Doña Perfecta

"Doña Perfecta" by Benito Pérez Galdós is a story set in late 19th century Spain about Don José Rey, who journeys to the town of Orbajosa to see his aunt, Doña Perfecta, after a long separation. Arriving at a remote train station and traveling through a bleak landscape, Don José expresses his concerns about the region's desolation and learns of expectations for him to marry his cousin Rosario. The novel examines social conflict and clashes between tradition and modernity, all within a strict conservative society, as simmering tensions hint at the larger conflicts yet to explode.