Lazarus and Don Manuel in Unamuno’s San Manuel Bueno, Mártir

Lazarus: Symbolism and Character in *San Manuel Bueno, Mártir*

The Name: Unamuno employs name symbolism. Lazarus recognizes, “[Don Manuel] made a new man, a true Lazarus, a resurrected. He gave me faith.”

Character: Initially, Lazarus seems an antagonist: anti-clerical, liberal, a proponent of reason, a lover of urban culture, and concerned with social issues. He then transforms from enemy to beloved disciple. A contract exists between them. Don Manuel makes Lazarus adhere to all religious practices. However, Lazarus gains something precious: Don Manuel’s life secret. It appears as a simple exchange. Lazarus acknowledges Don Manuel remade him. This “Manuelization” is key. His initial personality, linked to the New World, opposed the Old World (reactionary feudalism). He later adopts Don Manuel’s symbols: the lake and the mountains.

Don Manuel: Symbolism and Character

The Name: The name, rich in biblical references, carries a blessing or a curse, meaning “God with us.” Don Manuel creates a new religion, not in form, but through himself.

Outward Form: Little is said of his appearance, except for two physical traits: his erect stature (like the Peña del Buitre) and his blue eyes (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azul). A crucial psychological trait is his ability to read hearts. The first two features connect him to the village environment: mountains and lake. The third resembles the Messiah’s penetrating power.

Character: The author presents no flaws, only virtues. His vocation began with family charity. His family is an enigma. Don Manuel is highly active, always wanting to do something. He helped villagers and parishioners in every way. He was the soul of the village. He closely collaborated with the physician and teacher, interested in everyone’s life, spiritually and materially. He clearly takes all initiatives. When Lazarus appears, a struggle for dominance seems imminent. The outcome reveals no winners or losers. The lake and mountains are defining traits, even physically, of the priest.

Angela Carballino: The Narrator

Angela Carballino, the alleged author (meaning “messenger” in Greek), is tasked with *preserving the priest’s memory*. Having lived in contact with a saint, she, the last witness to a unique experience, wants her message to endure.

Character: Angela possesses two typically feminine qualities: intuition and religiosity. It’s likely Angela wouldn’t have known the priest’s secret herself. Her faith was not quiet or placid. It’s deeply shaken when she learns from her brother that the pastor’s life is a pious fraud. Her brother opens her eyes, and what was once clear becomes shrouded in a hazy ambiguity. This ambiguous attitude is clearly outlined.