The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman
Encyclopedia
The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman is a novel by Louis de Bernières
, first published in 1992. It is the last of his Latin American trilogy, following on from The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
and Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord
.
in the 1970s and other dirty wars of the 1960s to 1980s in Southern and Central America. The main action of the story takes place in the small town of Cochadebajo de los Gatos, where the characters of the previous books have settled. As in the previous two books, affectionate character portraits of the townsfolk make up a large part of the novel. Other parts of the novel take place in the capital city of the fictional nation, in the clubs of the corrupt military commanders, and the palace of the distracted, amoral president.
Although the name of the country of the trilogy is never directly disclosed, several reasons cause it to most resemble that of Colombia
. De Bernieres' experiences from spending time living in Colombia will probably have influenced its setting. Geographically, references are made to the country's equatorial climate, its northern coastline on the Caribbean
, western coastline on the Pacific Ocean
and the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Margarita, which is similar to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
. The Colombian town of Valledupar
, in the Cesar Department
, and Medellín
are commonly mentioned, and the fictional town of Chiriguana bears the same name as the Colombian Chiriguana
. In the second novel, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord, the notorious Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar
is a central character. The book sarcastically describes the 'democratic' politics of the country as the result of 'La Violencia', whereby two political parties jointly ruled on alternating administrations. There is a clear parallel between this and the National Front regime of Colombia, which followed on from La Violencia
and lasted from 1958 to 1974, in which the Liberal and Conservative parties governed jointly.
, the drug trade continues and the economy of the country spirals ever downward. Cardinal Guzman's clergy and the corrupt military of the country set out to destroy the heresy of the countryside, and, more specifically, Cochadebajo de los Gatos, home of Dionisio and many of the other characters. In so doing the hypocrisy of the Cardinal's faith with his own promiscuousness is revealed.
, in particular the comic awareness of life's transcendence which characterises the work of Gabriel García Márquez
. However, his political themes are clear and unambiguous.
Louis de Bernières
Louis de Bernières is a British novelist most famous for his fourth novel, Captain Corelli's Mandolin. In 1993 de Bernières was selected as one of the "20 Best of Young British Novelists", part of a promotion in Granta magazine...
, first published in 1992. It is the last of his Latin American trilogy, following on from The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts is a novel by Louis de Bernières, first published in 1990. It is the first of his Latin American trilogy. The other two parts are Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord and The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman.It is de Bernières' first published novel, but is...
and Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord
Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord
Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord is a novel by Louis de Bernières, first published in 1991. It is the second of his Latin American trilogy, following on from The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts and preceding The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman.- Setting :Set in an imagined Latin American...
.
Setting
Set in an imagined Latin American country the novel's political themes parody the worst excesses of the Pinochet government of Chile, the collapse of democratic social order in UruguayUruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
in the 1970s and other dirty wars of the 1960s to 1980s in Southern and Central America. The main action of the story takes place in the small town of Cochadebajo de los Gatos, where the characters of the previous books have settled. As in the previous two books, affectionate character portraits of the townsfolk make up a large part of the novel. Other parts of the novel take place in the capital city of the fictional nation, in the clubs of the corrupt military commanders, and the palace of the distracted, amoral president.
Although the name of the country of the trilogy is never directly disclosed, several reasons cause it to most resemble that of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. De Bernieres' experiences from spending time living in Colombia will probably have influenced its setting. Geographically, references are made to the country's equatorial climate, its northern coastline on the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, western coastline on the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and the mountain range of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Margarita, which is similar to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is an isolated mountain range apart from the Andes chain that runs through Colombia. Reaching an altitude of 5,700 metres above sea level just 42 km from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the world's highest coastal range...
. The Colombian town of Valledupar
Valledupar
Valledupar is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department and was founded in 1550 by the Spanish conquistador Hernando de Santana. Its name, Valle de Upar , was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; Cacique Upar...
, in the Cesar Department
Cesar Department
Cesar Department or simply Cesar is a department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to the west with the Department of Magdalena and Department of Bolivar, to the south with Department of Santander, to...
, and Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
are commonly mentioned, and the fictional town of Chiriguana bears the same name as the Colombian Chiriguana
Chiriguaná
-History:During the wars independence from Spain Chiriguana was part of the Province of Santa Marta. The people of the village of Chiriguana revolted against the local Spanish monarchical authorities...
. In the second novel, Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord, the notorious Colombian druglord Pablo Escobar
Pablo Escobar
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord. He was an elusive cocaine trafficker and rich and successful criminal. He owned numerous luxury residences, automobiles, and even airplanes...
is a central character. The book sarcastically describes the 'democratic' politics of the country as the result of 'La Violencia', whereby two political parties jointly ruled on alternating administrations. There is a clear parallel between this and the National Front regime of Colombia, which followed on from La Violencia
La Violencia
La Violencia is a period of civil conflict in the Colombian countryside between supporters of the Colombian Liberal Party and the Colombian Conservative Party, a conflict which took place roughly from 1948 to 1958 ....
and lasted from 1958 to 1974, in which the Liberal and Conservative parties governed jointly.
Plot
Cardinal Guzman lives extravagantly in the capital, and immorally, due to the discoveries of his having had a young son and his loathing of the poor shanty-dwellers who live below his palace. Despite the downfall of El Jerarca in Señor Vivo and the Coca LordSeñor Vivo and the Coca Lord
Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord is a novel by Louis de Bernières, first published in 1991. It is the second of his Latin American trilogy, following on from The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts and preceding The Troublesome Offspring of Cardinal Guzman.- Setting :Set in an imagined Latin American...
, the drug trade continues and the economy of the country spirals ever downward. Cardinal Guzman's clergy and the corrupt military of the country set out to destroy the heresy of the countryside, and, more specifically, Cochadebajo de los Gatos, home of Dionisio and many of the other characters. In so doing the hypocrisy of the Cardinal's faith with his own promiscuousness is revealed.
Style
De Bernières pays obvious homage to Latin American magic realismMagic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
, in particular the comic awareness of life's transcendence which characterises the work of Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez is a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo throughout Latin America. He is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in...
. However, his political themes are clear and unambiguous.