Death in the Afternoon

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Death in the Afternoon is a non-fiction book by Ernest Hemingway about the ceremony and traditions of Spanish bullfighting. It was originally published in 1932. The book provides a look at the history and magnificence of bullfighting, while also being a deeper contemplation on the nature of fear and courage.

Any discussion concerning bullfighting would be incomplete without some mention of the controversy surrounding it. Toward that end Hemingway commented, "anything capable of arousing passion in its favor will surely raise as much passion against it."

Hemingway was not as knowledgeable about bullfighting as he liked to make out and his opinion of some of the leading matadors is questionable. The great Domingo Ortega is given a very negative notice, as is the brilliant gipsy Cagancho. Later, Hemingway was to arouse controversy in Spain by his dismissal of Manolete (who he never saw fight).

Beyond the controversy surrounding bullfighting it is also important to realize that as with any performance or form of art, the quality of it may vary considerably. "The chances are that the first bullfight any spectator attends may not be a good one artistically; for that to happen there must be good bullfighters and good bulls; artistic bullfighters and poor bulls do not make interesting fights, for the bullfighter who has ability to do extraordinary things with the bull which are capable of producing the intensest degree of emotion in the spectator will not attempt them with a bull which he cannot depend on to charge..."