"Novelty and Artistry in Blasco Ibáñez’s 'Los argonautas' (1914)" by Christopher L. Anderson

Novelty and Artistry in Blasco Ibáñez’s Los argonautas (1914) by Christopher L. Anderson This study of Blasco Ibáñez’s lengthiest acknowledged work demonstrates that it is a key text in the trajectory of his novels and in his evolution as a writer, one that marks significant differences both with those texts which precede it and those which follow, beginning with Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis (1916). These differences are found in the novel’s themes, style, narrative technique, structure, and even in the makeup of its main characters. Blasco is presented as a highly proficient weaver of tales who modifies his narrative technique to fit the needs of each chapter’s content and context. His novel stresses the importance of music and other sounds, and it highlights the use of mystery/suspense and juxtaposition as important aspects of his technique. Structurally, Los argonautas is found to be an open-ended novel which looks towards the future and has neither a rousing climax nor a trad