This is the
story of Sierva María de Todos los Ángeles, a maiden of twelve who had the misfortune of getting bitten
by a rabid dog. Garcia Marquez describes her as being inspired from a legend
his grandmother had told him about. But he brings the character to life by
peppering her with attributes characteristic of his writings. Spoilers ahead, tread with care.
To understand
the circumstances of the protagonist, we are given a generous peek into the
lives of her parents. Her father Ygnacio, who was the Marquis of the small but
rich town of Casalduero is described as a romantic. He fell in love with the
enigmatic Dolce Olivia but was forbidden from marrying her because she was an
inmate of the loony house next door to him. He was then forced into marrying
the reputable Doña
Olalla who brought music into his hitherto dull life. Just when life was
looking up for him, Doña Olalla was struck down by a lightning bolt that not only killed her
but also his faith. Bernarda Cabrera then stormed into his life, the reaping of
their vicious lovemaking being the unfortunate Sierva María. Cast aside by parents who wanted nothing to
do with her, she was brought up by the many black slave-women of the house. The
formidable Dominga de Adviento took over her upbringing as well as the
overseeing of the house, for Bernarda had busily engaged herself in the trade of
slaves for flour and Ygnacio had submitted to reclusion.
Consequently,
Sierva María
grew up to be a mystical creature with habits that were deemed nothing short of
strange to a person of her color and birth. The rabid dog’s biting her, however,
brought her peculiarities to be diagnosed as demonic manifestations. She was
then subjected to a horde of treatments which only resulted in inflaming the
bite on her ankle. Her protestations were perceived as the work of the devil.
Misunderstood even by her father, who feared she was indeed infected with
something far worse than rabies, she was handed over to the Convent of Santa
Clara. The nuns there, especially the abbess Josefa Miranda, exaggerated her
actions, adding fuel to the fire of the rumours surrounding the girl.
Father Cayetano
Delaura then entered the scene as the Bishop’s choice for the exorcism of the
poor girl. The events took a turn however when Delaura ended up falling in love
with the accursed girl. The lovers engaged in a feverish romance, despite the
barriers in their path. Love, the worst of the demons known to man, tormented
their souls in parting as well as in unison. The only character who seemed to
have uderstood the lovers’ anguish was Abrenuncio, the incredible doctor. Over
the love of knowledge and books, Delaura and Abrenuncio bonded. Unfortunately,
neither of them could make those blinded by superstition see the cruelty
accorded to Sierva María. She succumbed to the exorcisms and the lovers remained parted
forevermore.
The most enchanting
attribute of Sierva María was her long hair. The hair on her head had been sworn off to the
gods by Dominga at the time of her premature birth with the umbilical cord
suffocating her. Her hair had thus grown to trail behind her by the age of
twelve. She was on the precipice of womanhood when Delaura had met her. And
subsequently she had bloomed at his touch. In trying to keep their faiths
undeterred, the lovers had refrained from indulging in the very act of sex
until the day of their wedding. Contrary to all their aspirations, that day
never arrived. But Delaura’s nightmares did turn to reality as Sierva María died in the very manner he had foreseen; a
tragic end true to Garcia Marquez’s style.
It is a passionate tale of love and hatred of
a girl who remained an enigma throughout ages. The author has once again
created an unforgettable character simply by adorning a folk legend with the
brush strokes of his artful imagination. The readers enjoy the exquisite
writing of Gabriel Garcia Marquez even as he fills their hearts with lugubrious
tales of love.
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