswithoutexplanationuntilthemomentwhenheabandonstheRepublicantrenchesandcrossesovertohisadversaries.Attheendofthenovelwelearnthathehadgoneovertotheothersidebut,realisingthattheFrancoistshadwon,hereturnedtotheRepublicansandwaskilled.Soleràsistheonlycharacterinthenoveltodieyoung,andhecouldonlydiealoser,perhapsbecausetheonlygloryseemstobethegloryofyouth.Hisendisdramatic,herenouncesbecomingavictor.Hisgreatlessonistoacceptdefeatandfailureasessentialcomponentsofhumanlife.

ThereisanevidentconnectionbetweenJoanSalesandtheworkofgreatFrenchcatholicwritersandintellectualssuch

asCharlesPéguy,FrançoisMauriacorGeorgesBernanos.Saleswasaconvert,ora“returnee”,tocatholicism,amanwhowentthroughalongideologicalandmoralevolutionwhichrecallsthewordshehimselfappliedtotheKazantzakisheadmiredsomuch:amanwhosoughtjusticeaboveall,whodefendedhissenseoftruthateverymomentofhislifewithincorrigiblespontaneity.

Itiseasy,thoughnotverysatisfactory,toincludeSales’workinwhatiscalledthecatholic novelbecause,asisthecasewitheverylabel,itforcesustoestablishanimpoverishingreductionism.Thecatholicnovelisnotacoherentanduniformideological,aestheticorformalcurrent,butitistruethatitwasameetingpointfortheliteraryandreligiousinterestsofsomeauthorswho,mainlyaftertheSecondWorldWar,onacollectivequestfornewhumanvalues,calledChristianityintoquestion,andforwhomthenovelprovedtobeaninstrumentthatenabledthemtohaveaninfluenceonthemoralconscienceofcontemporarysociety.

JoanSales’literature,withitsvigorousstyle,isladenwithmetaphysicalresonancesandputsforwardaglobalvisionofthehumanadventure,sothatthereaderisplungedintothrillingworld,chargedwithphysicalandintellectualenergy.TheauthorsoftheepigraphsthatintroducesomeofthechaptersofIncerta glòria proveit:Pascal,Baudelaire,Bergson,Chesterton,Kierkegaard,SimoneWeil,AlbertCamusandaremarkableDostoyevsky,whohadalreadybecomeasometimescontroversialreferencepointforthenovelbetweenthewars.Salespresentedhimasthefinestexampleofamodelofliteraturethatpenetrateddeepintothehumancondition,withcharacterswhosepsychologycannot

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bereducedtotherulesofreasonorconventionalpsychology.

However,whatcharacterisesthenovelthemostandmostsurprisesthereaderisitsveryparticularrealism,arealismthatbelongstothespiritualmeaningofexistence,arealismimpregnatedwithsignsanddreamsthatmeltintotheveryessenceofthings.Itistherealismoftransfiguration,oftherevelatorypowerofawritingthatmaystartfromrealitybutwhichneverthelessfeedsonfaithandspirituality.

Salesisthusintunewiththedefenceofanindividualismwemightconceiveofasthefirststeptowardsgivingmanthenecessaryinstrumentsfortheresolutionofthatveryindividualism.AccordingtoSales,theevolutionofsocietypushesmantowardsacommon,collectivedestinywhichmaybeeitherutopianortragic.Thenovelthenbecomesanappealtopersonalconscienceandsacrifice.Christiansmusttakepartinaspiritualcommunityinfullevolutioninsteadofdevotingthemselvestopersonalfloweringforindividualsalvation.

AndsoSalescleavestoaclearpersonalism,asreaderandfollowerofthethoughtofbothEmmanuelMounierandGabrielMarcel,withwhomhekeptupacorrespondenceforsometimeafterthepublicationoftheFrenchtranslation.

GabrielMarcelhimselfwrotetoBernardLesfargueson14thMarch1962:

“DearSir.HowgratefulwemustbetoyouforhavingrevealedGloire incertaine,whichIamnowreading.Ifinditaltogetherremarkable,andthetranslationisfirstclass.IfyouhaveanotherCatalannovelofjustcomparablequalitytosuggest,donothesitate.”

Itisinthatsense,thepresentationofatensemoralconflict,thatwemustincludeJoanSalesamongthenovelistsofthe“tornconscience”andasubjectmatterofsalvation,inotherwordstheresolutionoftheinnerconflictthankstoagrowingawareness.Fromtheretoocometheessentiallysubjectivequalitiesofthenovel.Itslyricismbreakstheobjectivedevelopmentofthestoryandthemetaphysicalperspectivenourishesthesubjectofevilanditsreasons(distress,hatred,violence,suicide)andthesubjectofsalvation(grace,love,innerandoutercombats).

“Myyouthwasnomorethanadarkstorm”:JoanSalesoftenrepeatedthatlinebyBaudelaire(in‘L’ennemi’,poemXofSpleen et Idéal),wordsthatseemtoconfirmthattheonlygloryisfoundinthetimeofbeingyoung,understoodasbeingtheonlyperiodoflifeshotthroughwithloveanddeathintheconstantquestfortheabsolute.ShunningManichaeismofanykind,withagraveanddeepsolemnity,endowedwithsupremelucidity,thepagesofIncerta glòriaareaveryhumanspiritualmonologuethatmakesthenovelagenuinelessonintoleranceinlifeandinliteratureII

II Joan Sales and Incerta glòria Xavier Pla

Xavier Pla is a literay critic and lecturer in Catalan literature at the University of Girona.