The Swan of Vilamorta

Abstract

The Swan of Vilamorta (El cisne de Vilamorta) is a novel written in 1885 by Emilia Pardo Bazán (1851-1921). It is situated in Vilamorta (Dead Town), which is a small Galician city modeled principally on Carballino, and tells the story of the "swan", a young poet and lawyer named Segundo García. Leocadia, Vilamorta's teacher, passionately loves the young and handsome Segundo (the swan) whom she welcomes into her house and from time to time gives a gift, since Segundo, although he studied law, does not work. Leocadia has a handicapped son as a result of an incestuous rape of an uncle with whom she lived in Ourense. Segundo aspires to get a placement in Madrid that will allow him to make himself known in the literary world of the capital. An influential politician (Don Victoriano) arrives in Vilamorta. He comes to heal himself with the waters of the spa. The poet falls in love with the politician's young wife (Nieves) and she flirts with him, but the husband dies and the widow goes to Madrid without wanting to know anything about Segundo.