Gender in Classic ‘Social Realism’: Juan García Hortelano’s Nuevas amistades

Abstract

Juan García Hortelano’s Nuevas amistades is regarded as a quintessential social realist novel which details the superficiality and apathy of the wealthy upper-classes of Madrid. However, despite the fact that the novel is centred on a pregnancy and subsequent abortion, gender issues have barely been addressed in relation to the novel. This article argues that social issues which disproportionately affected women, such as the hypocritical double standards of sexual morality, the rigid gender roles prescribed by the regime and women’s lack of control over their own reproductive rights, are in the foreground of García Hortelano’s novel. By depicting these issues in his novel, the author drew the reader’s attention to some of the consequences of Francoist Spain’s patriarchal social values. It also briefly discusses the way the novel, with the controversial theme of pregnancy outside of marriage and abortion at its heart, was received by the censor.