The Subordination of Women and Nature in the Face of an Urban World: An Analysis of the Construction and Depiction of Cordera in “¡Adiós, Cordera!” by Leopoldo Alas “Clarín”

Abstract

“Adiós, Cordera!” (1893), a short story by Leopoldo Alas “Clarín,” presents a vision of a rural world that would gradually transform into an urban one. Through various literary devices, Leopoldo Alas draws us into the clash between these two worlds. The aim of this paper is to analyze the construction and characterization of Cordera as a key element in enabling readers to experience this clash of worlds.

This character is analyzed through the lens of ecofeminist and ecocritical theorists, such as Vandana Shiva and Donna Haraway; in particular, the paper draws on Sherry B. Ortner’s work, “¿Es la mujer con respecto al hombre lo que la naturaleza con respecto a la cultura?” The character of Cordera is analyzed as an animal that is humanized but, above all, feminized; it is this feminization that causes Cordera’s character to be subordinated to the urban world. The subordination of women and nature, embodied in the character of Cordera, is what allows the reader to deeply feel the clash between the rural and urban worlds.