Dona Perfecta

Dona Perfecta (1876) is a 19th-century realist novel by Benito Perez Galdos from what is called the first of Galdos’s three epochs in his novels of social analysis. Linda M. Willem’s edition for students includes an enlightening introduction in English, vocabulary glosses in the margins, and English footnotes throughout.

The action occurs in 19th century Spain, when a young liberal named Don Jose (Pepe) Rey, arrives in a cathedral city named Orbajosa, with the intention of marrying his cousin Rosario. This was a marriage of convenience arranged between Pepe’s father Juan and Juan’s sister, Perfecta.

Upon getting to know each other, Pepe and Rosario declare their eternal love, but in steps Don Inocencio, the cathedral canon, who meddles and obstructs the marriage as well as the good intentions of Dona Perfecta and her brother Don Juan. Over the course of time, several events lead up to a confrontation between Pepe Rey and his aunt Perfecta (supposedly based on Galdos’s difficult relationship with his mother), which is caused by her refusal to allow Pepe and Rosario to marry, because Pepe is a non-believer. The novel ends up with the death of Pepe Rey due to his aunt Perfecta. Rosario turns mad and ends up in a madhouse.