Podcast Summary – Todo Concostrina

Podcast: Todo Concostrina (SER Podcast)
Host: Nieves Concostrina
Co-host/Presenter: Carla
Episode: Acontece que no es poco | Entierro y nacimiento simultáneos de dos autores, Larra y Zorrilla
Date: February 15, 2024
Topic: The extraordinary intersection of the death of Spanish writer Mariano José de Larra and the "birth" of José Zorrilla as a celebrated poet during Larra’s funeral in 1837.

Episode Overview

This episode explores a unique moment in Spanish literary history: the intersection of the dramatic funeral of Mariano José de Larra, a famous writer who died by suicide, and the impromptu public debut of poet José Zorrilla. Nieves Concostrina brings her characteristic wit and irreverence to the story, focusing on the quirks of history, the literal burial ground beneath modern Madrid, and how one writer’s tragedy became the launchpad for another’s career.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Placas, Plots, and a Madrid Cemetery

• The episode opens with Carla and Nieves reflecting on cultural commemorations and diving into the day's main historical tale.
• Placa Mystery: Nieves expresses bemusement at a commemorative plaque on Calle Fernández de los Ríos, which refers euphemistically to Zorrilla’s public debut at Larra’s "despedida" (farewell) but omits that it happened during a funeral in a cemetery.
  • Nieves: “Yo no entiendo a qué viene tanta tontería y tanto eufemismo cuando debería decir en esa aquí estaba el cementerio donde el 15 de febrero de 1837, durante el entierro de Larra, se dio a conocer Zorrilla.” [02:10]
• Madrid Built on Bones: The area, now bustling city center, was once layered with cemeteries. Nieves remarks on the macabre reality underfoot.
  • Nieves: “Sepan los del yuyu que todo ese barrio, todo, absolutamente todo, se asienta sobre miles y miles de huesos.” [03:10]

2. Mariano José de Larra’s Life and Death

• Larra, lauded as an “intenso” and tormented romantic, was overwhelmed by personal heartbreak and societal corruption.
  • Nieves paraphrases Paco Umbral: “Se pegó un tiro contra la sociedad española porque era un intenso.” [03:59]
• She recommends Larra’s own work “El día de Difuntos de 1836,” showcasing his poetic melancholy and social critique.
  • Nieves reads Larra: “Madrid es el cementerio, pero vasto cementerio donde cada casa es el nicho de una familia…” [04:30]
• Larra’s death by suicide nearly consigned him to a common grave, as suicides were denied church burials. However, his fame spurred public and governmental intervention, maneuvering him into a sacred grave via bureaucratic loophole.
  • Nieves: “El vicario contestó: los locos se entierran en sagrado. ¿Sí? Pues los que se suicidan están locos. Ya está claro.” [06:41]

3. The Funeral—A Social Event and Birth of Zorrilla

• The funeral was an enormous event, with the city’s intellectual elite in attendance. Unbeknownst to attendees, a then-unknown 19-year-old Zorrilla was preparing to seize the moment.
  • Nieves: “No lo conocía nadie. Nadie, nadie sabía. Bueno, sabía nada, no lo conocían.” [08:00]
• Zorrilla, impoverished and unpublished, wrote a lengthy elegy for Larra overnight, after a friend suggested it was his chance to gain notice.
• The Defining Moment:
  • After the official eulogy (delivered by Mariano Roca de Togores) drags on, Zorrilla stands forth to recite his poem at the graveside.
    • Nieves reenacts: “Ese vago clamor que rasga el viento es la voz funeral de una campana, vano remedo del postrer lamento de un cadáver sombrío y macilento que en sucio polvo dormirá mañana.” [10:09]
  • The crowd is dazzled by the young stranger's talent. Legend claims he was carried out on shoulders—a myth Nieves gleefully questions for its plausibility.

4. Irony, Opportunism, and Aftermath

• The event catapulted Zorrilla to fame and landed him Larra’s former editorial job.
  • Nieves cites Sainz de Robles: “Pone a parir a Zorrilla... por haberse aprovechado de una situación dolorosa para darse a conocer... y porque Zorrilla consiguió su objetivo, que no era otro que quedarse con el puesto de redactor en el periódico El Español.” [11:31]
• The episode closes on a note of historical irony: Larra’s remains eventually found rest in another cemetery, not among the common graves.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Madrid’s Hidden History:
  • Nieves (mocking the euphemism on the plaque): “En vez de decir cementerio, la placa en estos lugares…” [02:10]
• On Larra’s Melancholy:
  • Larra (as quoted by Nieves): “Madrid es el cementerio, pero vasto cementerio donde cada casa es el nicho de una familia…” [04:30]
• On Zorrilla’s Opportunism:
  • Nieves: “Se pasaba las horas en la Biblioteca Nacional porque allí se estaba más calentito que en la fría buhardilla donde vivía...” [08:21]
• The Poetic Debut:
  • Zorrilla’s verses as recited by Nieves: “Ese vago clamor que rasga el viento es la voz funeral de una campana...” [10:09]
• On Historical Irony:
  • Nieves: “Mira tú, un suicida en tierra tan hipócrita como sagrada.” [12:40]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:34] Introduction to the episode and today's bizarre confluence of literary fates
• [01:14] Location: Fernández de los Ríos, the site’s hidden history, and plaque controversy
• [03:50] Story context: Larra’s personality, literary legacy, and death
• [06:11] The controversy about Larra’s burial and church policy toward suicide
• [08:00] Zorrilla’s background, his friend’s advice, and the hastily written poem
• [09:56] The funeral: Zorrilla's moment in the spotlight, delivery of verses
• [11:10] The aftermath: Zorrilla’s rise, mockery by contemporaries, and Larra’s final resting place

Tone and Style

The episode maintains Nieves Concostrina’s trademark blend of irreverence, sharp wit, and vivid storytelling. She seamlessly mixes historical fact with colorful commentary, making even somber events lively and relatable.

Summary Takeaway

This episode brings to life a singular moment in Spanish literary history, illustrating how the tragedy of one writer—Mariano José de Larra—became the serendipitous beginning for another—José Zorrilla. Packed with historical detail, pointed humor, and literary excerpts, Nieves shows how cemeteries, both literal and metaphorical, can be the soil from which greatness unexpectedly sprouts.