Wednesday, April 24, 2013

La Corrida de Toros

Plaza de San Marcos
Aguascalientes, Mexico
Photo by Lumdog

The matador de toros, with his ornate, gold embroidered suit enters the ring with his two lesser toreros (subaltemos). The ritual would now begin.  Each torero attempts to attract the bull with his brightly colored cape of pink and gold.  The bull randomly charges, seemingly intent on mauling whoever enters his vision.  The subaltemos take no shame in running from the bull, which allows the lead torero to assess his foe.

The picadors enter on horseback with their lances.  The bull immediately charges the blindfolded horses and a picador gives one or two strikes into the back of the neck. The bull is weakened, but not intimidated.

The torero raises his arms, banderillas in hand, like a conductor holding his baton.  He taunts the bull.  The bull charges and the violent dance begins.  Two banderillas are plunged into the bull. Enraged, foam spews from the bull’s mouth; his desire to gore the torero is sharpened.  The bull charges and the torero is grazed, but not injured.  The bull charges again and again and the dance continues.   

Finally, the torero enters the ring alone, now carrying his red muleta (cape) and a sword and the final steps of the dance take place.  As the end comes near, the torero and bull lock eyes in final ecstasy, each believing he will vanquish the other.   
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I wrote this for the Week 74 Trifecta Writing Challenge where we are to write a 33-333 word composition using the word “ecstasy” in the context of a trance.

This was a challenging piece for me to write. I don’t condone cruelty to animals in sport or otherwise, and I was hesitant to see a bullfight. Yet, I was interested in going. Perhaps, I was inspired by my favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, who wanted to be a bullfighter and who wrote so eloquently about bullfighting and by the fact that bullfighting is very much a part of my fiancée’s cultural heritage. 

Indeed, my fiancée and her brother had a good laugh at my expense when I referred to the torero as the “matador”, as it is a word only used by gringos in that context.  Technically, the matador is the senior of the three toreros, but this word is only used in Spanish when one is saying: “matador de toros”, to distinguish the senior torero from the lesser ones. 

Finally, I would like to note that I saw this bullfight in Mexico, but through my research, I learned that the various stages of a bullfight, the roles of the participants and the terminology vary from country to country, so this may not entirely square with your own experiences.

Your comments are appreciated.

23 comments:

  1. Fascinating gore!!! I would be hiding my eyes but peeking through my fingers to watch. It would make me uncomfortable too because I'm not used to the spectacle. But I understand the cultural aspect of it. Loved how you described the whole event (learned something). Hope you had a great trip! Well done!

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    1. Thanks Gina. It was difficult, but, fascinating to watch. I enjoyed the theater of the event, despite my misgivings.

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  2. Your researched showed! I didn't know about the different phases (or players) involved. Still, I feel terrible about the bull. I think it's a cultural thing I don't understand.

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    1. I understand that you don't understand. I'm the same way. Thanks Janna.

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  3. Fantastic use of ecstasy!
    I'm editing a short story involving a bullfight (Pamplona 1983)so it was fun to read this. Great descriptions!

    [Between you and me, nothing rivals the beauty of the bullring when the bull and bullfighter are matched, as long as you understand the moves.]

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    1. Wow. Thanks for all your nice comments Kymm. I was worried you would take issue with my Spanish, which I am trying hard to learn.

      Between you and me, I was also stricken by the beauty and majesty of the event.

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  4. This was such a well written account of something that fascinates me, but I'd be too chicken to actually go to. Through your writing, I could see it for the beautiful and intricate dance that it is:)

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    2. Try again. Thank you so much Valerie. :)

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  5. I went to a bullfight in Ecuador. But I didn't last very long. For exactly the reasons you describe so eloquently. I was rooting for the bull. It's cruel. And when I was in Spain I read Hemingway's treatise on the subject. So be it. I'm sure people from other countries find some of our cultural significance to be cruel, as well. You described it vividly. Congratulations on your engagement! I'm happy for you!

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    1. Thank you Steph. I'm with you on all those conflicting feelings. And thanks for the congrats. :)

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  6. This is some elegant writing. You wrote it like the dance you described (:

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    1. Wow! Thanks Draug. That means a lot coming from you.

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  7. Wow, like someone else said, your research made this impactful. Plus, I learned something. good job, lum

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  8. Beautifully told Lumdog! I'm not one for bullfights, but your description is so fluid and graceful. Really cool take on the prompt!

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  9. Good use of ecstasy with the bull and bullfighter. Cruel sport but people used to go to public hangings.

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  10. Ah, this is a refreshing change of pace! Nice job, Lumdog.

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