Carmen’s Monologue: A Post-War Reflection on Love and Loss
Carmen’s Monologue: A Reflection on Love and Loss
This work allows us to reflect and understand the mentality of people during the war and the difficult situation in which they were in. The novel centers on Carmen Sotillo, who has just lost her husband, Mario. His death is, in a way, a source of pride for Carmen. The story begins with the family viewing, where family and friends visit, often exaggerating their feelings. Mario’s sister embodies this, creating a scene and having to leave. Carmen suspects the scandal stems from the sister being Mario’s lover, but she can’t be sure due to the lack of communication between her and her husband.
After the wake, the story focuses on Carmen as she spends her last hours with Mario’s body, remembering their past. This leads to a messy, emotionally charged monologue filled with lamentations and reproaches. Carmen revisits memories, recounts events and experiences with Mario, and realizes the mistakes she made. She reflects on the frustration of a marriage she never truly wanted, highlighting her husband’s contradictory nature. Carmen wished Mario had shown her more affection, valuing the things that brought her happiness, like a car. She narrates moments from her life, while also reading paragraphs underlined by her husband, demanding his attention even in death. The story doesn’t follow a logical order, as Carmen speaks without a plan, jumping from one topic to another. Some recurring themes emerge throughout the book.
Recurring Themes in Carmen’s Monologue
- The Wedding Night: She felt deeply humiliated because Mario didn’t want to be intimate, simply going to bed and turning away. Carmen says she will never forget this.
- Encarna: She was convinced that Encarna was pursuing Mario after her husband, Elvira, died. In fact, she believes Mario was fixated on her.
- Distrust: Carmen complained about her husband’s distrust, among other things.
- The Car: She repeatedly mentions that Mario never bought her a car, which bothered her. She recounts an incident where Paco, a man she hadn’t spoken to in twenty-five years, offered her a ride. She was amazed by the car and how much he had changed.
Carmen places great importance on family, especially her parents, unlike Mario, who doesn’t shed a tear when his mother dies. Throughout the story, Carmen realizes the kind of life she has led, leading her to feel regret. She mentions several times that her children never hear a single word said to Mario.
Finally, the night ends, and a new day begins. Carmen’s son, Mario, arrives. The final chapter recounts the moment just after the funeral when employees come to collect the body. It is Carmen’s last farewell to Mario.
Space and Time
The story begins on the day Mario dies in bed. It follows a full day of visits from family and friends, until night falls and Carmen begins her monologue. The time she spends watching over Mario is a linear time, with snack time representing the last of their 23 years together. The actual time of Menchu’s reflection is five hours. The chapters are roughly the same length, and the verses that open each chapter serve to mark uniform intervals. This gives the reader the impression that the time of the utterance coincides with the time lag reality, ensuring continuity of the novel. The action takes place in their home, primarily in the room where Mario’s body lies, which is the setting for the monologue that dominates the novel.
Language
The language of the play is simple and colloquial, but because it was written about forty years ago, some words are not easily understood, requiring frequent use of a dictionary. The first person predominates, as Carmen is delivering monologues, but the second person is also used when she addresses Mario.