Florentino Ariza in the search of his love song

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1 Florentino Ariza in the search of his love song Love? Who does not have an opinion about it, either negative or positive we are all aware of it. Anywhere around the world, we are surrounded by this topic, feeling, attitude, as you want to define it. But, who is qualified to judge what is love or what is not? Which actions belong to a loving person? Would you wait 51 years, 9 months and 4 days until your beloved is free? This is why in this essay we will be analysing the controversial behaviour of the protagonist and antagonist called, Florentino Ariza in the novel Love in Time of Cholera by the Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez. The metaphor of love will be explored from three different perspectives in order to let the reader come with their own opinion towards Ariza s singular conduct. We will be looking it from the point of view of Cynicism, a Greek philosophy that its main attitude towards human being is individual freedom (Dudley, 1937). The other viewpoint is from the good doctor, the most famous psychologist of the twentieth century Sigmund Freud trying to explain in a scientific way using his theories of personality, sexuality and others (Freud, 2006). And finally from the Greek God of Love, Eros or occasionally referred as Cupid by the Roman writers that is related to sexual desire and love between couples (Marcuse, 1956). These three different lenses will be described, analysed and situated along this essay giving examples and related facts to understand Florentino Ariza s metaphor of love for his beloved. Love is my disease by Alicia Keys Society s needs have been evolving every year, areas such as politics; economics, science, technology and many others are present strongly in our lives. New generations are practically born with mobile phones, this world is becoming more competitive between each other and no one can stop it. But as Stephens (1995) said. What if human s goal in life [would be] living in agreement with nature? Would it be possible now a day throwaway all established desires such as power, wealth, authority, sex and recognition? In the Ancient Greek, The Cynics, meaning dog-like according to Dudley,! 2

2 Ronald. R (1937, p5) There are four reasons why the Cynics are so named. First because of the indifference of their way of life, for they make a cult of indifference and, like dogs, eat and make love in public, go barefoot, and sleep in tubs and at crossroads. The second reason is that the dog is a shameless animal, and they make a cult of shamelessness, not as being beneath modesty, but as superior to it. The third reason is that the dog is a good guard, and they guard the tenets of their philosophy. The fourth reason is that the dog is a discriminating animal which can distinguish between its friends and enemies The Cynics ideas were to feel good with themselves, relating their lives with nature, living in peace and as a result happiness will come. On the other hand, we have Florentino Ariza a man that his life spins around other person, his beloved Fermina Daza even though she is married and do not love him. Ariza does not fear death. " Don't force me to shoot you," he said. But his voice did not tremble because he felt himself illuminated by the Holy Spirit. "Shoot me," he said, with his hand on his chest. "There is no greater glory than to die for love." García Márquez, G. (1988, p82) Florentino is less than 25 years old and he is blind and obsessed, he does not even know himself and he wants to get Fermina. His lack of believing in nature and in freedom brought him sufferings. If he would had controlled his emotions and use reason, for example be gone for some years living by himself away from everyone in nature, his life would have change drastically. Nature gives you peace, helps you to find your inner soul and appreciate where you come from, but Florentino made bad decisions and was never characterized by reasoning, self sufficiency and freedom Piering Julie (1995) as the Cynics were. He spent his life miserable and being dependent to Fermina, even though she did not care at all about him. She knew that he loved her above all else, more than anyone else in the world García Márquez (1988, p221). When Florentino Ariza learned that Fermina Daza was going to marry a physician with family and fortune, educated in Europe and with an extraordinary reputation...there was no power on earth that could raise him from his prostration he had lost his speech and his appetite spending nights in constant weeping García Márquez (1988, p137). How could someone get used to suffer for years? Ariza in his pain decided to become powerful so Fermina can love him, again as we can see The Cynics! 3

3 ethos of avoiding power and material stuff would have helped him to get over be in peace. These reasons show the mind of this character, as he does not care about himself and his life, he does not enjoy life or happiness; he lives in anxieties, stress, diseases and neglects the most important real health, the soul one. As Diogenes (1925) would question, living, founded in Julie Piering Cynics (1995) Why then live, if you do not care to live well? Florentino was trapped in his own misery for years and tried to replaced his lack of reasoning, self sufficiency and freedom with adultery even though he promised only his perfect fidelity and his everlasting love. García Márquez (1988, p61), but his vows made him become a sex addict, as well as his misbeliefs become dangerous without taking into consideration the feelings of the other woman, the fact they might suffer social censure and even violent accusations. What's Love Got to Do With it? by Tina Turner Who better than Sigmund Freud to analyse Ariza s love? He has developed the method of psychoanalysis and wrote theories on sexuality, personality, hysteria and many others. According to Cherry (2014) he was one of the most significant and controversial thinkers of the twentieth century. In the study of love, May. S (2011 p.200) cites Freud suggests that all love is the expression of sexual energy that desires release and pleasure. Florentino was not thinking literally about sex when he met Fermina, but his passion was expressed in another way at the beginnings, his objective was just to declare his love hoping she will love him back and the best way was by writing letters to her, it is odd how he refers to the letter by saying Get it It s a matter of life and death García Márquez (1988, p60) we can see the extreme anxiety, and obsession of Florentino, a totally exaggerated situation by saying someone could die, indirectly him. Florentino idolizes and calls Fermina "crowned goddess García Márquez (1988, p102) she is an ethereal creature, a heavenly angel not of this earth, a woman well beyond his humble realm (SparkNotes Editors). His powerful feeling of love drove him hysterical, creating mental and physical emotions he began to wait for the answer to! 4

4 his first letter, his anguish was complicated by diarrhea and green vomit, he became disoriented and suffered from sudden fainting spells. García Márquez (1988, p61). It is not typical that a man generates his own disease just because he is waiting for a reply. The book of Freud and Breuer (1974) Studies on hysteria explores how strong we can control our minds and make ourselves believe we are dying, the mind is in charge of controlling the rest of the body, thus creating physical reactions. This behaviour made his mother believe that his symptoms of love were the same as those of cholera García Márquez (1988, p62) she was obviously worried and scared he might die that is why she called the doctor to examine her son and his examination revealed that he had no fever, no pain anywhere, and that his only concrete feeling was an urgent desire to die. García Márquez (1988, p62) We can see the clear symptoms of a hysterical person, as he can not control his emotions, his brain, is not aware of reality and creates fake diseases. The book of Susan Sontag (1979 p.58) Illness as a metaphor explores how the character in this case Florentino Ariza can represent a disease by his pain for loving, every illness can be considered psychologically. Illness is interpreted as, basically a psychological event, and people are encouraged to believe that they get sick because they (unconsciously) want to, and they can cure themselves by the mobilization of will Moreover, the rejection of Fermina and the fact that she got married and formed a family with a doctor, well born and sharp dresser, makes Florentino agonize. Nevertheless, he decides at the beginning not to lose his virginity unless it was for love García Márquez (1988, p63) he is a committed character but completely lost in reality, Fermina moved on and he was still in the same loop. His actions started changing with the years, he discovered sexual intercourse and this was the solution for his pain. He became a sex addict and ended up sleeping with more than six hundred women, which is outrageously alarming. In the study of Freud s work in the book The psychology of love, subtitled The Sexual Drive in Neurotics we found relevant material that gives a scientific explanation of Ariza s behaviour. involved in hysteria: the overwhelming formation of the sexual drive consisting of an excessive sexual need and an exaggerated aversion to sex Freud (2006 p )! 5

5 All his apparently harmless sexual actions ended up causing sufferings and death to many of these women. In addition, we can question his ethical behaviours as he had sex with a married woman and the result was her being punished by her husband by cutting her throat. Sleeping with a fourteen-yearold girl when his duty was to protect her culminating with the girl s suicide and him denying all responsibility. Emphasizing Freud s idea in May. S (2007 p.210) Since love s possessive ambition cannot be perfectly or finally fulfilled, anger and destruction are always latent in its desiring. Indeed the more powerful the love, the greater its potential for fury We can clearly see Florentino s twisted mind and actions that dragged him in this dark side of life. Love is the Drug! by Roxy Music Love is personified as Cupid by the symbol of a boy with his arrow, which makes you fall in love as soon as its pierce your heart. The Greek God of love, Eros or Cupid believe in love as a pure feeling that brings order and harmony. Florentino Ariza is an extremely passionate character that his life spins around the love for Fermina, he is under the spell of her and Eros is the responsible for this. The way he fall in loves was when he first saw her, Love at first sight. In European literature poets such as Griffin (no date) described how eyes are such a powerful connection, love originates upon the eyes of the lady when encountered by those of her future lover. The love thus generated is conveyed on bright beams of light from her eyes to his, through which it passes to take up its abode in his heart The first time that Fermina and Florentino made eye contact was so powerful for both of them, that they remained in their memory forever. Florentino describes this moment as something magical and perfect she seemed so beautiful, so seductive, so different from ordinary people, that he could not understand why no one was as disturbed as he why no one else's heart was wild with the breeze stirred by the sighs of her veils, why everyone did not go mad with the movements of her braid, the flight of her hands, the gold of her laughter. He had not missed a single one of her gestures, not one of the indications of her character, but he did not dare approach her for fear of destroying the spell García Márquez! 6

6 (1988, p100). We should all feel inspired with this amazing description and powerful idolization of love, who would not want to be described as Fermina was. Love inspired Florentino in many ways, he helped to write love letters for many people, he was so good at it and recognized that everyone believed in his writing love skills. The secret was that while he was writing them he was always thinking about his beloved, this action of true love is what it helped the couples get together, form a family and they were really grateful for sharing his love with them. He did well to other people just because he was in love and truly passionate. His persistent and eternal love inspired, not only strangers but also his own mother she could not remember even having known anyone in such a state of unbridled passion García Márquez (1988, p69). Eros gave Florentino a unique special set of skills such as perseverance, determination, pure loveliness that made him strong along his life. The Chinese ancient philosopher Lao-Tzu (1999) expressed Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses." Florentino this keen character waited for 51 years, 9 months and 4 days until Fermina was free I have waited for this opportunity for more than half century, to repeat to you once again my vow of eternal fidelity and everlasting love García Márquez (1988, p50) Who is capable to wait almost all your life until you can feel real love? This is admirable as he did not gave up on her and could not live with the idea to be married with other woman, he did not had children and a family. He believed in himself and he knew it was real love what he felt for Fermina, he stayed next to her even though it was by mind, heart and soul for all those years. Every real sacrifice is rewarded, so almost at the end of their story, when they were old he dared to explore her withered neck with his fingerprints her hips with their decaying bones, her thighs with their aging veins. She accepted with pleasure it was the first time she made love in over twenty years García Márquez (1988, p339). Florentino becomes the happiest man in the world as he is fulfilled with love. they were not apart for a moment in the days that followed They were satisfied with the simple joy of being together García Márquez (1988, p341). Florentino is ready to die in the name of love, as well as Fermina, she! 7

7 discovers how love felt at her age and wonders how her life would have been next to the man that unconditionally always loved her. To conclude, love has different meanings within this character, we have analysed the behaviour of Florentino Ariza from three different points of view in order to help the reader create its own opinion about Ariza s behaviour. The Cynics criticised him, as he never experienced his own freedom and nature that could have helped him to live in peace along his life. Sigmund Freud relates topics such as sexuality, hysteria and pleasure to understand his behaviour and give a scientific approach without judging him, just explaining. And finally the God of Love Eros which fully supports Florentino s true passion to just love the right woman and wait as long as it takes to be eternally happy. Bibliography Books Freud, Sigmund. (2006) The Psychology of Love. England, London: Penguin Books Ltd, García Márquez, Gabriel. (1988) Love in the Time of Cholera. New York: Penguin Books Marcuse, Herbert. (1957) Eros and civilization, a philosophical inquiry into freud. Oxon: Routledge May, Simon (2011) LOVE A HISTORY. England, Cornwall: Yale University Press Publications Freud, S and Breuer, J (1974) Studies on hysteria. England: Pelican Books Sontag, Susan (1991) Illness as a metaphor aids and its metaphors. England, London: Penguin Books Freud, Sigmund (1979) On psychopathology England, London: Penguin Books! 8

8 Freud, Sigmund (1950) Beyond the Pleasure Principle London: The Hogarth Press LTD Websites Dudley, Ronald. R (1937) A History Of Cynicism. Universal Library [Online]. Available at: (Accessed: 14th March 2014) Stephens, William O. (1995) The Internet Encyclopedia of Philisophy, ISSN , Available at: (Accessed: 15 th March 2014) Piering Julie (1995) The Internet Encyclopedia of Philisophy, ISSN , Available at: (Accessed: 15 th March 2014) Cherry Kendra (2014) About.com Psychology Available at: (Accessed: 16th March 2014) SparkNotes Editors (no date). SparkNotes on Love in the Time of Cholera. Available at: (Accessed: 16th March 2014) Tzu Lao (1999) Thinkexist.com quotations Available at: (Accessed: 16th March 2014)! 9

Great Book Discussion Questions Love in the Time of Cholera

Great Book Discussion Questions Love in the Time of Cholera Love in the Time of Cholera traces the lives of several characters through the course of fifty years, and from the nineteenth century into the