Pepita Jiménez

work by Valera y Alcalá Galiano

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July 1, 2026

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Pepita Jiménez is a renowned 1874 novel by Spanish writer Juan Valera y Alcalá Galiano. Valera, a prominent 19th-century novelist, diplomat, and politician, is known for his deep psychological analysis of characters, particularly women. He opposed naturalistic narratives, viewing the novel as a form of poetry.1

Pepita Jiménez is celebrated for its concise, elegant style and masterful character development. It is considered a foundational work of Spain's psychological novel tradition. Valera's literary output was prolific, encompassing novels, translations, literary criticism, short stories, plays, and essays.12

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Juan Valera y Alcalá Galiano
His best known works are Pepita Jiménez (1874), notable for its terse, elegant style and masterful character development, Doña Luz (1879) and Juanita la Larga (1895). Other important novels are Las ilusiones del doctor Faustino (1875), Morsamor (1899) and El comendador Mendoza (1877). Valera’s prolific literary output includes some very…
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His best known works are Pepita Jiménez (1874), notable for its terse, elegant style and masterful character development, Doña Luz (1879) and Juanita la Larga (1895). Other important novels are Las ilusiones del doctor Faustino (1875), Morsamor (1899) and El comendador Mendoza (1877). Valera’s prolific literary output includes some very…
Read More