Genre, Intertextuality and Interpretation: The Strange Case of Antonio Muñoz Molina’s Los misterios de Madrid

Abstract

This article examines the reception of Spanish author Antonio Muñoz Molina’s novel, Los misterios de Madrid (1992). Despite being considered one of Muñoz Molina’s minor works, this short text has attracted significant attention from scholars. This article reflects on these studies, arguing that certain paratextual markers condition critical approaches to the novel. It outlines, with reference to the Spanish literary context, the importance of extratextual signifiers as signposts of interpretation; these include the title of a work, its author, and, most importantly, the genre assigned to a work. Drawing on a number of theorists, most importantly Gérard Genette, the article argues that many readings of Los misterios de Madrid rely heavily on arbitrary genre categorizations as the starting point for interpretation. Ultimately, it questions the value of an interpretative process which ignores intentionality in favor of extratextual literary and cultural factors.