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In spite of Spanish traditionalism, vigorously promoted by the authoritarian policies of the Franco regime, there was a surprising production of literature by women beginning in the 1940s. The subjects of this study, Carmen Martin Gaite, Ana Maria Matute and Elena Quiroga, are among the most important representatives of this literary phenomenon. Their contribution has been evaluated through the analysis of ten novels, which for each author represent three distinct stages of development.
The analysis of their novels has been enriched through application of the insights of contemporary feminist literary critics in the United States. Especially useful has been Elaine Showalter's concept of "double voiced discourse." The novels of Martin Gaite, Matute and Quiroga, contain muted stories which are central to the concerns of women but which are embedded in dominant literary forms established by males. The perserverance of the "double voiced discourse" in their writing indicates that it is a central element in the deep structure of their novels.
The novels, Pequeno teatro (1954) by Ana Maria Matute, El balneario (1954) by Carmen Martin Gaite and La enferma (1955) by Elena Quiroga represent a common first stage in the author's development. These are novels in which plot contradictions are resolved dramatically. Through these works the authors confronted their difference as women who write and as writers who are women.
The novels, Primera memoria (1960) by Matute, Tristura (1960) and Escribo tu nombre (1965) by Quiroga and Entre visillos (1958) by Martin Gaite belong to the second stage of development. They utilized the narrative model of the Bildungsroman in order to explore the process by which the individual becomes a woman.
The novels, Presente profundo (1973) by Quiroga, La trampa (1969) by Matute and El cuarto de atras (1978) by Martin Gaite fall into a third mature stage. At this point the authors accepted their difference as women and writers, and they employed it as a literary asset in their works. None of the three authors is overtly feminist, but each has successfully defied the social convention which demanded their silence.