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Death Foretold Women

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In the novel, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, by Gabriel García Márquez, developments in the plot occur because of the significance and effect of the patriarchal society, as well as the role of women in Colombia at the time the novel was written (1950’s). These developments occur with Gabriel Marquez’s use of technique and literary devices. In the novel, women were given considerably less choice in their life compared to women today. This ultimately leads to every significant conflict in the novel, including the death of Santiago Nasar. In the novel, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, women and men had very specific roles. Women’s role was to marry and work for a man in order to upgrade the status of their family. While the role of man was to work; to increase the status of the family; and to defend the family’s honor. This leads to the idea that the woman’s approval of the marriage was not important, but rather the family would make the final decision. Meaning, it was the job of the man not to court the woman, but to court or impress her family. Bayardo San Román perfectly executed this. Initially, the family did not believe he was fit to marry Angela, however, “the only thing the family hadn’t counted upon was Bayardo San Román’s irresistible charm” (30). This shows the change in the family’s opinion of Bayardo San Román, leading to the marriage between him and Angela. Bayardo never really made an effort to court the Angela, but rather, “bewitched her family with his charm”

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