Introduction
Moral principles are among the most essential parts of a literary work and its characters. They reflect the level of development of the society described by the author, its fundamental values, and norms. However, morality often encounters honor, which is vital in building society and relationships. Its preservation is imperative for many individuals to maintain an image and a respectful attitude. In the work Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez, the theme of honor killing is used to gain an understanding of the place honor has in the society represented, how it affects their motivation, and how it can have more power than other principles, such as murder and violence.
Similar Themes in Other Works of Literature
Euripides’ Medea
The theme of honor killing is widely used in many literary works. Since the beginning of ancient times, authors have been trying to explore the intriguing and profound theme of honor and what people are willing to do for its preservation. An example of one of these ancient works is Medea by Euripides.
In this work, the main character, Medea, decides on a callous and terrible act, the murder of her children, to preserve her own honor. She did not care that she was committing this cruelest act since she hated her children and only wanted to restore her reputation (Özyön 79). In addition, Medea wanted revenge after her husband decided to marry a more profitable party (Euripides 84). Thus, Euripides explores how the desire to preserve honor and avoid the condemnation and ridicule of society can lead to the loss of any moral principles. This kind of motif is one of the leading ones in the topic of honor killings and is one of the most pertinent in literary works.
Shafak’s Honor
Another striking characteristic of the theme of honor killing, which manifests itself both in literary works and in real life, is the commission of violence to preserve the honor of women in many communities. The novel Honor by Elif Shafak provides valuable insight into this problem in Turkish society. In her work, the author talks about cultural values and traditions in honor and shame-based communities and how these aspects become the primary motivation for committing honor-based violence.
Disgrace and discrimination against women in society, as described by the author, show how an immoral and harsh attitude towards wives, mothers, and daughters leads to terrible consequences. In one of the stories, Pembe, a Kurdish woman, leaves her abusive husband and marries another man. Wanting to avoid condemnation and loss of honor, her family decides to kill her (Shafak 5). Therefore, the author shows how cultural values prevail over family relations and the motive of avoiding societal condemnation.
Literature Research on Honor Killing in Márquez’s Novella
When researching the topic of honor killing, it is also essential to refer to the research literature. It is noted that there is a relatively large amount of work on this topic, but they do not present a one-sided picture regarding this phenomenon. Barmaki states that “honor killing is fueled by the emotional need to protect one’s honor, which allows the perpetrator to prove his/her allegiance to a key communal value and (therefore) averts the community’s punitive measures” (12). The author confirms that the main motives for committing these criminal acts and alienating moral values become the desire to avoid condemnation, cultivate the act of punishment, and the critical role of the social context.
Plot Summary
In Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez, the topic of honor killing is the main focus. It is reflected in the narrative of the Vicario family, whose daughter married Bayardo San Roman while still innocent. Upon discovering the knowledge data, the girl’s husband returns it to her family, which terrifies her relatives because of the fear of shame and dishonor.
The bride’s brothers find out that this act was committed by a man named Santiago Nasa and decide to kill him because of the suffering and hardships he caused to their family (Márquez 28). They talk about their intentions for the whole city, but almost none of the residents pay enough attention to the seriousness of the brothers’ claims, as “their reputation as good people was so well-founded that no one paid any attention to them” (Márquez 31). Eventually, they kill Santiago Nasa right in front of his house, which causes critical consequences for them and their family.
Analysis
Conducting a study of fiction and scientific literature contributes to a better understanding of the main motives of honor killing in Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Barmaki’s work notes that “Honor’ is a key indicator of one’s social status (prestige) and is determined by the community to which one belongs, and females’ sexual ‘purity’ is central to males’ sense of ‘honor’” (5). Therefore, in the novella, it can be applied to the Vicario family, which was dishonored because of the act of Santiago Nasar.
Because of the unwillingness to face the consequences for the honor of the family, the brothers overstep all possible moral principles and kill the man. At the same time, this act is reflected in the injury to the family of criminals themselves, as they suffered “insomniac drowsiness” (Márquez 48). Therefore, the brothers ended up in prison and were deprived of physical and psychological well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez examines the topic of honor killing and its major motives, and how it can negatively affect those on whom it is committed and those who commit it. Moreover, the author pays special attention to cultural values and social context as the primary motivation for the perfection of this cruel act. The study of literary and scientific works provided a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under discussion.
Works Cited
Barmaki, Reza. “Sex, Honor, Murder: A Psychology of ‘Honor Killing’.” Deviant Behavior, vol. 42, no. 4, 2021, pp. 473-491.
Euripides. Medea. University of California Press, 2019.
Márquez, Gabriel García. Chronicle of a Death Foretold. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2014.
Özyön, Arzu. “The Revival of the Ambivalent Mother Figure in Euripidean Medea: Güngör Dilmen’s Kurban and Yüksel Pazarkaya’s Mediha.” Agathos, vol. 14, no. 1, 2023, 75-98.
Shafak, Elif. Honor. Penguin Books, 2020.