The Xuetes/Chuetas in Three Spanish Novels: The Dead Command (V. Blasco Ibáñez), School of the Sun (A.M. Matute) and Dins el darrer blau (C. Riera)

Abstract

The article analyses the image of the Chueta in three Spanish novels from three different periods: The Dead Command (1908) by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, School of the sun (1959) by Ana Mª Matute and Dins el darrer blau (1994) by Carme Riera. One striking issue that emerges in the analysis is that the prejudice that has extended to the present day is not due to the fact that the Chuetas are descendants of Jews, but because they are Chuetas. This, in turn, harks back to the events of the seventeenth century and the infamous autos-da-fé.