What is the significance of bullfighting and bullfighters in “The Sun Also Rises?”

Answer

What is the significance of bullfighting and bullfighters in “The Sun Also Rises?” [NU: 2016, 21]

In “The Sun Also Rises” (1926) by Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961), bullfighting is a very important symbol. It is not just an event for fun. Bullfighting shows deep meanings about war, manliness, and relationships. The bullfights help us understand the feelings of the “lost generation”—people who felt lost after World War I.

Bullfighting as a Symbol of War and Lost Ideals: Before World War I, war was seen as a place to show courage, skill, and honor. But the horrors of World War I, heavy machine guns, and gas weapons destroyed these ideas. The characters no longer find bravery and honour in the real world. So, bullfighting reminds characters like Jake of bravery and honour. In bullfighting, the matador faces the bull bravely. This shows a clear and direct fight, which the characters no longer see in real life. At one point, Jake says,

“Under the wine I lost the disgusted feeling and was happy.”

Jake drinks too much to forget his pain, like many others who feel lost after the war. The bullring becomes a place where they can see a clear fight and the courage that they miss in their own lives.

Bullfighting as a Representation of Masculinity: The bullfight reminds the characters what true masculinity (manliness) is. After the war, many men, including Jake, feel weak and unsure about their masculinity. Jake became sexually disabled due to a war injury. He is very attracted to bullfights. He admires the matadors for their bravery and skill, which he feels he has lost. Jake says,

“Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters.”

This shows how Jake and others look up to bullfighters as examples of living life fully with courage. This is something they feel they cannot do themselves.

Pedro Romero as an Ideal Figure: Pedro Romero, the young bullfighter, is very important in the novel.