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✍️ Introductory Note to the Reader As a
young boy in the 1970s, my mother used to read ¡Paz a los muertos! to
me as a bedtime story. I remember lying in bed, captivated by the darkness of
the tale, but deeply moved by the image of Ferrant burying his father,
suffering quietly yet doing what was right. The memory stayed with me. Years
later, as a parent, I found the same old book my mother used to read from and
passed the story on to my own children. I was surprised to find that my
daughter, like me, would listen and then imagine Ferrant’s pain and
determination long after the lights were out. I first read the story on my own as a teenager, and again as a young adult—each time uncovering deeper meaning in its symbolism and moral reflection. Now, having rediscovered it with fresh eyes and more literary insight, I’d like to share this powerful piece by Padre Coloma with readers and teachers alike. It is a fine example of Gothic Catholic storytelling, and I believe it has much to offer—whether read for personal reflection, literary analysis, or as a text to inspire language learners. |
Peace to the Dead: An Ethical and Literary Reading
of Luis Coloma's Gothic Tale
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Abstract This essay examines ¡Paz a los muertos! (Peace to the Dead!)
by Luis Coloma, S.J., as a parabolic Gothic narrative that merges literary
elegance with Catholic ethical reflection. The story’s protagonist, Ferrant,
embodies virtue through moral resistance to patriarchal cruelty, showcasing
Jesuit ideals of spiritual courage and compassion. Through a blend of Gothic
symbolism, theological imagery, and supernatural justice, Coloma crafts a
tale that explores inner conflict, redemption, and divine intervention. The
analysis draws from virtue ethics, Catholic theological humanism, and
literary Gothic criticism to illuminate the narrative's enduring relevance.
The essay also highlights how this 19th-century story can be used
pedagogically in both literary and language-learning contexts. |
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Resumen Este ensayo analiza ¡Paz a los muertos! de Luis Coloma, S.J.,
como un relato gótico parabólico que combina belleza literaria con una
profunda reflexión ética desde la tradición católica. El protagonista,
Ferrant, representa la virtud al oponerse moralmente a la crueldad
autoritaria de su padre, encarnando ideales jesuitas de valentía espiritual y
compasión. A través de un simbolismo gótico, imágenes teológicas y justicia
sobrenatural, Coloma construye una historia que explora el conflicto interno,
la redención y la intervención divina. El análisis emplea perspectivas de la
ética de la virtud, el humanismo teológico católico y la crítica literaria
gótica para resaltar la vigencia del texto, también proponiéndolo como
recurso para la enseñanza literaria y lingüística. |
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Resumo Este ensaio examina ¡Paz a los muertos! de Luis Coloma, S.J.,
como uma narrativa gótica parabólica que une beleza literária e reflexão
ética católica. O protagonista, Ferrant, personifica a virtude ao se opor
moralmente à crueldade autoritária de seu pai, expressando os ideais jesuítas
de coragem espiritual e compaixão. Por meio de simbolismo gótico, imagens
teológicas e justiça sobrenatural, Coloma constrói um conto que explora o
conflito interno, a redenção e a intervenção divina. A análise utiliza
abordagens da ética da virtude, do humanismo teológico católico e da crítica
gótica para mostrar a atualidade do conto, também sugerindo seu uso em
contextos educacionais, tanto literários quanto linguísticos. |
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Luis Coloma (1851–1914), in his story ¡Paz a los muertos! (Peace to the Dead!), contributes to the
tradition of 19th-century Spanish Catholic storytelling, which “contributed to
the construction of a National Catholic political culture in Spain” (Ramón
Solans, n.d.). The story offers far more than a ghost tale or moral fable. Rich
in Gothic imagery and grounded in Christian ethics, it dramatizes the conflict
between violent pride, embodied by the Castellano de Valdecoz, and humble
compassion, represented by the protagonist, Ferrant. Through a layered
narrative imbued with spiritual symbols and supernatural justice, Coloma
invites readers to contemplate the redemptive power of mercy over revenge and
the enduring triumph of moral integrity. Yet beneath the moral message, the
seeds of mischief sprout up through the unsettling portrayal of societal decay
and authoritarian cruelty. In this underlying current, Coloma “discloses that
something is rotten in Spanish society” (Chandler & Schwartz, 1961). The
intention of this essay is to explore the story through the lens of virtue ethics,
Gothic criticism, and Catholic theological humanism.
The narrative of Peace to the Dead! revolves around the moral opposition between
Ferrant "el Bueno" (the Good) and his father, the cruel Castellano de
Valdecoz. As Wylie, Sharma, and Gantman (2022) explain, “Moral opposition
pushes issues and preferences into extremes.” This extremity is vividly
portrayed in Ferrant, who, moved by compassion, dares to bury a prisoner whom
his father had spitefully hung from the eagle that crowned the tower of homage
(la torre del homenaje) of the castle
of Valdecoz. The eagle, a looming stone figure, symbolizes the arrogance of
feudal power, which Padre Coloma appears to be covertly criticizing. Ferrant
violates an explicit order from his father, yet upholds a higher moral law
housed within his conscience. One could argue that long ere this, Ferrant had
begun to sense that true honor lay not in obedience, but in mercy. When he
refuses to obey his father's cruel command to return the corpse to its place of
humiliation, the Castellano, outraged by his son’s defiance of authority and
virtue, banishes him from the castle. Ferrant’s exile mirrors the fate of
anyone who dares to long to have sight of a more just and compassionate world
than the one ruled by blind power.
His act of mercy leads to his exile but
ultimately catalyzes the story’s redemptive arc. This exile underscores the
central ethical conflict: Ferrant is punished not for rebellion, but for
upholding divine mercy over authoritarian cruelty. Yet his banishment becomes a
form of moral triumph and spiritual purification, echoing a familiar pattern in
both Christian parables and Gothic narratives. One imagines Ferrant, distanced
from the fortress of his lineage, pausing near a ruined watch tower not to
guard but to remain in thought, contemplating the weight of justice, obedience,
and love. From a virtue ethics standpoint, as articulated by Alasdair MacIntyre
(1981), Ferrant embodies moral excellence through practical wisdom (phronesis) and justice, virtues central
to both Aristotelian and Christian traditions. His father, by contrast, is
ruled by wrath and pride, reflecting what St. Thomas Aquinas (1265–1274) would
define as the “privation of good” that constitutes sin.
Ferrant’s phronesis
is conceptualized in this story as a fourfold construct, each function shaping
his role as the main character according to the Jubilee Centre Model:
●
Constitutive Function: Ferrant possesses “the ability to perceive
ethically salient aspects of a situation (moral sensitivity)” (Vaccarezza,
Croce, and Kristjánsson, n.d.), something his father, blinded by power, is
unable to see or feel. Ferrant acts as the
warder of conscience,
safeguarding a deeper moral awareness that transcends obedience.
●
Emotional Regulative Function: His “emotional responses” align “with ethical
understanding (infusing emotion with reason)” (Vaccarezza, Croce, and
Kristjánsson, n.d.), a trait entirely foreign to the willful and emotionally
rigid Castellano de Valdecoz.
●
Blueprint Function: Ferrant integrates “ethical identity and
aspirations into a blueprint for flourishing,” meaning this internal moral map
shapes his “understanding of what it takes to live and act well” (Vaccarezza,
Croce, and Kristjánsson, n.d.). This vision drives his actions even at the cost
of personal suffering.
●
Integrative Function: Finally, Ferrant is capable of “balancing
conflicting virtues or values to negotiate dilemmatic situations” (Vaccarezza,
Croce, and Kristjánsson, n.d.). He recognizes that choosing between loyalty to
his father and doing what is just is not a conflict of obedience, but of
virtue.
Phronesis is the guiding light that Father Luis Coloma
imbues Ferrant with, his moral compass and quiet strength, which leads him not
only into exile, but toward spiritual clarity beyond his father’s fiefdom.
Symbolism saturates the tale in every corner.
The decaying castle of Valdecoz becomes a Gothic monument to fallen pride. As
the narrator describes, "perched on a crag, its foundations rested on
solid rock; its great drawbridge facing the sea, and its tower of homage rose
proudly into the sky, topped by a huge rampant eagle... clutching in its claws
a broken coat of arms" (Coloma, 1881/2024), readers can then observe, as
Fred Botting (1996) points out, that Gothic settings often express internal
states of spiritual decay and unresolved guilt. The stone eagle, once a symbol
of feudal authority, now seems to recoil from the sins it has witnessed,
especially the most recent and egregious ones attributed to the Castellano de
Valdecoz. The ivy-covered inscription “Christus
vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat” ("Christ conquers, Christ
reigns, Christ commands") signals
the narrative's theological frame: divine justice will supersede all human
arrogance. Even the sulky silence of the castle echoes a history of pride and
cruelty left unchecked. And that is exactly what happens to Ferrant’s father:
his aloofness and willful defiance of compassion lead to dire repercussions,
manifesting as supernatural punishment and the haunting voice that echoes
through the woods.
The structure of the story reinforces its moral
trajectory. Part I presents the haunted castle and hints at a dark past; Part
II reveals the ethical confrontation and supernatural aftermath. The climax
unfolds in a desolate forest clearing where Ferrant finds his father’s undead
corpse, eyes open in pleading unrest, a disturbing image laden with nuance that
speaks to unresolved guilt and divine judgment. Unable to bury the corpse at
first, Ferrant weeps and prays fervently. Only when his teardrops fall upon the
earth does it begin to open, as if moved by grace. This moment crystallizes the
idea that true authority is spiritual, not violent. It is not brute strength
but humility and love that move creation. As Botting (1996) and David Punter
(1996) suggest, such supernatural closures in Gothic fiction often resolve
moral imbalance through poetic justice. Here, Ferrant is granted permission to
bury his father and let him rest in peace, an act that culminates from an
assemblage of emotional depth, ethical clarity, and divine mercy.
Catholic theology runs deep through Coloma's
prose. According to literary critic Elizalde (quoted by Romero Casanova, 2011),
Padre Coloma would analyze the causes of the moral degeneration he observed in
his time, aiming to expose the dire consequences he would deem to be the result
of rampant Liberalism. The story critiques patriarchal absolutism by asserting
a higher divine law. Ferrant's disobedience is not an act of rebellion but one
of obedience to a superior moral good, echoing the words of Peter in Acts 5:29:
"We must obey God rather than men." In this sense, Coloma uses
narrative not only to instruct but also to sway people toward moral clarity and
spiritual renewal. Hans Urs von Balthasar (2004) argues that love, not fear, is
the truest mark of divine action, and indeed, it is Ferrant's tears, more than
his courage, that move the heavens. His act exemplifies what Maritain (1940)
termed "Christian humanism": the elevation of the soul through
charity and conscience.
What makes Coloma's tale enduringly powerful is
its seamless blend of literary beauty and ethical substance. The language is
elevated yet accessible, the tone mournful yet redemptive. As Gothic fiction,
it evokes terror not for entertainment but for edification. “Originating in the
late 18th century, the Gothic novel is defined by its incorporation of dark,
enigmatic, and supernatural themes” (Prasantham, 2024), elements clearly
present in Padre Coloma’s short story. And as Prasantham (2024) points out in his
description of Gothic fiction, ¡Paz a los muertos! “features gloomy
settings like haunted castles, ancient ruins, or remote landscapes that evoke a
sense of dread”, the perfect setting for Ferrant’s father’s doom and the
spiteful environment surrounding it. In the beginning, Ferrant may have
perceived the mysterious voice and the castle’s decay as ghostly whispers; they
told him only of shadows and forebodings. But as the story progresses, these
spectral signs begin to take shape and substance, revealing deeper moral truths
and supernatural justice. “The atmosphere is charged with suspense, horror, and
psychological tension, exploring themes of fear, death, and the uncanny”
(Prasantham, 2024). In a way, both Ferrant and his father, the Castellano de
Valdecoz, are “tormented by inner conflicts, madness, or forbidden desires,” as
the plot’s “narrative typically involves secrets, curses, and complex, often
tragic, histories” (Prasantham, 2024), all elements masterfully interwoven in
Padre Coloma’s moral tale.
As Catholic storytelling, ¡Paz a los muertos!
teaches that peace, even for the damned, can be achieved through compassion.
This synthesis of affect and instruction mirrors the Jesuit pedagogical
tradition: to move the heart while enlightening the mind. Yet, it is important
to keep in mind that Catholic storytelling is “moral (rather than moralizing)
fiction,” and it “requires the teller and the receiver both to be engaged in
the creation” (Ruark, n.d.) of its meaning. Padre Coloma’s intention in
crafting this tale is to guide readers, through the Catholic tradition, to
detach themselves from a parent’s wrongdoing or a relative’s hideous misdeeds.
The story becomes a blazing torch, offering moral clarity in a world that often
feels like a bleak island of ethical ambiguity. On another level, ¡Paz a los
muertos! serves as a form of Catholic parabolic storytelling. As stated by
the Roundabout Theatre Company (2024), “The essence of a parable lies in its
ability to convey profound truths or moral lessons through a concise and
relatable narrative”, qualities that are deeply embedded in the story’s
structure. The “profound truth” is that wrongdoing will ultimately backfire on
the transgressor (the Castellano de Valdecoz). Equally, there is a “moral
lesson” for the reader who sympathizes with Ferrant: there is no true
disobedience in refusing to imitate a parent’s injustice. Parabolic stories
such as this one make demands on their hearers and readers; they carry ethical
implications meant to take root beyond the page and guide one’s life.
What makes ¡Paz a los muertos! a parable? Well, this is what can
be read among the story’s lines.
1.
Clear moral lesson: Like all parables, the story has a central moral teaching: compassion
and divine justice override human pride and revenge. Ferrant’s actions
embody Christian virtues: mercy, humility, obedience to a higher moral law. And
that is why his father, ruled by cruelty and ego, is punished by supernatural
justice.
Parabolic point: Ferrant’s refusal to obey his father's cruel command illustrates the
moral principle that "one must obey God rather than men" (Acts
5:29).
2.
Symbolic characters and
events: The Castellano is not just a person but a symbol
of worldly pride, violence, and patriarchy. On the contrary, Ferrant represents
Christian virtue, conscience, and moral clarity. Ane the castle, stone eagle,
and hard ground all serve symbolic functions within the story.
Parabolic point: The hard ground rejecting the father’s corpse until Ferrant weeps
signals divine justice responding to heartfelt compassion, not authority.
3.
Allegorical structure: Each major element maps onto a moral or theological concept:
- Castle → fallen human
pride
- Eagle → judgment and
violence
- Ferrant’s exile →
trial of the virtuous
- Corpse with open eyes
→ unrest of unrepented sin
Parabolic point: The eagle's broken shield and the dead body’s eyes "asking life
for peace" act as allegories for spiritual decay and unresolved guilt.
4.
Appeal to spiritual
transformation: The story is not just about
events, but about how repentance, compassion, and grace can redeem even the
most broken relationships (father–son). The story’s plot seeks not just entertainment,
but edification of the spirit.
Parabolic point: Ferrant’s weeping softens the ground — a poetic image of tears of
compassion unlocking redemption.
5.
Use of tradition as moral
authority: The narrator claims this is a "tradition
ennobled by time" and meant to inspire those who still believe. There's a direct
address to the reader, much like Jesus’ use of parables: “Let those who have
ears, hear.”
Parabolic point: The narrator’s voice becomes pastoral, urging the reader to
reflect on the lessons, not just the plot.
"¡Paz a los muertos!" functions as a parable cloaked in Gothic
fiction. Its supernatural justice, archetypal characters, and moral clarity
deliver a spiritual message through poetic and symbolic storytelling. This mix
of allegory, moral instruction, and emotional impact is what makes the story
enduringly powerful and parabolic at its core.
In conclusion, Peace to the Dead! (¡Paz
a los muertos!) is more than a traditional legend; it is a profound moral
parable that critiques authoritarianism, celebrates virtue, and affirms the
healing power of prayer and love. Catholic priest (or Padre in Spanish)
Luis Coloma, drawing from the depths of Jesuit spirituality and Spanish
literary tradition, crafts a Gothic narrative where divine justice is not only
feared but deeply felt. The Castellano de Valdecoz, a figure both cunning and covetous,
embodies a destructive pride that consumes everything around him, his command,
his legacy, even his soul, like fagots of firewood cast into a fire of his own
making. In contrast, Ferrant's quiet heroism reminds us that true victory lies
not in vanquishing enemies but in giving peace to the dead, and to the living.
📚 References
Aquinas, T. (1265–1274). Summa
Theologica (trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province). Benziger
Bros.
Botting, F. (1996). Gothic.
Routledge.
Chandler, R. E, Schwartz, K. (1961). A
New History of Spanish Literature Louisiana State University Press, Baton
Rouge, LA
Coloma, L. (1881/2024). ¡Paz a los
muertos! (Peace to the Dead!) [Trans. J. Acuña-Solano, Unpublished
manuscript].
MacIntyre, A. (1981). After
Virtue: A Study in Moral Theory. University of Notre Dame Press.
Maritain, J. (1940). Christian
Humanism: Essays. Sheed & Ward.
Prasantham, P. (2024). The gothic
novel: Exploring the dark side of the human psyche. International Journal
of Research in English 2024: 6(2): p. 114-117. https://doi.org/10.33545/26648717.2024.v6.i2b.217
Punter, D. (1996). The Literature
of Terror: A History of Gothic Fictions from 1765 to the Present Day.
Longman.
Ramón Solans, F. J. (n.d.). Catholic
politics of the past. Culture war, National Catholicism, and commemorations in
Spain, 1881-1908. Department of History, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza,
Spain: https://zaguan.unizar.es/record/118647/files/texto_completo.pdf
Romero Casanova, C. P. (2011). La
novela histórica de Luis Coloma - Trayectoria y actualizacion biográfica y
crítica.Universidad de Alicante: Facultad de Filosofía y Letras (Doctoral
Dissertation). https://www.cervantesvirtual.com/descargaPdf/la-novela-historica-de-luis-coloma-trayectoria-y-actualizacion-biografica-y-critica/
Ruark, R. M. (n.d.). The Mystery
in the Point: A Catholic Storytelling Experience. Retrieved from Jesuit
Media Lab at https://jesuitmedialab.org/the-mystery-is-the-point-a-catholic-storytelling-experience/
Vaccarezza, M. S., Croce, M. & Kristjánsson, K. (n.d.). Phronesis (Practical Wisdom) as a Key to
Moral Decision-Making: Comparing Two Models. University of Birmingham: The
Jubilee Centre for Character & Virtues, Insight Series. https://www.jubileecentre.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/PhronesisPractical-Wisdom3_03.pdf
von Balthasar, H. U. (2004). Love
Alone Is Credible (D. C. Schindler, Trans.). Ignatius Press.
Wylie, J., Sharma, N., & Gantman, A. (2022). “Anything that looks like
smoking is bad”: Moral opposition and support for harm reduction policy.
Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. Vol. 101, July 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104343
The Holy Bible, Acts 5:29. (Douay-Rheims Version).
¡Paz a los muertes! [Spanish Version]
Peace to the Dead! [English Version]
Discussion Exercise: Literary Criticism Questions
Instructions for Students/Participants:
1)
How does the castle of Valdecoz function as a symbol throughout the
story?
2)
What ethical tension exists between Ferrant and his father? How is it
resolved?
3)
In what ways can Ferrant be seen as a Christ-like figure?
4)
How does the story make use of Gothic tropes like decay, silence, and
the supernatural?
5)
Can the repeated phrase “¡Paz a los muertos!” be seen as more than a
plea? What might it represent spiritually or symbolically?
6)
How does the natural world (earth, sea, forest) participate in the
unfolding of justice in the story?
7)
Does the story offer a critique of patriarchal authority? If so, how?
8)
How would you define the genre of this story: legend, Gothic tale,
parable, or all three? Why?
9)
How might the story’s moral lesson resonate differently with readers
today versus in 19th-century Spain?
Peace to the Dead! adapted to CEFR levels A1, A2, B1, and B2
Comparative Ethical Chart with Embedded Morals
Read this essay in Scribd.com
Peace to the Dead - An Ethical and Literary Reading of Luis Coloma's Gothic Tale by Jonathan Acuña
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