Death Foretold Machismo Quotes

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How would you live your day if you knew your death would happen today? Chronicle of a Death Foretold takes place in a small town where a mysterious murder has happened. Santiago Nasar is the victim because allegedly he has taken Angela Vicario's virginity before marriage. Women in Columbian culture who lose their virginity before marriage are frowned upon because virginity is considered as pride. On the day of his death, Santiago is very happy and does not suspect he is going to die. In an odd twist, everyone in the town knows who is going to kill Santiago and when it is going to happen, but no one warns him. In Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the author illustrates machismo as a culture which causes women to be treated …show more content…

In Columbian culture, women are raised to believe that marriage is the ultimate goal. Women have to be validated by a husband in order to have value and importance. Men are raised to be central figures with more opportunities for education and jobs. As stated in this quote, "The brothers were brought up to be men. The girls had been reared to get married." (Marquez 15). Machismo causes women to be considered to be less than men by the way they are treated. This shows how women are not treated the same way as men. Women are also treated different because men are raised to be in control and women are raised to be controlled by men. Women are raised with the idea that virginity is an essential part of being an eligible young women. The idea of purity is very important to the family's and women. Men view women as property and prefer that the women inter into marriage as virgins. Angela knows the consequences of her actions so she wishes to end her life because she knows the social consequences are …show more content…

In Columbian culture, it is deplorable for a women to lose her virginity before marrying a man and is seen as shameful for the women's family's name and herself. The quote states, "On the other hand, the fact that Angela Vicario dared put on the veil and the orange blossoms without being a virgin would be interpreted afterwards as a profanation (disrespect) of the symbols of purity," that the family is astonished by the fact that Angela would lie about losing her virginity since she was reared stay a virgin until marriage. (Marquez 43). Machismo has made Angela feel less than men because she has lost her virginity and has no power in society now. Angela now feels like she has let her family down and her family's name. After lying to her family, she feels deeply ashamed that she has lost her virginity. The ironic part of the longstanding value about virginity is that the rule typically applies to women men are seen as strong when they are sexually experienced. In the culture examined in Chronicle of a Death Foretold, the most severe punishment, death, is placed upon a man who may or may not have been apart of taking her virginity. It shows an extreme punishment that reinforces the importance of the machismo ideal. Promiscuity results in a type of social death in the women but in this case a literal death for the

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