Bayardo Reflection

Today in class we discussed chapter one and two of Chronicle of a Death Foretold. The main occurrences within this chapter were the marriage of Angela Vicario and Bayardo San Roman as well as the events that led up to the murder of Santiago Nasar. The motive for Santiago’s murder is his apparent deflowering of Angela. At the start of chapter two it is explained how Bayardo arrived in the town and we get an inside into his characterization. He is a flamboyant and proud man who believes that he can get anything he wants in this small seaside town. He shows his true colors perfectly when he selected Angela as his wife. His pursuit of her and his lavish displays of power and influence lead the readers to have an uneasy feeling about him. His parents and family also display this aura when they arrive for Angela and Bayardo’s wedding. His father is silent and intimidating while his sisters are flashy and proud. Another thing that becomes apparent in these chapters is society’s brutality towards woman through tradition and cultural beliefs. Angela protested her wedding towards her parents on the claim that she did not love Bayardo. Her mother simply said that love can be learned. Angela has suicidal thoughts and seems to be in a sort of melancholic depression. The pressure of family and society leaves her no choice but to face her doubts and fears and marry Bayardo. At the end of the chapter, things take a turn for the worse when it is apparent that Angela is not a virgin. This is a disgrace to her and the honor of her family. This is an unforgivable crime. She is severely punished for this. What is worse though is that she pinpointed this “crime” on Santiago, saying that he was the one who deflowered her. In the book it is said that she pinned him to a wall like a butterfly. We are left to wonder if Santiago was really the culprit or if Angela made it up in order to save