Chronicle of a Death Foretold: Honor, Fate, and Tragedy
Chronicle of a Death Foretold
The Sense of Honor
The action of Chronicle of a Death Foretold unfolds in an environment of chance, misunderstandings, and contradictions, making tragedy possible. Two points are clear: Santiago Nasar’s murder and the widespread belief in the validity of the honor code. This code, valuing honor above all else, can lead to tragedy. When Bayardo San Roman returned his bride Angela Vicario to her parents because she wasn’t a virgin, it was a death sentence for the man she named. The honor code dictates that honor can only be restored through death—a precept present in traditional ballads, Golden Age dramas, and even Lorca’s The House of Bernarda Alba. This sense of honor is the catalyst for tragedy.
In Baroque literature, honor held immense value, akin to life itself. Its loss demanded immediate reparation through revenge, particularly in dramas of adultery where honor rested on a woman’s virtue. The husband, father, or brother had to avenge the dishonor, as seen in Calderon’s The Painter of His Dishonor and Lope de Vega’s Peribáñez and the Commander of Ocaña. While the concept of honor has evolved, remnants of this code persist in some contemporary literary works, influencing the events in Chronicle of a Death Foretold.
The Vicario brothers and the entire village are driven by revenge. The word “honor” is linked to love, specifically virginity and fidelity. No one seems willing to interfere with the vengeance of the Vicario brothers, who believe they must avenge their sister’s dishonor, a disgrace to the entire family. Most villagers accept the honor code, which exonerates them from preventing the crime. The Vicario brothers are compelled by circumstance; their father is old and blind, unable to act. Their vengeance becomes a public execution, reinforcing the deeply rooted sense of honor in the village and punishing the offense as an example. The social code of honor alone is enough to explain the crime.
Bayardo San Roman’s pride crumbles upon discovering the truth. He leaves the town in a deplorable state, appearing as a victim. In this narrative, the people act as judge, jury, and executioner, punishing the offender and restoring social order, regardless of the judge’s opinion or the innocence of the accused.
Fate
Fate is central to the novel. The title itself, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, highlights the predetermined nature of the events. The novel begins with an inescapable sense of doom. Santiago Nasar’s fate is sealed from the start. Another crucial factor is destiny, which drives the story towards its tragic conclusion. Unlike classical tragedies where gods control human fate, here, persistent human folly leads to disaster.
The narrative presents a fundamental contradiction: everyone knows the Vicario twins intend to kill Santiago Nasar, yet he remains unaware. This contradiction stems from human stupidity. The twins’ proclaimed intentions have the opposite effect; most people dismiss their words or assume Santiago already knows. Another contradiction lies in the closed, puritanical society where everyone knows everyone else’s business, yet Angela Vicario’s loss of virginity to someone other than Bayardo San Roman remains a secret. These contradictions arise from ambiguities that neither the characters, the reader, nor the narrator can fully resolve.
The book revolves around the ambiguity of who truly violated Angela Vicario’s honor. The reader is left with the feeling that Santiago Nasar was murdered for something he didn’t do. Even when Angela Vicario later confirms his name, no one believes her. Santiago Nasar becomes a pawn of fate, dying without understanding why. Those who try to prevent his death fail due to a series of fatal coincidences:
- The bishop’s visit, which could have delayed or prevented the murder.
- The warning note that never reaches Santiago Nasar.
- Cristo Bedoya’s unsuccessful search for Santiago.
- The actions of Santiago’s housekeeper and her daughter.
- Santiago’s habit of entering his house through the back door.
- The irresponsible actions and omissions of Colonel Lázaro Aponte and Father Amador.
- Placida Linero, Santiago’s mother, closing the front door.
- Santiago Nasar’s ominous dreams before his death.
The theme of fate and destiny is recurrent in literature. It’s explored in Calderón’s Life is a Dream and Tirso de Molina’s The Trickster of Seville.