Locura y Muerte de Nadie

Benjamín Jarnés's Locura y Muerte de Nadie (Madness and Death of Nobody), first published in 1929 and definitively revised in 1937, is a seminal avant-garde novel, celebrated for its originality and innovative richness. This work stands as a “meta-novel,” systematically deconstructing traditional realism to foreground textuality and question the very notion of a novelistic hero in an increasingly depersonalized mass society.

Set against the backdrop of Spain's tumultuous interwar period, including the “Roaring Twenties,” the Great Depression, and the Spanish Civil War, Jarnés's novel captures the anxieties and transformations of its time. It challenges Ortega y Gasset's concept of “dehumanization of art,” advocating instead for a "rehumanization" that emphasizes human intimacy and potent lived experience, expressed through a unique lyrical and intellectual prose.

The novel is a profound reflection “about” and “of” language, utilizing a rich, varied stylistic register—cultisms, archaisms, wordplay—to explore how words shape our understanding of reality. Jarnés employs formal innovations like “pluscuampresente” time (a continuous present) and extensive poetic descriptive pauses, such as the famous Bank scene and the “fruit bowl” passage, to disrupt traditional narrative flow.

Integrating cinematographic techniques (montage, dynamic lighting, camera angles) and theatrical elements, Jarnés vividly portrays urban dynamism and anticipates Guy Debord's “society of the spectacle.” The novel critiques mass media and consumer culture, showing how social relations become mediatized by images, and individuals, like the “Nobody” protagonist Juan Sánchez, risk being subsumed into the collective “Nothing.”

This edition highlights the critical evolution of the text, particularly the 1937 version's deepening focus on intimacy and metamorphosis, epitomized by Matilde, who transforms from an “object of desire” into a “faithful heroine.” Her relationship with Arturo, built on respect and understanding, symbolizes love and grace as vital antidotes to a world fraught with violence and dehumanization. Locura y Muerte de Nadie remains a complex, deeply engaging work that, despite being marginalized for decades, continues to resonate in its powerful artistic innovation and profound social commentary.