Benito Pérez Galdós (1843-1920) was a Spanish realist novelist. Some authorities consider him second only to Cervantes in stature as a Spanish novelist. He was the leading literary figure in 19th-century Spain. He remains popular in Spain, and is considered as equal to Dickens, Balzac and Tolstoy. While his plays are generally considered to be less successful than his novels, Realidad is important in the history of realism in the Spanish theatre.