As I mentioned last week, I got to see my first bullfight! :D We were in Sevilla and found out about it, so we managed to get our bus ticket changed so that we could come back late Sunday night and stay to see it. We really lucked out that they let us change our ticket. We also got really lucky with our tickets themselves. We paid 13€ (About $20 right now). The tickets on the sunny side (ours) are cheaper than those in the shade, because it can be a bit uncomfortable in the sun. However, it was a cloudy evening with a nice breeze, so we felt like we were as comfortable as they were. We also were only about five rows up from the arena, and had an excellent view. A lot of the context of the Carrera de Toros was the same as any sporting event in the States. People selling seat cushions (but I saved that 7€ and used a pair of jeans from my backpack), fans, souvenir posters and key chains, water, and snacks (mostly nuts) outside. There were also several people scalping tickets, and they even took our bottle caps as we entered just like a Football game in Athens. The tickets had row and seat number, corresponding to labeled gates just like Phillips Arena or any stadium. It was really cool to me that something surrounded by as much tradition and antiquity as the bullfight was also afforded modern conveniences and protocols. This is very true throughout Spain as tradition mixes with modernity. For instance, there is a spigot in the middle of the arena so that they can wet the sand right before the match, and then rebury the spigot. Now on to the actual event…
It begins with a small procession as all of the participants enter the stadium to be cheered, and to pay homage to the “important people.” By this I refer to one section of the balcony in which dignitaries sit, usually including the governor of the city or some other official, as well as officials within the Bullfighting industry. I’m skipping ahead, but this salute to the dignitaries is also repeated right before every kill. (Warning: about to get uncomfortable for the weak-stomached.) The bull is darted between the shoulders as it shoots out of the gate, so he basically doesn’t stand a chance. The Toreros or bullfighters, which the lady next to me thought were the matadors, then take turns getting the bull to charge, which tires him out. Eventually, the two Picadores come out on padded horses and thrust two spears into about the same area. This was the only part that made me cringe because, in the mean time, the bull looks like he is goring the horse, even though the horse remains unharmed. It’s just hard to know that for sure because the bull even leaves blood on the padding so I was genuinely concerned for the horse. Later the Banderilleros come out and stab the bull with six colorful dart looking things in total, two at a time (picture a gladiator move with a really cool jump). Finally the matador comes out. It’s very strange because, to me, the matador has the least dangerous job. By this point the bull is moving much slower than before and is very worn out. However, this is the most honorable job and (supposedly) requires the most talent. After getting the bull to charge a few times and a lot of pontification on the matador’s part, he finally raises his sword. When the bull charges, the matador plunges the sword directly between the shoulder blades into the heart. In grand total, each bull takes about 25 minutes to kill and there are three bulls, each killed by a different matador.
Of interest: The bulls get progressively larger and more energetic. On the second bull, the banderilleros missed a few times, and the final matador was a girl. She did a great job until the end. For some reason, when she went for the sword plunge it either went in at a bad angle or not far enough or something, because she had to try to do it again. However, at this point (I think she had waited too long, and that’s why the first messed up as well.) The bull could not charge fast enough for her to get the sword in, and she had to kill it by spearing it in the head or something-this was the only part that bothered me. The goal of the matador, once it gets to that point, is to give a swift blow at the end so that the bull dies relatively quickly. This was not the case on this bull.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed it. I did feel pity for the bulls, but I have to respect the fact that each bull got to die in glorious combat rather than in a dingy slaughter house. They are also eaten afterward, and often donated to charity. PETA would not approve, but the whole thing, overall, is done in fairly good taste I think. I look forward to my next one. That’s where I stand at the moment, but I am very curious. As a little experiment, I want to pose the question to you. How do you feel regarding the ethics of the bullfight? Do you see it as a disgustingly violent murder, a tragedy? Or do you see it as a time-honored tradition? I have posted a couple of pictures, but feel free to Google for more info/pics. The teacher in me thinks this is a cool opportunity to have a bit of a forum and some conversation about it. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!
