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La Señora Cornelia

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Esta obra se inspira en los elementos habituales de las novelas italianas de enredo que tienen gran cantidad de rasgos teatrales y ejemplarizantes. En un principio, Cornelia seduce al lector por su amor sincero y su deseo de liberarse de una vida de encierro; sin embargo, algunos detalles revelarán su imprudencia.

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First published January 1, 1613

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About the author

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

4,886 books3,568 followers
Miguel de Cervantes y Cortinas, later Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His novel Don Quixote is often considered his magnum opus, as well as the first modern novel.

It is assumed that Miguel de Cervantes was born in Alcalá de Henares. His father was Rodrigo de Cervantes, a surgeon of cordoban descent. Little is known of his mother Leonor de Cortinas, except that she was a native of Arganda del Rey.

In 1569, Cervantes moved to Italy, where he served as a valet to Giulio Acquaviva, a wealthy priest who was elevated to cardinal the next year. By then, Cervantes had enlisted as a soldier in a Spanish Navy infantry regiment and continued his military life until 1575, when he was captured by Algerian corsairs. He was then released on ransom from his captors by his parents and the Trinitarians, a Catholic religious order.

He subsequently returned to his family in Madrid.
In Esquivias (Province of Toledo), on 12 December 1584, he married the much younger Catalina de Salazar y Palacios (Toledo, Esquivias –, 31 October 1626), daughter of Fernando de Salazar y Vozmediano and Catalina de Palacios. Her uncle Alonso de Quesada y Salazar is said to have inspired the character of Don Quixote. During the next 20 years Cervantes led a nomadic existence, working as a purchasing agent for the Spanish Armada and as a tax collector. He suffered a bankruptcy and was imprisoned at least twice (1597 and 1602) for irregularities in his accounts. Between 1596 and 1600, he lived primarily in Seville. In 1606, Cervantes settled in Madrid, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Cervantes died in Madrid on April 23, 1616.
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Profile Image for Fonch.
462 reviews374 followers
September 22, 2023
DEDICATED WITH AFFECTION TO MY FRIEND PROFESSOR MANUEL ALFONSECA.

Ladies, and gentlemen only the fact of having promised you a review has made me write this one, since tomorrow I have to get up at 7:00 to go to Valladolid. The first thing I must tell you is that this is not the review that was originally thought to be written, since it was "Reconversion" by Vladimir Volkoff https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...# . The same interesting writer, who wrote two jewels "The Pope's Guest", and "The Tsar's Men" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... , and the latter was a very interesting spy novel with a religious touch (I invite you to approach this French writer son of White Russians, who fought against the Bolsheviks). "The Pope's Guest" that explored the rapprochement between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church was praised by Don @juan_manuel_de_prada in his essential book "A Library in the Oasis" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5.... However, as that analysis was too deep, and I have to go to bed soon, it was preferred to write a shorter criticism, and more appropriate to this day of Santiago Apóstol that leaves us.
The first thing is because it has been dedicated to my friend (if you allow me to give this treatment) to Professor Manuel Alfonseca https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... (as they are always told read his wonderful books and articles in Divulciencia), that last week has been very hard not for me (not for being in Mojados, because although I complain a lot. Here I am well), but for two reasons the Professor advised me for my sake, and someone else's to give up what I wanted most. You cannot help another person, if he does not want you to help him, and more if he dislikes you, and does not want to know anything about you, and wants to live his own life. One of the scenes that moved me the most in Sam Raimi's Spiderman 2 is when Spiderman tells Doctor Octopus, that sometimes to do the right thing you have to give up what you want most. Dostoevsky https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... said that one person's freedom can destroy another person's. The Professor has had a very thankless job, but like a writer who saved my life years ago it is possible that he has rendered a similar service for that I thank the Professor. The second thing that has saddened me has been the electoral results (the elections in Spain were in July and the big parties are trying to form a government without achieving it because, the support depends on the Catalan separatists and, the conditions they propose are unassumable. Anyway although I predicted it to my family the results made me very sad) that have not been to my liking, but God writes straight with crooked lines and already, it will be seen that it happens, perhaps as the story of Sai's horse of an evil can come out something good.

Now with the permission of my followers, friends, and acquaintances we are going to talk about the most interesting story of this book (another one was read called "The two maidens" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... and of which I will also write a review) The other story because there were three exemplary novels https://www.goodreads.com/series/1109... of this volume was "The illustrious mop" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8... I did not read it because, I already read it many years ago in my school I also have another review prepared). This work was advised to me by Professor Manuel Alfonseca, since it was his favorite exemplary novel by Miguel de Cervantes, in part that is one of the reasons why I have dedicated this review to him at the beginning, also to thank him for the advice he gave me. As Albus Dumbledore says in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... "you have to have a lot of courage to face enemies, but much more to face friends" (especially when they are wrong as has been my case).
Another reason why the review of "Mrs. Cornelia" was chosen was to pay tribute to Spain, since it was a way to commemorate the day Santiago Apóstol (this review was written on Instagram on July 25), and all the good that embodies Hispanidad. When today we went to Mass, and my mother was not very much for the work of going, because today is not a day of obligation. I told him that it had to be done for what Spain was, and for the catholicity of this country. Despite all the mistakes made, as long as there is still a Catholic. Spain will be worthy of its history.
Although the Basque characters of this novel are not the center, Juan de Gamboa, and Antonio Isunza embody the best of this country (yesterday I was watching a video on Youtube on the channel we said yesterday in which Ioannes Austricus and a nineteenth-century historian named Daniel debated about when Spain existed if it was in the nineteenth century or, before liberals appropriated the idea of nationhood. It was said of the Basques that they were the most Spanish of all along with the Cantabrians, especially those belonging to the lordship of Biscay, who came to sue the Royal Chancery of Valladolid to reaffirm their noble condition and their Spanishness. Miguel de Cervantes has a very good concept of Basques and Catalans and quite bad of Galicians. Not all authors thought the same Tirso de Molina wrote in homage to the Galicians "La gallega Mari Hernández" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ). That is why this novel has so much value, and more in these times where the "Black Legend" was already installed (for more information see my review of "The Prince of Foxes" to say a https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) on the subject ask Iván Vélez https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Great connoisseur of this subject, and whose books I am proud to have reviewed. This novel has something of what will be the novels of Feval https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., and Alexandre Dumas https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... two heroic characters, who will do anything to bring together two lovers separated by fate. In this case Cornelia Bentivoglio (the families are true, although Bologna became the possession of Julius II) and the Duke of Ferrara Alfonso II d'Este (we already became familiar with the Este family in the first part of the novel "The Prince of Foxes" by Samuel Shellabarger) the footnotes tell me that the character of the exemplary novel had nothing to do with Alfonso II d'Este historical (remember that Alfonso I Este was the last husband of Lucrezia Borgia). I do not know if it is to this family that Ariosto dedicates "Orlando Furioso", specifically it was dedicated to the villain of "The Prince of Foxes" to Cardinal Hippolytus d'Este being Ruggiero the ancestor of this illustrious Italian family https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... (You plan to read this novel very soon I do not know if this year or, next year). The least is the historical situation (in this case), or the context mixing reality, and fiction being the most important the virtues of the protagonists, who infect the Italians in this case the Duke of Ferrara, as Lorenzo Bentivoglio (the brother of the protagonist which will prevent this story from having a more tragic outcome). This novel is related to "El licenciado vidriera" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... in this case Gamboa, and Isunza are two Spaniards who go to Flanders, and as there is a truce they return to finish their studies, and they do it in Bologna. The only foreign university they can go to. The Colegio de San Clemente de los Españoles was founded by Cardinal Gil de Albornoz in the fourteenth century. This character is basic because it replaces Rienzi's Cola (for which Richard Wagner https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... composed an opera https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... that pleased the two totalitarian leaders both Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini). For me the figure of Cardinal Gil de Albornoz is more important than that of Cola de Rienzi pacifies Italy so that the popes of the fourteenth century can return to Rome.
Returning to Gamboa, and Isunza win the affection of all the characters as the readers, and are the opposite of the image of Don Diego https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6... that the Italian Renaissance writers projected of the Spanish as arrogant, cowardly and, possessor of other defects. Following writers such as Sverker Arnnoldsson https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..., Fred Wilbur Powell "The Tree of Hate" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2..., Insua https://www.goodreads.com/author/show..., María Elvira Roca Barea https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... . The Black Legend does not arise in Germany, Holland, France, or England, but in Italy. That is why novels like this are very important to combat it. This makes these two positive characters do so much good in denying those lies product of envy, and the frustration of seeing what Spain was. An interesting book I recommend is "Spanish Rome" by Stephen Dandelet https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.... Returning to Gamboa, and Isunza (it does not cease to move the religiosity of both, and the good camaraderie that exists between them) while Isunza is doing his religious exercises the maid confuses him (Gamboa) with the Servant of Duke Fabio, and gives him the child as it happens in "The Hunchback" by Paul Feval with Enrique Lagardere https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7... . He then leaves the boy with his maid, and then seeing that one person is facing six others goes out to help him in a duel, and only Gamboa scares away almost everyone. The Spaniards almost resemble the Spartans one man can do great feats. Then he meets Isunza and both meet Cornelia (whom they wanted to meet, but could not because she was guarded by the Argos of his brother Lorenzo), who tells them the story, and that this is his son, and of the Duke of Ferrara, and that he is fleeing from his brother, who fears that he will kill her for a matter of honor, and the Spaniards as hard-working knights promise to help her. In addition, they return their son, and the funny thing is that the brother appears, but not to kill the sister, but to ask them for help against the Duke of Ferrara, and Gamboa promises him help. It is not difficult to guess, that the Duke is a gentleman (in the best of senses), and that there is no such combat, he offers to marry the sister, and a reparation, and that he always wanted to marry her, but does not do it for the mother, who wants to marry him to another, and as she is sick she is waiting for her death, to marry Cornelia. The sainete also occurs, and misunderstandings the only Spaniard who goes wrong in this novel is Santisteban the Servant of one of the Spaniards who abandons the surveillance of Cornelia, and gets involved with a woman of bad reputation who is also called Cornelia, and who produces the misunderstanding, but despite a trick of the Duke everything is arranged in the best way. Leaving a good taste in the mouth. This novel unlike others reads very well, and although I did not like it as much as the "English Spanish" https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... (I like this one better because of the theme of English Catholics, and the Spanish-English situation, which has been treated in "The Shakespeare Censor" by Federico Trillo-Figueroa https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... which I awarded as the best novel I read last year) is so far the second best exemplary novel I have read to Miguel Cervantes. I highly recommend it. I was hesitating what to put it, but due to the protagonist duo I give it (5/5). Read it, you will not regret it, and happy St. James Apostle day to all.
Profile Image for Antonio.
246 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2023
Cervantes no defrauda, con esta historia corta nos introduce en la época donde el amor abarca la idea principal mezclando, duelos, caballerosidad, desamor, honor y engrandece como muchas veces lo importante que es ser español en esa época de historia
146 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2023
Otra gran y entretenida novela del gran Cervay
Profile Image for Jose Antonio.
367 reviews3 followers
April 2, 2024
LA SEÑORA CORNELIA forma parte de las novelas idealistas de Cervantes, el grupo menos interesante a mi parecer de las «Novelas ejemplares». Aquí tenemos un caso de relaciones prematrimoniales con bebé incluido que resulta un poco sorprendente en la literatura del siglo de Oro español: «…a cabo de pocos días, me sentí preñada y, antes que mis vestidos manifestasen mis libertades, por no darles otro nombre, me fingí enferma y malencólica…» nos dice la Cornelia del título. Las libertades por no darles otro nombre tienen como resultado, como he apuntado antes, un bebé. Encontramos comentarios sobre los tópicos sobre los españoles y los vizcaínos: «…la arrogancia que dicen que suelen tener los españoles», «…los caballeros de la nación vizcaína por la mayor parte se casaban en su patria». Los vascos son endogámicos ya en época de Cervantes y los españoles tienen fama de arrogantes. También llama la atención un pasaje «erótico»: «…mil veces le bebió el aliento de la boca, teniéndoles el contento atadas las lenguas.»
53 reviews
May 18, 2024
Un par de amigos españoles nobles Juan de Gambia y Antonio Insunza, dejan sus estudios en Salamanca para irse a Flandes a ser soldados. Pero no hay guerra allí. Deciden irse a conocer Italia. Se quedan como estudiantes en Boloña y avisan a sus padres. A partir de aquí el azar (y las equivocaciones), se emplean a fondo en la historia de estos dos semi pícaros en busca de aventuras. Cuidan de un niño recién nacido, median con éxito en una reyerta de honor, protegen a una mujer noble que ha pedido el honor (la Sra.Cornelia) y son agentes principales del final feliz.
La Sra. Cornelia es una muy divertida comedia de equivocaciones donde los italianos terminan confiando su honra y su destino a un par de estudiantes españoles, semi bribones en busca de aventuras fuera de su patria.
Profile Image for Jorge Gorgias.
79 reviews4 followers
December 6, 2023
Que buena trama lpm
Cervantes está cabreadísimo. Como cambió el español desde entonces no tiene sentido.

4 estrellas merecidísimas.

En realidad estos 3 relatos de cervantes que estuve leyendo son parte de un mismo libro pero que no figuran en goodreads por lo que aprovecho para inflar el challenge de lectura jajaj
Profile Image for Carmen.
2,777 reviews
December 17, 2023
Lo cual visto por Cornelia, volviéndose al cura, dijo: ¡Ay señor mío! ¿si se ha espantado el duque de verme? ¿si me tiene aborrecida? ¿si le he parecido fea? ¿si se le han olvidado las obligaciones que me tiene? ¿no me hablará siquiera una vez? ¿tanto le cansaba ya su hijo, que así le arrojó de sus brazos?
Profile Image for Yasmín_arg.
19 reviews
October 22, 2023
Bueno, Cervantes me conquistó con este escrito. Una historia sencilla pero enrevesada como ella sola. Si bien no la considero una obra excepcional, me encantó como lectura ligera si quieres iniciarte con Cervantes.
La forma de escribir... Amo.
Profile Image for Brianni.
39 reviews
December 19, 2023
31 páginas en blanco hubieran sido más interesantes q esta mrd
Profile Image for Comelibros.
222 reviews3 followers
Read
July 31, 2011
El amor sincero y el triste encierro de las damas del siglo XVI.
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