The Bullfight—A Fiesta in Spain
By “Awake!” correspondent in Spain
HANGING on walls of numerous homes throughout the world are pictures displaying the skill of a bullfighter. Bullfighting is a fascination to people everywhere. But most, people have never actually seen a bullfight. What is it like? Let us take you on a visit to a bullring in Barcelona, Spain—the Plaza de Toros Monumental.
As you approach you note an atmosphere of excitement and tension. People are milling about the entrance of the Moorish-style, open-roofed structure. Individuals are paying for tickets in notes of 500 and 1,000 pesetas ($9 and $18). But, regardless of the price, there is a good crowd.
As you enter the plaza, you see that high up in the stands, to the left, a band of musicians has struck up a paso doble, the music that is always associated with the bullring. Over to the right and also high up is the box for the presidente, usually a local dignitary who presides over the fight and awards prizes. There is also a section marked toriles, where six pedigree bulls are waiting; they have been prepared and trained for at least four years. On this occasion each bull weighed in at 500 kilos (1,100 lbs.).
Down to the left await three toreros (matadors) with their respective cuadrillas, or troupes of assistants, some mounted and others on foot. Before the day is over, these three matadors will handle all six bulls, two apiece.
“La Corrida de Toros” (The Bullfight) Begins
The arena is cleared except for the senior of the three toreros. The bullpen is opened and out storms a magnificent black bull. This half ton of rippling muscle trots around the ring with his head held high, as if daring anyone to come down and face him. He does not have to wait long. As the torero looks on, his assistants start to test out the bull with their capes.
Now the torero takes the center of the ring, making some initial passes with the capote, or large cape, swinging slowly away from the bull as it charges in. If the torero feels especially confident, he may do his cape work in a kneeling position, causing the bull to pass through the swirling flourish of the cape several times. The crowd responds with a full-throated cry of approval: “¡Ole! . . . ¡Ole!” But now a bugle sounds.
This marks the end of the cape work and the beginning of the varas, or the performance by the picador on horseback. With lance in hand the picador chooses a position on the outside edge of the arena to lure the bull into attacking him. The bull suddenly sees this much bigger target. He hurls himself forward to strike at the horse’s right flank. As the bull digs his horns into the protective armor of the blindfolded horse, both horse and rider are forced back by the impact. The horse struggles to retain balance and, at the same time, the picador drives his lance into the bull’s shoulder and bears down with all his weight, severing some of the bull’s muscles and tendons, causing the mighty animal to carry his head lower, which is necessary for the torero’s later work with the muleta (a smaller cloth). The bull retreats momentarily and then attacks again, only to feel the lance penetrate his shoulders once more, sapping further strength and speed.
It is now time for the banderilleros to go into action. Their role is to plant in the shoulders of the bull 30-inch-long staves with sharp harpoon-like barbs, called banderillas. From a distance of 20 or 30 yards the banderillero attracts the bull’s attention by shouting. He then runs toward the bull with a banderilla in each hand. At the crucial moment he rises up on his toes and, with arms extended, plunges the barbed staves into the bull. This procedure may be repeated up to four times and can also be done on horseback.
By now the bull has lost much of his strength. Blood is pouring out of his shoulder wounds and is streaming down his body. His whole body heaves with great effort and exertion. The bugle sounds again, introducing the part of the bullfight in which the animal meets his death.
Moving In for the Kill
Before moving in for the kill, the torero may raise his bullfighter’s hat and dedicate the bull to someone in the audience, perhaps a prominent person, or even to the public in general. Then he advances toward the animal with his muleta, or small baiting cloth, spread out. He uses this to provoke the bull to attack. The bull, although exhausted, accepts the challenge and charges; but not because the cloth is red (cattle are color blind). He is attracted by the movement of the cloth.
The torero makes the bull go through several passes, each time trying to bring him closer, though carefully watching those dangerous horns. One pass is so close that the bullfighter almost loses his balance. When he turns around to face the bull once more, his suit is smeared with blood from the bull.
The torero now readies himself for the kill with the estoque, or special execution sword. Bull and matador face each other for the last time. The one, spent and bleeding, breathing heavily, and with six barbed staves hanging from its shoulders. The other, feet together, sword poised, intent.
To kill cleanly and according to the rules, the sword should go down between the shoulder blades as far as the hilt the first time, severing an artery or a vital organ. But this seldom happens on the first try. On this occasion it takes two attempts. When finally accomplished the bull just stands there for a few moments, tongue lolling, saliva and blood pouring from its mouth. Then it keels over, dead. Just to make sure, an assistant comes over and, with a special dagger, cuts the spinal cord just behind the horns.
After the Kill
It is now time for the crowd to express its opinion. This can vary from complete silence (indicating disapproval), to whistles, applause and waving of handkerchiefs. While this goes on, a group of horses drags away the carcass. The whole affair, from the moment the bull first appeared, has taken about fifteen minutes.
The presidente now decides whether a trophy will be awarded. If the torero has done a commendable job, he may receive one of the bull’s ears. If he displayed special grace and skill, he may get both ears. A superb performance will bring the supreme award—both ears and the tail, as well as glory, fame and, possibly, higher pay in future fights.
Bullfighting Through the Centuries
Bullfighting has been developing for thousands of years, especially in Spain. A reason for this is that the Spanish breed of bull possesses the special qualities necessary for this activity. Financial support of bullfighting in Spain has been greatly enhanced during the last fifteen years by the tourist boom that now brings some thirty million people to Spain annually. Most tourists attend a bullfight, for they think it is a typical Spanish experience. This, however, is far from the truth. Although bullfighting is considered Spain’s fiesta nacional (national fiesta), most Spaniards do not attend bullfights and have little interest in them. But as long as there are enough people willing to pay, there will be toreros willing to fight and breeders willing to produce more bulls. But how does bullfighting affect those who watch it?
Effect upon People
Reactions to bullfighting are varied. Some consider it repulsive, while others become fascinated by it. The aficionado (fan), for example, is not at all troubled by the death of the bull. He is more interested in the art, the grace and the skill of the torero in using the cape and the muleta. But, while much is said of the art and grace of the torero, even modern-day apologists for bullfighting acknowledge the cruelty to the animal. One encyclopedia, for instance, while claiming that bullfights have gradually changed through the years, “losing a great part of their harshness,” admits that they are “still cruel in certain details.”—Italics ours.
Another matter to consider is the deliberate risk to his own life that the torero takes in order to please the public. The Encyclopædia Britannica explains:
“The crowd does not actually wish to see a man killed, but the possibility of death and the man’s disdain and skillful avoidance of injury thrills a crowd. The audience is not interested in simply seeing a man go into an arena, kill an animal in the safest manner and emerge unscathed; they want to see skill, grace and daring. Therefore a corrida is not really a struggle between a man and a bull but rather between a man and himself: how close will he dare to let the horns come, how far will he go to please the crowd?”
Interestingly, Portuguese bullfighting (which does not allow for the bull to be killed) is not as popular with the paying public.
As might be expected, not all fights finish in favor of the torero. The Encyclopædia Britannica explains: “Virtually every matador is gored at least once a season in varying degrees of severity. Belmonte (one of the most famous bullfighters of the 1920’s) was gored more than 50 times. Of the approximately 125 major matadors (since 1700), 42 have been killed in the ring; this does not include the beginning matadors or the banderilleros or picadors who have been killed.” In spite of this, more than 3,000 bulls will be ritually killed in the Spanish bullrings during this season, and dozens of toreros will risk their lives several times a week.
The Catholic Church and Bullfighting
For years the Catholic Church banned bullfights. Pope Pius V (1566-1572) issued papal letters threatening bullfighters with excommunication and denial of Christian burial. Other popes supported this position until Clement VIII (1592-1605), who withdrew the previous excommunications, but, at the same time, stipulated that bullfights in Spain should not be held on holidays. Nevertheless, bullfights became the standard practice for celebrating religious events and festivals. Illustrating this are comments found in the Enciclopedia Universal Ilustrada:
“The transfers of the most holy sacrament (Santisimo Sacramento) from one altar to another were celebrated with bullfights; also that of relics and images of saints; the commemorations of patron saints of cities and towns; the building of churches; canonizations and many other religious festivals. More than 200 bulls, in some 30 bullfights, were blithely sacrificed to celebrate the canonization of saint Teresa de Jesús. Bulls were fought inside the Palencia Cathedral; the meat of the bulls killed in honor of the saints was kept as relics and to effect cures; the ecclesiastical chapters [body of clergy] organized and financed bullfights . . . In Tudela, on the morning of the bullfight a Capuchin monk was taken along to spellbind the bulls so that they would be fierce.”
Toreros are inclined to be religious; but, as some of them admit, it is in a superstitious way. One explained that each bullring has its own private chapel where the toreros can go to pray before they face the bulls. In fact, many of the toreros carry with them in their travels a kind of portable altar that can be set up in a hotel room for prayer before leaving for the plaza.
Is Bullfighting for Christians?
How should a Christian today view bullfighting? A number of questions present themselves in this connection. For example, if man has been made in God’s image, and God is love, can a person reflect that love while practicing cruelty to animals? (Gen. 1:26; 1 John 4:8) If a Christian has dedicated his life to God, is it reasonable to endanger that life by deliberately provoking a wild bull? Will such a practice go on in God’s new order when neither man nor animal will “do any harm or cause any ruin”?—Isa. 11:9.
What, therefore, about collecting or displaying pictures of bullfight and matadors in one’s home? Does it show a balanced outlook, a sound mind and good judgment to idolize men who disdain the gift of life and then make a living by a public exhibition of cruelty to animals? Another thing: How would having such pictures in one’s house affect fellow Christians? Or what if someone saw a fellow Christian attending a bullfight? These are serious questions for thinking Christians, for the apostle Paul wrote: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.”—1 Cor. 10:24.