Alternative Genealogies? History and the Dilemma of "Origin" in Two Recent Novels By Galician Women
Kirsty Hooper
The paucity of women novelists and short story writers in Galicia has long been a concern for scholars readers anxious that women's experiences be part the national narrative (see, example, Carre Aldao, Queizan, Gonzalez Fernandez, Hooper Girl). Happily, however, last two decades have seen gradual increase publication works by Galician writing one or both Castilian languages. In three four years, situation advanced even more rapidly: although until 2001 no woman had won Galicia's most prestigious literary prize, Premio Xerais, out five winners female. Female are clearly beginning to make an impression on publishers, their emergence provides unprecedented opportunity explore important question role shaping past, present, future. For if details lives frequently absent from historical sources which is built, myths origin consequently marginal passive, then perhaps it literature, with all its imaginative potential, where those can comprehensively rewritten. That is, because less closely tied than academic history writing, literature key tool reimagining voices (not mention other minority groups) so excluded. consequence, challenge Galicia, as any marginalized group seeking resolve dilemma origin, find ways work beyond traditional models shaped our stories about who we come from.
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