His dissertation focuses on the early twentieth century and analyzes the many different representations of Don Juan in the said period. Second only to Don Quixote in the Spanish literary tradition, Don Juan is a manifestation of the global archetype of the Trickster. Some of the marks of Trickster characters are playfulness and laughter; however, they are potentially very harmful. Their exploits encapsulate a critique of society, and no cultural frontier is safe from them. They are good at mocking and making the arbitrariness of social rules pretty evident, therefore opening a window for change. Early 20th-century Spanish authors used Don Juan to explore and critique the modernization process of Spain. One of the most prevalent topics with plenty of branches was gender dynamics. Some of the branches I explore are how a society led by weak men has failed women, how modern values don't necessarily improve the condition of women, or what is a strong, healthy, and modern masculinity.