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NoahMattapallil

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THEVALLEYOFTHEFALLENMadrid,Spain

1.
Whatdoesthemonumentmemorializeorhonor?
Themonumentwasmeantto
commemorateallthosewhodiedunderFalangistgeneralFranciscoFrancosbannerduringthe
SpanishCivilWar.InthedictatorswordstheValleyoftheFallenismeanttostandasanational
symbolofatonementandrecognitionforthesacrificeofsoldiersinbothRepublicanand
Falangistcampsduringthe3yearcivilwar(Pachecker70).

2.

Whatisthegeographicalspaceofthemonument(itslocationamidstthelarger
landscape/city/area)?Whatisthepsychologicalspace?(Howdoesitmakea
psychologicalargument?)Isitsacred?Howdoesitfitintothesurroundinglandscape?
Themainstructureiscarvedintoamountainsideamongrollinghillsblanketedinthickforests15
kilometersawayfromthecapitalcityofMadrid(Aloise).Thislandisrepresentativeoflush
temperateterrainthatmadeupFrancosSpanishdomains.Themonumenthastwoparts:the
abovegroundabbeyandcross,andtheundergroundbasilicaandcrypt.ABenedictineabbeywith
alargeopenaircourtyardisthefirstspacevisitorsexperience.Pathsleadtothegargantuan
marbleentrancewaytothecrypt.Atopthestoneridgesitsadistinguished152.3meterhigh
stonecrossthatcanbeseenfrom30milesaway(Pachecker70).Belowgroundisthecryptof
FranciscoFrancoandJosAntonioPrimodeRivera,alongvaultedhallthatleadstothe
elaboratesarcophagiofthetwo(Sullivan).Themassivearchitecturediminishestheindividual
humanformintonothingwhencomparedtothewillofthestate(Sullivan).Itsemphasison
religion(i.e.itschristeningasabasilicabyPopeJohnXXII,theenormouscrossandabbey)
seemstoinvokethemedievalprincipleofdivinerighttoruleforthedictator("TheValleyofthe
Fallen.").Thesiteisconsideredhallowedgroundwiththemonksoftheabbeysayingperpetual
prayersthanksgivingfortheheroismoftheCivilWarsfallen.Butamongthetamegreenhillsof
southernSpain,thebleakstonemonumentstandsout,atestamenttothebrutaldisciplineand
unquestioningobedienceFrancodemandedfromaoncepeacefulcountry.

3.

Whatisthehistoryofthemonument?Explainanycontroversysurroundingits
constructionaswell.
ExactlyoneyearaftertheendoftheSpanishCivilWaronApril1st,1939,
thenewlyinstalleddictatorofSpain,FranciscoFranco,commissionedtheconstructionofthe
ValleyoftheFallen(Leon).Itwascompletedin1959andeventuallyFrancoandthefounderof
hisfascistparty,JosAntonioPrimodeRiverawereburiedthere(Leon).Controversieshave
aboundedinthewakeofFrancosdeath.ItsenvironmentwaslikenedtoaNaziconcentration
campduetotheallegedillegaluseofRepublicanPOWsinitsconstruction(Sharrock).The
glorifiedburialchamberoftwoveneratedfascistsstandingnexttothe40,000deadburiedaround
thevalley(mainlyRepublicans)withoutrecognitionhasmadeitaflagaroundwhichtheradical


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rightwingofSpainrallies(Rainsford).Itscontinuedexistencehasmademanyuneasy,especially
giventheongoingFrancoistdemonstrationsoccurringthere.Itisoftenseenaslessofasitefor
thereconciliationofbothsidesofthewar,asanostentatiouscelebrationofradicalconservative
triumph(Hedgecoe).

4.

Whatarethevisualelementsofthemonument?Includesculpture,painting,
materials,sizes,shapes,etc.Payparticularattentiontowhetherthemonumentis
representational(e.g.statueofthehonoredperson)orabstract?
Visualgrandeurplaysavital
partindevelopingthemessageofthemonument.Themostobviousvisualelementsisthedearth
ofreligiousimagery.Themassivestonecrossisvisiblefrommilesaroundandpresidesoverthe
Benedictineabbeyaboveground.Atitsbasegiantstatuesofthefourevangelistssolemnlystand
("TheValleyoftheFallen.").Ontopofthemarblecolonnadeleadingtothenaveofthe
monument,motherMarycradlesadyingJesus,apossiblelikeningofFrancosdeathtothe
sacrificeoftheSonofGod.Themaingatetothebasilicaiscastiron.Itisadornedwithstatuesof
priestssimilartothecross.JustbeyondthecolonnadeofFrancostatuesoftwoenormousmetal
angelswithswordsflankthehallwayleadingtothealtarwhereabronzeChristiscrucifiedupon
araisedplatformwhilebronzeangelslookonfromfourangles("TheValleyoftheFallen.").
FrancoandPrimodeRiverastombsresideforeandaftofthealtar,onlytwomodestgravestones
containingtheirnames("TheValleyoftheFallen.").Allofthisliesunderahugedomethatis
coveredinamosaicoftherighteousenteringheaven("TheValleyoftheFallen.").Bothsidesof
thehallwayalternativelyfeaturelargetapestriesdepictingscenesfromtheBibleandchapels
dedicatedtoavarietyofvirgins(Leon).Eachvirginisthepatronsaintofonewingofthe
military("TheValleyoftheFallen.").Thisextensiveuseofreligioniscoupledwiththesecular
symbolofadoubleheadedeagle,whichisengravedonboththeirongatestothebasilicaandthe
marbleofthecolonnade(Sullivan).ThisisthecrestofFrancosregime.Ironandstonemakeup
themajorityofthematerialsusedtocreatethemonument(Sullivan).Thecolossalsizeofall
aspectsofthemonumentisrepresentativeoffascistmegalomania.Themonumentisabstractin
itsrepresentationofthesuperiorityofFrancosdivinelyvalidatedstateoverthosewhofought
againsthiminthewar.

5.

Whatwrittentextortextsis/arepartofthemonument?Analyzethem
rhetorically.Whatwastheiroriginalcontext?Whowrotethem?Aretheymetaphorical?
Thereislittletonosignificanttextinscribedonorinthemonument.Themostprominentisthe
mostsimple,wroughtontheenormousirongatesleadingtotheBasilica.Itissimplythenameof
thedictatorwhocommissioneditsconstruction:FranciscoFranco("TheValleyofthe
Fallen.").Thisimpliesthatthoughthegeneralisdead,thecultofpersonalitysurroundinghim
willforeverliveoninthismonument.ThesewordsareametaphorfortheeverlastingFalangist
influenceFrancosmonumentwillhaveinSpain.Thereisalsotextabovethedoorstotworooms
oneithersideofthealtar.Theseroomsholdmanyoftheeponymousfallen.Thetextreads


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RIP19361939,DiedforGodandCountry(Socolovsky).Theparallelstructureinthisphrase
pairsGodwithcountry,comparingtheFrancosattempttounifythenationtoaholyCrusade,
furtheremphasizingtherighteousnessofthewar.Alloftheaboveinscriptionswerewrittenin
thecontextofFrancosfinalvictoryovertheliberalsandservesasaperpetualreminderthat
whilethemonumentispurportedlytohonorthememoryofthosewhodiedfortheirbeliefs,it
reallymakesthepointthatallofthoseburieddiedbyFranco,throughFranco,andforFranco.

6.

Howdothevisualelementsandthewrittentextinteract?
ThePieta(MotherMary
anddyingJesus)overthegatesinscribedwithFrancosnameimpliesthatFrancosdeathwasas
momentousandimportantasthedeathofJesusChrist.Theextensivereligiousimageryaround
thetombsittingundertheinscriptionofFrancosnameseemstoconveythemessagethatthose
whodiedservingFrancodiedforthesideofholytruthandrighteousness.InamajorityCatholic
country,thisisapowerfulmessage.ThegiganticarchitecturesurroundingFrancosnameimbues
asenseofaweandvulnerabilitywheninitspresence,somethingthedictatorattemptedto
cultivatewiththebrutalityofhisrule.

7.

Howdoesthemonumentappealtoethos,pathos,andlogos?
Thereisnologosin
theargumentofthismonument,solelyappealstoethosandlogos.Francoappealstoethos,
seizingthetrustofhisviewersbyjuxtaposinghisnameandtombtocommemoratehisfallen
soldierswithagreatdealofreligiousreferencedemonstratestotheCatholicSpainthateternal
supernaturalpowerssupportandconfirmFrancosregime.Theaggressiveartandgargantuan
edificesofthemonumentinspirefearinviewersbullyingthemintoacknowledgingtheirsheer
insignificanceincomparisontoFrancospoliticalandmilitarysway.Themonumentisbotha
warningtothosewhowouldopposeFrancoandareligiousjustificationoftheFalangistagenda
before,during,andafterthecivilwar.

8.Isthemonumentametaphor?Explain.
Themonumentisametaphorforthe
ambitionandstrengthofFrancosregime.Themassivecomplexattemptstobemanythingsat
onceincludingatombfortheRepublicanarmyandtombfortheFalangistforces.Itseemsthat
Francoistryingtoclaimeveryonewhoparticipatedinthewarfallsunderhisinfluenceby
includingbothtombsinthebasilicareallydedicatedtohisburial.Therigidangles,pillars,
elaboratestoneandironworkrepresenttheuncompromisingpowerofthedictatorsregime.All
structuresloommenacinglyoverthosewhovisitthememorial,remindingthemofthemagnitude
ofFrancosmight.Thereligiousimagerywithinthebasilicaishostileandbelligerent,with
angelsandsaintsfightingthedemonsofhell.Itisametaphorforthesupposedlydivinestruggle
thatplacedFrancoinpower,meanttoconveythemessagethathisforcesofrighteousness,
backedbythechurch,wagednotaviolentcivilwarbutacrusadeagainstthedemonic
Republicans.


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9.

Howdoestheviewerexperiencethemonumentbothphysicallyandemotionally?
Physically,thesheerenormityofthearchitectureandartbelittlesthehumanform.Heorshe
experiencesawideopenspacebothwithinthebasilicaandinthecourtyardoftheabbey.The
naveofthemonumentisanintimidatingcavernousspacewheresoundsreverberatelikerolling
thunder(Leon).OutinthecourtyardoneisaffordedaspectacularviewofthelandFrancolorded
over.Theelephantineproportionsofthemonumentinstilasenseofaweintheviewerasthe
seeminglyancientveneratedstructuresominouslyloomoverthem.Themetalstatuesof
swordwieldingangelswithinthebasilicainspirefearwithinvisitorsassoonastheyenterthe
nave,forcingthemtofeelthatwhilestandinginFrancosbasilicatheyarestandingbeforethe
eyesofGod.Asonewalksdownthehalltothealtarattheendtheweightanddarknessofthe
mountainsinteriorcreatesafrantic,claustrophobicatmosphere,anenvironmentgeneratedunder
themaniacalheelofadictator(Leon).Itgenuinelyfeelsliketheviewerhasbeenswallowedup
bysomeenormousbeast.

10.

Identifyandstatethemajorargumentthemonumentismaking.Usetheevidence
youvecollectedtosupportyourideas.
ThemonumentisassertingFrancosstrengthandright
torule.Itremindsvisitorsthathedidntjustvanquishthearmiesoftherepublicans,whose
soldiersarenowburiedwithouthonorunderhisgrandiosetomb,hedidsowiththefavorofGod
andwithrighteousnessonhisside(representedbythecrosstoweringovertheunmarkedgraves
ofthefallenandthedepictionsofBiblestories,angels,andvirginsintheBasilicarespectively).
Also,thesizeofhismonumentdwarfsvisitorsandconstantlyremindsindividualsthattheyare
insignificantincomparisontothewillofFrancosstate,acoretenetoffascistdogma.


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WorksCited

Aloise,Lauren."VisitingValleDeLosCados(ValleyoftheFallen)SpanishSabores."
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Hedgecoe,Guy."Spain'sMonumenttoFranco:ADivisiveReminder."
AlJazeeraEnglish
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Leon,Pablo."TheValleyoftheFallentheProblemThatWon'tGoAway."
ELPAS
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Jan.2015.Web.05June2016.

Pachecker,HumphreyHumberto.
TheImmigrant'sUniverse
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Print.

Rainsford,Sarah."FateofFranco'sValleyofFallenReopensSpainWounds."
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Sharrock,David."SpainReclaimsFranco'sShrine."
HistoryNewsNetwork
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(London),2Nov.2004.Web.06June2016.

Socolovsky,Jerome."SpainToUncoverPastIn'ValleyOfTheFallen'"
NPR
.NPR,9Nov.
2009.Web.06June2016.

Sullivan,MaryAnn."TheValleyoftheFallen(ElValleDeLosCaidos)."
TheValleyofthe
Fallen(ElValleDeLosCaidos)
.N.p.,2002.Web.06June2016.

"TheValleyoftheFallen."
GetBehindtheMuse
.N.p.,22Sept.2013.Web.11June2016.

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