University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for its Department of Romance Studies

DOCUMENTARY THEATRE IN MEXICO: VICENTE LEÑERO'S "PUEBLO RECHAZADO"

Author(s): Fred M. Clark and María A. Salgado
Source: Romance Notes, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Autumn, 1971), pp. 54-60
Published by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for its Department of Romance
Studies
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43800723
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DOCUMENTARY THEATRE IN MEXICO:

VICENTE LEÑERO'S PUEBLO RECHAZADO

by Fred M. Clark and María A. Salgado

Vicente Leñero (b. 1939) achieved fame with his novel Los alb añiles
with which he won the Seix Barral Premio de Biblioteca Breve. Three
other novels - La voz adolorida (1961, republished under the title A
fuerza de palabras in 1967), Estudio Q (1965), El garabato (1967), and
a book of short stories, La polvareda (1959), make up the bibliography
of this young writer. Other than a stage adaptation of Los albañiles, which
has had several successful runs in Mexico City, Pueblo rechazado is the
only work that Leñero has done in the field of the theatre. His debut
was an impressive one and was acclaimed by such critics and dramatists
as Max Aub and Rodolfo Usigli. Pueblo rechazado , previously published
in Revista de la Universidad , 1 was not performed until October, 1968,
as a part of the Cultural Program of the XIX Olympiad. As the author
explains in his introduction to the drama, the play was a most difficult
undertaking and one in which he himself lost confidence, only to have it
restored by a successful production in the Teatro Xola.
Pueblo rechazado basically deals with the religious conflict of Gregorio
Lemercier, the prior and founder of the monastery of Santa María de la
Resurrección near Cuerna vaca. His personal beliefs in modern psychology
placed him in open conflict with the Catholic clergy and provoked his
final with-drawal from the Church. Due to its controversial nature, this
case was highly publicized by the Mexican news media.
Because of its theme - the Church's inability to stay abreast the
times - the play fits well into a new movement in the Mexican theatre:
teatro documental , organized by the directors Ignacio Retes and Enrique

1 Vicente Leñero, Pueblo rechazado, Revista de la Universidad, Vol. XXII,

No. 9 (May, 1968).

54

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 DOCUMENTARY THEATRE IN MEXICO... 55

Lizardi. This type of theatre has its predecessors in Europe wi

such as Peter Weiss. 2 It is essentially a theatre of contempor
and conflicts. As Weiss does in his documentary theatre, Leñero
authentic material, researched it well for facts, and selected only
essential elements for dramatic effectiveness and artistic achieve
is kept quite simple and individual conflicts are lacking for the m
as entire segments of society are represented by coros rathe
dividual characters. As Leñero states in his introduction, the mai
is in itself only a springboard for the presentation of a number
ills:

me interesé en el affaire Lemercier no sólo por lo que tenía en sí de confi ictivo,

de espinoso, sino sobre todo por lo que a mi juicio simbolizaba para el momento
actual de la Iglesia y de la sociedad. Los planteamientos del monje benedictino,
junto con los que sugería o hacía girar en torno, reactivamente, apuntaban hacia
cuestiones muy significativas de nuestra época: en el orden eclesial (reforma de
la Iglesia, desacralización, diálogo ecuménico, psicología y religión, vida religio-
sa) y en el orden público (crisis de la autoridad, quiebra de instituciones, evo-
lución técnica y científica...). No era éste un simple caso aislado. Era un inci-
dente característico y revelador que rebasaba - en su contenido más valioso-
sus dimensiones anecdóticas. 3

It can be deduced from this statement that the social awareness inherent
in documentary theatre does not necessarily limit the work to a specific
nationalistic environment. The value of Pueblo rechazado lies not only
in the importance the Lemercier affair has for Mexicans but also in the
universal significance Leñero attains as he uncovers more basic human
problems and conflicts.
The rift between the Church and Lemercier began with the prior's
acceptance of the use of psychoanalysis and the Church's refusal to allow
this practice. The Church saw nothing wrong with its institutions, and
Leñero, in the first scene of the play, establishes in the audience's mind
that all is well in the monastery. He presents a traditional setting; the
Gregorian chants of the monks serve to emphasize the peace and

2 Cf. Franz Haberl, "Peter Weiss: Documentary Theatre," Books Abroad,

Vol. 43, No. 3 (Summer, 1969), pp. 359-362.
3 Vicente Leñero, Pueblo rechazado , Cuadernos de foaquvn Moritz (^Mexico,
1969), pp. 11-12. All quotes from the drama are from this publication.

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56 ROMANCE NOTES

tranquility. To make sure that the publ

conducts a tour and explains to the grou

Esta es la casa de un selecto grupo de hom

mejor servirle y alabarle han renunciado
perfecta vida espiritual se vive aquí.... Dem
tras exista, podemos estar seguros de que el

Suddenly the peaceful and idyllic pictu

which breaks into violent laughter. Foll
floods the whole stage, illuminating are
Then one can see the truth. The private
which goes on inside each cell and each
The prior senses that something is wr
but his pride is too strong. He is not re
He cares only for himself and his reput

...con estas manos consagradas que habían

crispado frente al enemigo, que bendecían
torre de Babel. Yo solo, terco, infatigable
(P. 37).

To save his work of thirty years

analyst, who becomes his partner, does
terested in being remembered as an inn
These characters provide Leñero with
of society: too many institutions, too mu
to the plight of man. Pueblo rechazado
for power and recognition, but no indiv
are represented by coros , each intere
preserving the narrow interests of the
communication is pathetic. The coro de
prior: "Soberbio. Blasfemo. Rebelde.
but he thinks that they are praising him
help, but the priest does not even notic
Each group protects its own interests.
in his own unintrusive position, all goes
his place, the jealousy of his peers destr
midst. The analyst is attacked by the co

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 DOCUMENTARY THEATRE IN MEXICO... 57

Es un charlatan que ha confundido los términos científicos y se ha lanzado a

una experiencia absurda. Un inepto. Un incapaz superlativo (p. 72).

And he is finally expelled on the basis that he is ruining the profession:

No te queremos con nosotros. Lárgate. Vete con tus monjes, convéncelos a ellos.
Nos estorbas. Nos denigras. Nos obstruyes el trabajo. ¡Lárgate!... ¡Lárgate!
(p. 73).

The Catholics, helped by the reporters, do the same thing to the prior.
They reject him just as strongly and definitely:

El Prior no es Galileo. El Prior no es iluminado. El Prior es un rebelde. EI

Prior es un hereje. El Prior es un apóstol, blasfemo, miserable. ¡Hace doscien-
tos años lo hubiéramos quemado! (p. 86).

The turmoil of society represented by the Catholics (the majority in

Mexico), the psychoanalysts (the scientific community), the religious
community, and the reporters, point to many contemporary evils, espe-
cially the crisis of authority and institutions. The lack of goals and firm
beliefs forces man to cast about, but in a society of weak principles it
becomes increasingly hard to find directions.
It is obvious that Leñero attacks the selfishness and the narrow-mind-
edness of a society that is mediocre and will not forgive members who
stand out. But Leñero does not particularly sympathize with these members
either. They too are selfish and narrow-minded. They become prominent
not through love and devotion for their fellowmen, but through a deep-
rooted desire to be recognized, to be remembered. Both the analyst and
the prior express their pride and their need to become famous; the analyst's
reasons for helping the prior are stated clearly when he tries to defend
himself before his peers:

Soy un innovador. Descubrí un nuevo campo de experiencia que abre caminos

infinitos. Nadie se había atrevido. Soy el primero en explorar la psique de toda
una congregación de religiosos; el precursor en el estudio científico de la fe
(p. 73).

And the prior screams to the press:

Ni ustedes ni el Santo Oficio saben una palabra de psicoanálisis.... ¡Algún día

vendrán a suplicarme consejos! ¡Y me llamarán reformador! ¡Invocarán mi

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58 ROMANCE NOTES

nombre entre los grandes innovadores de la

la fe. La teología y la ciencia bendecirán mi nombre... (pp. 48-49).

The prior's responsibility to man is much more serious than that of the
analyst. Because he is a priest and is breaking away from the Church, he
takes it upon himself to decide what is right and wrong. Many other men
will follow his example and his lead. His decision could endanger the
spiritual salvation of men who are genuinely sincere.
The prior sees himself as a humble man. He asks God for spiritual
guidance and likes to compare himself to Zacchaeus. He begs God to
come into his monastery and explains his reasons for wanting to reach
Him:

Como Zaqueo quise hacerme grande. Él subió a un sicomoro. Yo, aunque hu-
biera subido a cualquier otro árbol, nada habría conseguido. Tenía necesidad
de una altura que no se mide en metros, tenía necesidad de una altura que se
mide en confianza. Por eso dejé la muchedumbre.... Ahora me veo sentado en-
cima de la muchedumbre, encima de mis nuevos hermanos, encima de las multi-
tudes que me rodean. Ahora ya no me siento pequeño, me siento grande. Eso
se llama un sentimiento de superioridad. Tal vez tú lo llamarías orgullo, no sé
si es lo mismo. Pero importa poco. Estoy en mi monasterio, estoy trepado en
mi sicamoro para verte... y tú no estás conmigo. ¿En dónde estás, Jesús? (p. 42).

Obviously, the prior, blind with pride, does not realize that the par-
allelism between Zacchaeus and himself does not really exist. Zacchaeus
humbly climbed a tree and won Jesus' recognition; the prior has climbed
up the steps of pride and self-satisfaction and has lost the spiritual reward
he was seeking.
The only calm voice heard in the play is the Bishop's. He believes in
change, but not violent revolution. He thinks that the Church should listen
to the new voices and maintain itself abreast the times. He captures the
essence of the affair when he says that the use of psychoanalysis is not
a question of atheism but one of understanding and accepting modern man:

Es inexacto hablar del ateísmo como de una actitud del mundo moderno. Sería
más exacto hablar de un modo nuevo de presentar el problema de Dios. De
donde sería preciso preguntarse primero, ¿Qué es el hombre? Y la respuesta de-
bería ser buscada en una interpretación personalista (p. 61).

When the Church refuses to accept the new concept and condemns the
prior, the Bishop believes that modern man has been rejected:

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 DOCUMENTARY THEATRE IN MEXICO... 59

Por no formular sistemàticamente esa pregunta... el texto conciliar

el problema propio del hombre moderno que atañe al psicoanálisis (p. 61).

The Bishop does not approve of violent change. He wants change to

come from the established structures of society. He admits, however, that
perhaps he is too old for change:

Comprenda, padre, ya no soy un hombre joven ni puedo cambiar fácilmente mis

hábitos, mi estilo y mi manera de ser.... No sé. No lo entiendo. No puede fà-
cilmente comprenderlo un cura como yo. Pero eso no significa que niegue valor
a sus teorías, que las deseche sólo porque me son ajenas, desconocidas, extrañas
(p. 89).

Yet he had defended the prior's work with passionate words before the
Vatican Council:

Tomen por un momento el lugar del Prior y traten, cristianamente, de compren-

der su lucha. Él siente que su monasterio se derrumba. Que la vida monacal
se ha contaminado de perturbaciones psicológicas, y que más que buscar a Dios
sus hermanos huyen de él, ocultan la cabeza para no enfrentar su realidad re-
ligiosa. Aquello no es más un monasterio, es una casa de salud. El Prior no se
cruza de brazos, no huye, no cierra los ojos. Busca una solución y la encuentra
en el psicoanálisis. La Iglesia lo mira con desconfianza ateniéndose a infundados
y anacrónicos temores, y trata de frenar la experiencia. Pero el Prior no puede
detenerse; ha sembrado un grano, y frenar de golpe su crecimiento, abortar el
fruto equivaldría para él a cometer un crimen (p. 66).

At the end of the play he gives his blessing to the Prior's new venture:
the foundation of a new lay community based on psychoanalysis. And
once again he warns the prior not to be overpowered by pride and self-
satisfaction :

Temo por usted, padre.... Temo que la incomprensión de nuestros hermanos hacia
esta experiencia nacida de buena fe, fruto de una búsqueda legítima, engendre
en ustedes una confianza desmedida en algo que podría convertirse en un sus-
tituto de la religión (p. 90).

The ending of the drama is characteristic of documentary theatre. The

author, attempting to remain objective, leaves much to the audience to
interpret: will the prior overcome pride and vanity? will the new commu-
nity be any better than the old one? will the new community simply
become a new establishment which will eventually turn into one similar to

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60 ROMANCE NOTES

the old one? On a more universal le

search for identity amidst contempora
individual conscience depends on the an
Leñero's accomplishment with Pueb
contemporary Mexican theatre. Utilizin
skillfully transcended nationalistic bou
and his problems within a complex,
provoking presentation of a contemp
zado, assumes a more symbolic meaning
his lonely search for identity.

University of North Carolina

Chapel Hill

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