The Author, Gabriel García Márquez

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Synopsis of this Page:

Welcome to the complete Chronicle of a Death Foretold research site. I started this site in May 2000 as a final research project for my English AP class at Cherry Hill West High School. This page is designed to aid both the student and curious reader in fully understanding the work A Chronicle of a Death Foretold and its author. There is also a generous amount of links provided along with textual references. Hope you enjoy it!

The Importance of Chronicle of a Death Foretold:

Chronicle of a Death Foretold was written in 1982 by Gabriel García Márquez, a Latin American author already well known for his colorful style, known as magic realism . Although Chronicle is one of his later and lesser known works, it is still true to this distinct style. The same year the book was published, Márquez captured the nobel prize in literature for a previous work, One Hundred Years of Solitude. Historically speaking, Chronicle and Márquez' other novels are all part of a wave of Latin American and Hispanic literature that emerged in the 1960s. Gabriel García Márquez (also known as Gabo) was an important force in putting Hispanic literature on the map.

Like many of his previous novels and stories, Chronicle is set in a small South American town where everyone knows everyone else's business. The action is set in motion by the arrival of Bayardo San Román, a mysterious figure who sets his eye on Angela Vicaro, a young girl long tucked away behind her two older sisters. The progression of events leading up to their marriage eventually leads to the death of Santiago Nasar in a murder so badly planned, so obvious to everyone in town, that it is that much more of a mystery. From the beginning, the author reveals quite a few things about the murder, including who will be murdered and the two perpetrators, Angela's brothers. Therefore, the reader is free to draw his own conclusions about the murder as a more moral mystery begins to develop. The novel thoroughly explores the causes of the murder by first mentioning the imminent death of Santiago, describing the events leading up to the murder, and finally returning to the murder scene. This format raises several important questions. What is Márquez trying to say about the unwritten laws in this society? Are the acts of the Vicaro brothers justified? To learn more and view a full synopsis and character listing, visit the Study Guide that accompanies this page.

Listing of Pages in this Site:

Quick and Easy Chronicle Study Guide

Márquez Biography and Links

Related Works

Helpful Links and Books

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