“CRISIS OF THE MATURE WOMAN”. A CRITICAL LOOK AT THE NOVEL VARIABLE CLOUD BY CARMEN MARTÍN GAITE

Abstract

The novel Nubosidad variable by Carmen Martín Gaite analyses the emotional crisis of mature women through its two main characters, Sofía Montalvo and Mariana León, who play opposite but complementary roles. Sofía, trapped in the traditional role of wife and mother, faces a life marked by submission, dissatisfaction and the ‘empty nest syndrome’. Mariana, on the other hand, is a successful but emotionally vulnerable professional, dealing with loneliness and a lack of identity after the exhaustion of her career. Through her protagonists, Sofía Montalvo and Mariana León, the author shows two opposing but equally conflictive paths: submission to traditional roles and professional success that does not fill emotional voids. The epistolary exchange between the protagonists becomes a space for self-exploration where they confront their decisions, recover their dreams and reconstruct their identities. The novel highlights female friendship as a crucial support for facing emotional crises, allowing both protagonists to find in each other the courage they need to change their lives. Martín Gaite uses writing as a means of healing and self-knowledge, promoting self-realisation as an ongoing process that transcends social expectations. Nubosidad variable not only explores the condition of women in maturity, but also offers an invitation to recognise emotional crisis as an opportunity for personal growth, arguing that authenticity and introspection are essential to achieve fulfilment in advanced stages of life.