Refashioning José Hernández through Francisco F. Fernández’s Solané: The Shifting Political Ideologies among Federalist Reformists

This article examines the ideological transformation evident in the two versions of Francisco Felipe Fernández's drama Solané (1872 and 1926), using the text as a lens to understand shifting political ideologies among Federalist reformists during Argentina's national organization period. Based on the historical Tandil massacre of January 1, 1872, when curandero Gerónimo de Solané led a murderous rampage against immigrants and Masons, the play reveals Fernández's dramatic evolution from provincial Federalist to liberal nationalist.Through detailed comparative analysis of both versions, the author demonstrates how Fernández refashioned his melodramatic historical drama into a "psycho-sociological drama" that increasingly emphasized themes of progress, immigration, education, and centralized government—core tenets of liberal ideology. The study traces significant changes between versions: the elimination of religious elements, the transformation of character motivations from personal revenge to social justice concerns, the recasting of violent gauchos as victims of systemic oppression rather than barbaric outlaws, and the addition of anti-church rhetoric aligned with liberal anticlericalism. The article argues that Fernández's textual revisions reflect his personal political journey from militant anti-Buenos Aires provincial supporter of Ricardo López Jordán's failed revolution to a progressive thinker who embraced immigration, individual rights, and federal unity under Buenos Aires leadership. By situating Fernández alongside contemporaries like José Hernández, Carlos Guido y Spano, and Olegario Andrade, the author reveals how reformist Federalists—initially allied with provincial interests against porteño centralism—gradually adopted liberal positions during the 1870s-1880s consolidation period. This analysis illuminates a previously understudied ideological shift among Argentine writers and demonstrates how theatrical texts can serve as historical documents revealing complex political realignments during nation formation.