The Time Of The Doves Character Analysis

Is it our experiences that shape us, or is it us who shape our experiences? This question is posed, and answered, within Mercè Rodoreda’s novel, The Time of the Doves, as presented by her protagonist, Natalia, as she struggles to discover herself throughout the work. Natalia, as a mother, continues her duties to her children regardless of her current state, willing to kill them as a means of escape from a slow death. As a wife, similarly to her situation as a mother, Natalia is within the strong grasp of society; she remains tortured by the thought of her husband, Quimet, even after he has died, and it is only through re-marrying that she finds salvation. Additionally, as a woman Natalia views little within herself pre-epiphany, as she is too focused on her busy life to discover and realize who she is as a person. Mercé Rodoreda presents the struggle for self identity within her novel, The Time of the Doves, making use of her protagonist’s roles as a mother, wife, and a woman to emphasize the situation.

Rodoreda portrays Natalia as a strong mother, as the novel progresses she is continuously presented as putting her children before herself in order of importance within her mind and life. Throughout the course of the work, Natalia is presented multiple times with

Through her role as a mother, Natalia accepts her duties as a mother and continues to commit to her children regardless of the situation. During her first marriage as a wife, Natalia is within the strong grip of society until she remarries once more and frees herself from that bondage of Quimet. As well as this, Natalia develops her sense of self as a woman, bringing forth her sense of self identity through the work. Perhaps it is through those horrible struggles that we best discover ourselves within our