Chronicle Of A Death Foretold Analysis

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‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’ is highly riveting novella written by Colombian Nobel Laureate, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Published in the year 1981, the novel beautifully recounts the events leading up to the imminent death of Santiago Nasar and is narrated through the point of view of an anonymous person who strives to uncover the gripping story behind the gruesome and unwarranted murder.
Marquez’s adoption of a narrative which is both journalistic and fictitious marks not only his overflowing sagacity, but also his innate understanding of the social issues of gender and identity which are brilliantly entrenched throughout the course of the novel. The psychological component is highlighted by Marquez as he endeavors to extract the “why” behind the murder with the aid of the repetitive use of “how, where and when”.
Gender occupies an immensely important position in the Latin American culture. Though on the path of asserting their opinions, women are still subservient to men and have difficulty stepping out of their assigned roles in the domestic sphere. Angela Vicario and her mother, Purisima del Carmen represent the oppressed and the oppressor respectively. Angela is married off to Bayardo San Roman against her wishes as he comes from a wealthy and prestigious family. The alliance is forced upon her by her parents and her brothers who wish to profit from the marriage while her lack of affection for the man is swiftly ignored by them. “Love can be learned too” is an advice