Lectores y Lecturas de Carmen de Pedro Castera

Abstract

The "literature of sentimentality" was born in Europe from the hand of Rousseau and Sterne at the end of the 18th century and gave place to works which exalted sentiment over reason and in which the characters show a very acknowledged sentimentality as far as artistic manifestation or delicate and tender scenes concern, in many cases, the domestic life. European sentimentality -although full of passion- still finds itself close to 18th century rationality, with women as protagonists.When the movement toward sentimentality reached Hispanic America, it became imbued with romanticism, with the unburdening of passions andsentiment. The protagonists were now masculine, even though the novels continued the tradition of choosing titles from women's names. In Mexico the sentimental novel has one of its greatest expressions in Carmen. Memorias de un corazón by Pedro Castera.