Thomas R. Franz

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Decimonónica

Volume

8

Issue

1

Publisher

Decimonónica

Publication Date

2011

First Page

26

Last Page

39

Abstract

A recent study of Morsamor (1899) maintains that Valera’s last novel is anti-Muslim, anti- African, and anti-Hindu and contains a large quantity of trendy, negative “Orientalismo” calculated to justify a resurgence of Spanish imperialism over African and Eastern peoples (Torres-Pou 21–31). According to this interpretation, Morsamor is a “regenerationist” text intended to inspire a restoration of national pride through depiction of Spain’s military prowess during the Ages of Conquest and Exploration and the proposition that European cultural “superiority” was due to the alleged Hegelian-type accumulation of possibilities inherent, but lamentably truncated, in its Oriental origins (22–23). Thus Morsamor (Miguel de Zuheros), a frustrated monk magically converted into the globe-trotting knight errant of his dreams, leads a Portuguese crew in a Spanish galleon to victories over Muslims, Persians, Hindus, and Mongols. As the author of the study concludes, “resulta evidente que la exposición ario-semita que expresa la novela la alinea con el europeísmo orientalista del que nos habla Edward Said en Orientalism y que, según el autor palestino, en el siglo XIX buscaba razones históricas y culturales que excusaran el orientalismo occidental en Oriente” (30).

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