Nivola

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For other uses, see Nivola (disambiguation).
Nivola is a term created by Miguel de Unamuno to refer to his works that contrasted
with the realism prevalent in Spanish novels during the early 20th century. Since
his works were not fully novels, or "novelas" in Spanish, Unamuno invented a
nonsense word, "nivolas," to describe them.

Contents
1 Origin of the term: Niebla
2 Characteristics of the nivolas
3 See also
4 Further reading
Origin of the term: Niebla
The term nivola appears for the first time as a subtitle for Unamuno's book Niebla.
With this term, the writer was trying to express his rejection of the dominant
principles of realism as expressed in novels: the psychological characterization of
the characters, the realistic environments, and the third person omniscient
narrator.

He expresses this in his prologue to Niebla:

He o�do tambi�n contar de un arquitecto arque�logo que pretend�a derribar una

bas�lica del siglo X, y no restaurarla, sino hacerla de nuevo como debi� haber sido
hecha y no como se hizo. Conforme a un plano de aquella �poca que pretend�a haber
encontrado. Conforme al proyecto del arquitecto del siglo X. �Plano? Desconoc�a que
las bas�licas se han hecho a s� mismas saltando por encima de los planos, llevando
las manos de los edificadores. Tambi�n de una novela, como de una epopeya o de un
drama, se hace un plano; pero luego la novela, la epopeya o el drama se imponen al
que se cree su autor. O se le imponen los agonistas, sus supuestas criaturas. As�
se impusieron Luzbel y Satan�s, primero, y Ad�n y Eva, despu�s, a Jehov�. �Y �sta
s� que es nivola, u opopeya o trigedia! As� se me impuso Augusto P�rez. Y esta
trigedia la vio, cuando apareci� esta mi obra, entre sus cr�ticos, Alejandro Plana,
mi buen amigo catal�n. Los dem�s se atuvieron, por pereza mental, a mi diab�lica
invenci�n de la nivola. Esta ocurrencia de llamarle nivola �ocurrencia que en rigor
no es m�a, como lo cuento en el texto� fue otra ingenua zorrer�a para intrigar a
los cr�ticos. Novela y tan novela como cualquiera otra que as� sea. Es decir, que
as� se llame, pues aqu� ser es llamarse. �Qu� es eso de que ha pasado la �poca de
las novelas? �O de los poemas �picos? Mientras vivan las novelas pasadas vivir� y
revivir� la novela. La historia es reso�arla.

I've heard about an archaeologist who studied architecture who was wanting to knock
down a basilica from the 10th century. He didn't want to restore it, but rather to
build it the way it should have been built in the first place. It was based on a
plan from that period that he claimed to have found. It conformed to the project of
the 10th century architect. What he didn't realize was that basilicas make
themselves, transcending any plans thought out in advance, using the very workers'
hands as their tools in self-creation. Such is the novel, like epics or drama. A
plan is made, but later the novel, the epic, or the drama imposes itself upon the
author's vision. The characters, his supposed creations, impose themselves on him.
In this way Lucifer and Satan, and later Adam and Eve, imposed themselves on
Jehovah. This is not a novel, but a nivel [standard, level], not a tragedy but a
trigidy! In this way Augusto Perez imposed himself on me. And between my critics,
my good Catalan friend Alejando Plana saw this tragedy when this my work appeared.
Because of sheer mental laziness, all the others didn't spot this, my diabolical
invention: the nivola. This idea, to call it a nivola, which in truth is not truly
mine, as I point out in the text - it was another ingenious trick to intrigue the
critics. A novel, and as much of a novel as any other. That is to say, that this is
its name, therefore to be is to have a name. Who says the age of novels or epic
poems has passed? Just as long past novels live, the novel shall live and live
again. The story is to redream it.

�Miguel de Unamuno: Niebla, Prologue

Niebla is the story of Augusto P�rez, a single man, philosophical and melancholy,
who dedicates his time to long walks, and reflection, with his dog Orfeo. Augusto
falls in love with Eugenia and idealizes her in a similar way to Don Quijote's
idealization of Dulcinea. He dedicates himself to winning her love. The most famous
passage of the novel occurs towards the end when the principal character decides to
confront the real author, Miguel de Unamuno, to ask for advice about his destiny.
The encounter degenerates into a confrontation in which the author decides to kill
his character, which leads to the character's death a few pages later.

Characteristics of the nivolas

A nivola has the following characteristics:

Predominance of ideas over form: Just as in his poetry and plays, Unamuno's nivolas
give priority to content over form. In fact novels like Amor y pedagog�a (Love and
Pedagogy) approach the genre of a thesis novel (novela de tesis), cultivated by
Benito P�rez Gald�s or Blasco Ib��ez among others.
Scarce psychological development of the characters: the characters of the nivolas
are often defined by a single personal quality which some see as making them seem
somewhat flat, in contrast to the multifaceted characters of realist novels. The
characters of Niebla, Amor y Pedagog�a or Abel S�nchez are incarnations of an idea
or a passion, which impedes them from relating to the world in a normal way.
Scarce realism in the environment: Except for his first novel Paz en la guerra
(Peace in War), and perhaps his last, San Manuel Bueno, m�rtir (Saint Emmanuel the
Good, Martyr), Unamuno's novels hardly describe the place or time in which they
develop. In this way they accent their abstract nature.
Rapid writing process: in contrast to the slow and progressive writing of realist
novels, Unamuno's nivolas, according to him, resulted from a hasty birth without a
long period of preparation, documentation and planning.
Beyond Niebla, the following works can be classified as nivolas: Abel S�nchez, Amor
y pedagog�a and La t�a Tula (Aunt Tula). Arguably a nivola, San Manuel Bueno,
m�rtir contains greater psychological development and narrative description than
the other works, and is generally considered Unamuno's masterpiece.