Nothing Less Than a Whole Man: Analysis and Reflections
Summary
Nothing Less Than a Whole Man, published in 1920, is part of the work entitled Three Exemplary Novels and a Prologue, which could arguably be called “four novels,” as the prologue functions as another one. This trilogy of novels includes Two Mothers, The Marquis de Lumbría, and Nothing Less Than a Whole Man, all of which share parallels in both content and characters.
In this story, circumstances unfold in a very artificial way, so that the “will to be” of the protagonist, Alexander, becomes a reality. This is presumably done to instantiate Unamuno’s thesis.
The narrative focuses on the inquiry into what constitutes authentic existence and its relevance to the personal identity of the characters.
The protagonist, Julia, is obsessed with her own beauty. It is not merely an obsession with being beautiful, but the desire to be loved for herself, not for her beauty. Julia wants a man who desires her for her soul, her character, rather than her physical appearance. She eventually marries Alexander, who truly loves her. Ironically, Alexander’s obsession is to maintain his machismo. Therefore, Alexander cannot reveal his emotions to Julia.
Style
Unamuno’s novel eschews the “essence” of material realism for the sake of presentation, development, and resolution of philosophical or ideological conflicts that occupy the protagonists.
Unamuno’s novel marks the first major break with realism. We can appreciate how the author’s novel focuses on inquiring about what constitutes authentic existence. This is evident in Three Exemplary Novels and a Prologue, raising the possibility of the will to be.
Unamuno’s novel serves as a method of knowledge: “Telling life is perhaps one way, and perhaps the deepest, to live it.” Stripped of story, without any scenery (except for the soul), Don Miguel’s novel is nervous, quick, full of scents, and dramatic. The human reality—intimate, breathless, without the wings of realism—was always sought by Unamuno.
On the pages of these novels march existential and distressing rationalist voluntarism and the existential pessimism that produce free life.
Finally, it is important to highlight the dangerous irrationality that takes hold of Don Miguel de Unamuno, the ideoclast. This possessed him, moving him away from objectivity and truth. True knowledge is always based on concepts because intuition must become a concept to integrate into all human knowledge. But there is much that is usable in Unamuno’s pages: intense emotional warmth, a panting concern for authenticity. Consider, further, his terror of nothingness and dismay.
Conclusions
It should be noted that the work’s very rare, agonizing existential theme presents a very simple lexicon and a very entertaining argument, as well as the interesting philosophy of life that the Basque writer espouses, which is very marked in each and every one of his works.
It is evident in the novel the author’s main interest and obsession with secrecy or the individual. According to Unamuno, each person has within them a fundamental reason that guides or determines many of their actions.