APUNTES SOBRE EL ENTRAMADO NARRATOLÓGICO DE LA NOVELA HISTÓRICA

Abstract

From the perspective of narratology we analyze the characteristics of the historical novel in order to prove that the superimposition of generative courses is one of its exclusive features. First superimposition: the deeds of the main character are part of a wider narrative program, the “historical action,” which is performed by one or more subjects (anti-subjects from the point of view of the main character). At the same time, this supra-program works as the designer of the destiny of the basic narrative program. In the structure of the narrative discourse the historical events follow their course ignoring or interfering with the actions of the main character (who is a secondary actor from the point of view of history). Second superimposition: The narrator’s program develops at the level of discourse above the narrative programs corresponding to the narrated story. The narrator is the subject of actions like remembering or rescuing the already lived past (as an object); the narrator  must demonstrate competence because the veredictory mood has an effect on the narrative activity (the narrator must convince the reader about the historical truth of the story). The acquisition of this competence becomes apparent in the dialogism between texts and paratexts, between the diverse types of discourse (narrative, letters, documents, bibliographical references, etc) or between the different narrative voices. The comment of different Argentine historical novels exemplifies these theoretical concepts.