In cultures around the world, people are acting, protecting, and making decisions in the name of “honour.” Broadly, honour is high respect, regard, or esteem. However, the value and meaning of honour varies by culture and even by individual. Gabriel García Márquez wrote Chronicle of a Death Foretold to reflect the actions and responses of Colombian society to the event of murder. Describing the murder of Santiago Nasar, Chronicle of a Death Foretold depicts the significance of honour in Colombian culture and society. Márquez argues that: honour and marriage customs led to Santiago Nasar’s death, what a family in the Vicario’s position had to do in order to regain honour, and how honour in Colombian culture influenced the town’s responses to
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The Vicario family in Chronicle of a Death Foretold reflected what a family had to do to regain honour in Colombian society. Marriages in Colombia were rarely full of love and often were of convenience. After discovering that Angela was not a virgin, Bayardo returned her to her mother, who beats her. By having premarital intercourse, Angela was a significant dishonour to herself and her family. Angela also threw away her only chance to move up classes in society. Not only was the Bayardo San Román from a wealthy and prestigious family, but it was very unlikely another man, especially an upper class man, would marry her as she is not a virgin. This signifies how in Colombian culture it was important for a woman not to have premarital intercourse and why the solution was to kill Santiago Nasar. The Vicario brothers had a reputation for being good people and that was why most people thought the crime wouldn’t be committed. They didn’t want to do it, but pressure from their mother forced them to do it for their family honour. In Colombian Culture, a person without honour becomes an outcast to the community and to society. The Vicarios quickly leave town realizing the extent of disgrace brought upon their family: “the whole family left, even the older sisters with their husbands, on Colonel Aponte’s initiative” (82). A family in the Vicario’s position has few choices in Colombian …show more content…
Actions such as killing a man weren’t questioned in the book, as in Colombian culture, it was known what needed to be done to protect one’s honour. People believed that a crime such as sleeping with Angela Vicario before marriage, was deserving of a severe punishment: “The lawyer stood by the thesis of homicide in legitimate defence of honour, which was upheld by the court in good faith” (48). People in Colombian society felt matters revolving around honour should be left to those involved, providing the reason why no one warned Santiago Nasar of his approaching death. After he is murdered, the jury supported and respected the Vicario brothers’ actions as they were done in the name of honour. Since murdering a member of society was still a crime, the Vicario brothers were sentenced to jail for 3 years. Prudencia Cotes, Pablo Vicario’s fiancée, supported their act, and waited for Pablo to get out of prison “without a moment of discourage” to become his wife: “I knew what they were up to… and I didn't only agree, I never would have married him if he hadn’t done what a man should do” (62). Judging how people like Prudencia acted, it could be questioned who is responsible for Santiago Nasar’s death: the Vicaro brothers, or the town people (representing Colombian society). The Vicario’s make it very
The Vicario family in Chronicle of a Death Foretold reflected what a family had to do to regain honour in Colombian society. Marriages in Colombia were rarely full of love and often were of convenience. After discovering that Angela was not a virgin, Bayardo returned her to her mother, who beats her. By having premarital intercourse, Angela was a significant dishonour to herself and her family. Angela also threw away her only chance to move up classes in society. Not only was the Bayardo San Román from a wealthy and prestigious family, but it was very unlikely another man, especially an upper class man, would marry her as she is not a virgin. This signifies how in Colombian culture it was important for a woman not to have premarital intercourse and why the solution was to kill Santiago Nasar. The Vicario brothers had a reputation for being good people and that was why most people thought the crime wouldn’t be committed. They didn’t want to do it, but pressure from their mother forced them to do it for their family honour. In Colombian Culture, a person without honour becomes an outcast to the community and to society. The Vicarios quickly leave town realizing the extent of disgrace brought upon their family: “the whole family left, even the older sisters with their husbands, on Colonel Aponte’s initiative” (82). A family in the Vicario’s position has few choices in Colombian …show more content…
Actions such as killing a man weren’t questioned in the book, as in Colombian culture, it was known what needed to be done to protect one’s honour. People believed that a crime such as sleeping with Angela Vicario before marriage, was deserving of a severe punishment: “The lawyer stood by the thesis of homicide in legitimate defence of honour, which was upheld by the court in good faith” (48). People in Colombian society felt matters revolving around honour should be left to those involved, providing the reason why no one warned Santiago Nasar of his approaching death. After he is murdered, the jury supported and respected the Vicario brothers’ actions as they were done in the name of honour. Since murdering a member of society was still a crime, the Vicario brothers were sentenced to jail for 3 years. Prudencia Cotes, Pablo Vicario’s fiancée, supported their act, and waited for Pablo to get out of prison “without a moment of discourage” to become his wife: “I knew what they were up to… and I didn't only agree, I never would have married him if he hadn’t done what a man should do” (62). Judging how people like Prudencia acted, it could be questioned who is responsible for Santiago Nasar’s death: the Vicaro brothers, or the town people (representing Colombian society). The Vicario’s make it very