Merce Rodoreda’s ‘This Time of the Doves,’ originally published in Catalan, is a novel that masterfully intertwines the personal and political turmoil of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, seen through the eyes of the protagonist, Natalia. The text captures the essence of human endurance, the intricacies of love, and the bittersweet taste of circumstantial freedom.
The title, at first glance, suggested a sense of tranquility, peace, and love, but as we delve deeper into the novel, it becomes clear that the narration is nothing but a serene fantasy tale. As deep as I got into the novel, it became more depressing for me too read it. The novel is a profound examination of human existence, set against a society crumbling under the weight of personal despair. Natalia, or “Colometa” or “little dove” by her overbearing husband Quimet, is our window into the Spanish Civil War. Her transformation from a carefree young woman to a burdened survivor fighting abusive relationships and war shows the tenacity of the human spirit. Natalia is deeply empathetic and tragically heroic, and Rodoreda guides the reader through her hardships with a delicate yet unrelenting grip. Rodoreda’s depictions of marriage, especially Natalia’s marriage to Quimet, make strong statements about how love and power work. The way their relationship went from a cute romance to a stifling trap is a metaphor for the main theme of the book, which is freedom versus being trapped. Natalia’s fight for independence and self-worth is paired with Quimet’s possessive and violent behavior to show how the novel criticizes patriarchal structures and the search for personal freedom.
Doves are a strong symbol of peace, freedom, and being held captive that appear over and over again in the book. Although doves are usually associated with peace and purity, in Rodoreda’s story, they represent Natalia’s life as a paradox: she is stuck in her life and longs for freedom that she can never seem to reach. Another way to understand this meaning is to look at the difference between the doves flying free and Natalia’s life, which is shackled by her marriage and the political and social changes happening around her.
In conclusion, The Time of the Doves is a deep look at strength, love, and how people can survive and change even when things are very hard. Rodoreda shows what it’s like to be human through Natalia’s life, creating a story that is both heartbreaking and beautiful. The book shows how strong people can be even when life is hard, and they keep looking for their own “time of doves,” or moment of peace, in the middle of the chaos.
How do you think the Spanish Civil War amplified the effects of patriarchy on Natalia’s life, particularly in her interactions with Quimet and her role within her family and society? how was the war’s chaos exacerbate existing patriarchal constraints and shape her path to resilience?
“the bittersweet taste of circumstantial freedom”
I’m not sure I understand this. What is “circumstantial freedom”?
“the narration is nothing but a serene fantasy tale.”
I don’t understand this, either. In what ways is this “serene”??
“Natalia is deeply empathetic and tragically heroic”
Similarly here. In what ways is Natalia empathetic? What do you mean by tragically heroic?
In general, I’d say that much of this post depends upon adjectives and adverbs (“circumstantial,” “deeply,” “tragically”) that are at best rather abstract, at worst unclear. You don’t really talk about any specific scenes or aspects of the novel. And I’m surprised that you don’t discuss the second half of the book at all! What about everything that happens after Quimet goes to war? Or after he dies? What about Natalia’s job? Her relationship with Antoni?
Hello, thank you for this blog post it touched on many thoughts I had while reading the book. To answer your question, I personally felt that the effect of patriarchy during the war could be seen best in how Natalia was treated due to her husband’s actions. when she was fired from her job the man she worked for said “We know your husband’s one of those rabble-rousers, and we’d rather not deal with people like that, you understand?” (119). She also briefly mentioned that she cant call the cops because of her husband’s involvement in the war. Quimet never asked her opinion before joining the militia, in fact, she was strongly against it, but she is still forced to reap the consequences of Quimet’s decisions as if they were her own.
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