Married to the retired magistrate of Vetusta, Ana Ozores cares deeply for her much older husband but feels stifled by the monotony of her life in the shabby and conservative provincial town. When she embarks on a quest for fulfillment through religion and even adultery, a bitter struggle begins between a powerful priest and a would-be Don Juan for the passionate young woman’s body and soul. Spain’s answer to Madame Bovary, La Regenta wittily depicts the complacent and frivolous world of the upper class.

• The introduction discusses Alas's strikingly modern characterization and places his novel in its historical and political context
• Includes explanatory notes