Los franceses en los Episodios nacionales de Galdós
French People in Episodios nacionales by Galdós

Summary/Abstract: It is well known that Episodios nacionales are the fictionalised history of the 19th century in Spain and could perfectly replace history books. In the first two series, the author narrates the Spanish War of Independence, that is, the war against the First French Empire. Napoleon, the French emperor, had invaded Spain and had placed his brother José I on the throne. The majority of the Spanish population faced the invaders very firmly, and the clash between the two nations and between the two cultures was brutal. The Spanish hated the French, they called Napoleon’s brother “Pepe Botella” and fought fiercely to drive the enemies out of their land. Spanish mothers preferred to see their children dead than committing acts of cowardice. But there was another part of the population, which -out of necessity or pleasure- agreed with the enemy and became “Frenchified”. Episodiosnacionales show the mothers who disowned their “Frenchified” children and the brides who broke their engagements. Spanish women made an effort to be decisive. However they did not always succeed. At the end of the war, the Spanish patriots considered that the “Frenchified” deserved to die, just like the French, for having betrayed their homeland. Most of them ended up executed.

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