Doña Barbara A Novel
Doña Barbara A Novel by Rómulo Gallegos, published by University of Chicago Press on May 3, 2012, is a translation reprint of a significant work in Venezuelan literature. This 440-page novel, originally published in 1929, explores the epic struggle between two cousins over an estate in Venezuela, delving into themes of conflict between urban and rural life, as well as the dynamics of power and gender. The narrative centers on Doña Barbara, a captivating and enigmatic woman with a rumored connection to witchcraft, who exerts a formidable influence over men.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of characters and settings, as Gallegos vividly portrays the Venezuelan prairie, populated by ranchers, cowboys, and other figures of rural life. The story unfolds as Santos Luzardo returns to reclaim his land, leading to a complex interplay of violence and seduction with Doña Barbara. This novel is noted for its early use of magical realism, laying the groundwork for future literary movements. With its blend of fantasy, adventure, and romance, Doña Barbara remains a pivotal work in the canon of literary classics.
Official synopsis Publisher
Rómulo Gallegos is best known for being Venezuela’s first democratically elected president. But in his native land he is equally famous as a writer responsible for one of Venezuela’s literary treasures, the novel Doña Barbara. Published in 1929 and all but forgotten by Anglophone readers, Doña Barbara is one of the first examples of magical realism, laying the groundwork for later authors such as Gabriel García Márquez and Mario Vargas Llosa.
Following the epic struggle between two cousins for an estate in Venezuela, Doña Barbara is an examination of the conflict between town and country, violence and intellect, male and female. Doña Barbara is a beautiful and mysterious woman—rumored to be a witch—with a ferocious power over men. When her cousin Santos Luzardo returns to the plains in order to reclaim his land and cattle, he reluctantly faces off against Doña Barbara, and their battle becomes simultaneously one of violence and seduction. All of the action is set against the stunning backdrop of the Venezuelan prairie, described in loving detail. Gallegos’s plains are filled with dangerous ranchers, intrepid cowboys, and damsels in distress, all broadly and vividly drawn. A masterful novel with an important role in the inception of magical realism, Doña Barbara is a suspenseful tale that blends fantasy, adventure, and romance.
Hailed as “the Bovary of the llano” by Larry McMurtry in his new foreword to this book, Doña Barbarais a magnetic and memorable heroine, who has inspired numerous adaptations on the big and small screens, including a recent television show that aired on Telemundo.
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