Added: 01/31/2006 |
Bullfighting suicide - a fight of death and lifeIt is not a new idea that bullfighting is a potential suicidal act that each matador performs almost weekly; many die, the others become heroes and legends of the entire nation. Some commit suicides if their gores do not allow them to fight any more or deprive them of life vitalities, such as making love and having children. The point is also that a matador is rarely able to stop fighting. For instance, famous retiring Salford bullfighter Frank Evans, having suffered from gores, still hopes to have an operation that will allow him to have one last fight, though the doctors say there is no chance any more.
Probably, you have watched bullfighting shows or read about them, but you do hardy know what happens before this bullfighting suicide. Usually, a bullfighting arena has a small chapel and nearly each matador kneels before the altar to humbly pray for the courage and safety. During the fight, a matador maintains a balance between suicide and mere survival. The real contest is not between ?a matador and a bull; it is a matador?s internal struggle?.
If anything goes wrong, a bullfighting suicide is inevitable. Generally, bullfighting is subdivided into three stages, and the last one is, when a matador should kill the bull with his sword right into the heart. If he does it properly, they bull can die immediately. However, it rarely occurs and a matador finds himself in a very dangerous situation that requires some training, true courage and self-discipline, called in bullfighting ?the moment of truth?. The ?moment of truth? shows, who is an actual winner of the fight and this is the moment, when an injured and wild animal has more chances to kill a matador. A matador should have a clear mind and a second-to-none reaction, as well as decisive tactics to trick a tortured animal out. An alcohol or any drug consumption is absolutely excluded from the matador?s ?menu?, while emotions, troubles or a depression can lead him to a bullfighting suicide.
This is masterfully shown in world-famous and incredible Rudolph Valentino?s movie ?Blood and Sand?. A peasant boy Juan, married to a modest girl, becomes the most famous matador throughout Spain. Nevertheless, being tempted and then deceived by a vamp, Nita Naldi, he starts drinking in despair. As a result, looses control over one of his fights and is gored by the bull.
What makes a young man choose bullfighting suicide as his life path? Supposedly, matadors are very strong and self-controlled people, both mentally and physically, like samurai in their days were always ready to commit a suicide in the case they are defeated. The major reasons are fame, finance and self-realization. Bullfighting has three thousand years of tradition, and once, it was a privilege of nobles only to participate in the spectacle. Poor young men became matadors to enter the higher layer of society and have their foot firm on that ground. In other cases, matadors are educated and trained from generations to generations to preserve a family tradition and position in the society and young men simply see the only way of being a matador and nothing else. Fame makes any ambitious man feel dizzy about his enormous success and recognition. Probably, there are more reasons, known only to matadors that they will never say aloud.
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