Resumen
La catedral (1902) is a novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez set in the city of Valencia, centering on the construction and symbolic importance of the city’s cathedral.
The story intertwines the lives of local citizens, artisans, and clergy, examining how ambition, pride, love, and social rivalry shape their destinies.
Blasco Ibáñez uses the cathedral as a symbol of human endeavor, societal hierarchy, and spiritual aspiration, contrasting the grandeur of the building with the personal struggles and moral conflicts of the characters.
Themes of religion, social status, family honor, and the tension between tradition and change permeate the narrative.
With his vivid regional descriptions and attention to social realism, Blasco Ibáñez portrays Valencia not only as a setting but as a living organism, reflecting the complexities and contradictions of human society.