and
Ernest Hemingway, 1959
Málaga, Spain. The book charts the rise of
Antonio Ordóñez (the son of
Cayetano Ordóñez, the bullfighter whose technique and ring exploits Hemingway fictionalized in his novel,
The Sun Also Rises) during a season of bullfights during 1959. During a fight on May 13, 1959, in
Aranjuez, Ordóñez is badly gored but remains in the ring and kills the bull, a performance rewarded by trophies of both the bull's ears, its tail, and a hoof. By contrast, Luis Miguel Dominguín is already famous as a bullfighter and returns to the ring after several years of retirement. Less naturally gifted than Ordóñez, his pride and self-confidence draw him into an intense rivalry with the newcomer, and the two meet in the ring several times during the season. Starting the season supremely confident, Dominguín is slowly humbled by this competition. While Ordóñez displays breathtaking skill and artistry in his fights, performing highly dangerous, classical passés, Dominguín often resorts to what Hemingway describes as "tricks", moves that look impressive to the crowd but that are actually much safer. Nevertheless, Dominguín is gored badly at a fight in
Valencia, and Ordóñez is gored shortly afterwards. Less than a month later, the two bullfighters meet in the ring again for what Hemingway described as "one of the greatest bullfights I have ever seen", "an almost perfect bullfight unmarred by any tricks." From the six bulls which they fight, the pair win ten ears, four tails and two hooves as trophies, an extraordinary feat. ==Footnotes==