RUSSIAN CHARACTERS IN THE WORKS OF RAMÓN DEL VALLE-INCLÁN

Abstract

In 1929 and 1932, Valle-Inclán published two versions of a fragment from his novel Advantage of Swords. A Russian character is at the center of the plot: the narrative revolves around him, his appearance and personality are described in detail, he talks a lots and delivers speeches, while his name goes through a change. He is called Petr Kropotkin in the fi rst version and Mikhail Bakunin in the second one. The writer wanted to describe a Russian revolutionary, an anarchist, well-known in Spain — and for him it hardly mattered which one he would take: both persons were equally suitable for the role.