The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Analysis of Setting
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse refers to a symbolic representation of the catastrophic forces that presage the end of the world, traditionally associated with biblical predictions. In the context of the analysis of its setting, the narrative unfolds primarily in Paris, Berlin, and Lourdes during the tumultuous period leading up to World War I. In Paris, the affluent Desnoyers family embodies a lifestyle of decadence, oblivious to the looming threat of war, while their son Julio seeks independence in a bohemian existence filled with revelry. Contrastingly, Berlin’s atmosphere is charged with nationalistic fervor, as residents embrace the prospect of conflict and militarism. Lourdes serves as a poignant backdrop where the harsh realities of war become apparent; after the German invasion, Don Marcelo confronts the devastation inflicted upon his property and community, marking a turning point in his understanding of the war’s impact. This analysis explores how these diverse settings reflect the broader themes of societal complacency, impending doom, and the stark contrast in attitudes toward war, ultimately drawing parallels with the biblical allegories of the four horsemen: Plague, War, Famine, and Death.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Analysis of Setting
First published:Los cuatro jinetes del Apocalipsis, 1916 (English translation, 1918)
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Historical
Time of work: Early twentieth century
Asterisk denotes entries on real places.
Places Discussed
*Paris
*Paris. Capital of France in which the members of the Desnoyers family settle after vacating their inherited fortune from the late gaucho grandfather. Don Marcelo and his family establish their residence in avenue Victor Hugo, a posh section for the well to do. Their son, Julio, lives in a studio in rue de la Pompe, apparently to get away from his millionaire father’s scrutiny and his mother’s constant worries about his extravagant ways while claiming that he needs quiet so he can paint. However, free from parental supervision, he carouses well into the night and sleeps well into the day. His Parisian lifestyle reinforces the novel’s depiction of the city’s decadence on the eve of World War I, to whose approach the Desnoyers are oblivious. Meanwhile, rumors of a coming war reach a fever pitch in Paris. Julio’s Russian neighbor equates the coming war with the biblical story of the four horsemen of the apocalypse: Plague, War, Famine, Death.
*Berlin
*Berlin. Germany’s capital city is depicted differently. Its residents welcome the prospect of war and celebrate German militarism.
*Lourdes
*Lourdes (lewrd). Town in southwestern France near which the Desnoyers own a castle and a cattle farm. After Germany invades France, Don Marcelo travels mostly on foot to the town to check on his property. He finds that the Germans have pillaged the town and his castle, which they make their temporary headquarters. At Lourdes, he finally grasps the reality of war when he sees the full horrors of the German invasion.
Bibliography
Day, A. Grove, and Edgar Knowlton. V. Blasco Ibáñez. New York: Twayne, 1972. A survey of Blasco Ibáñez’s life and canon that includes a discussion of his revolutionary influences, cosmopolitan experiences, interest in social protest and human psychology, glorification of Spain, and intense dislike of Germans.
Howells, William Dean. “The Fiction of Blasco Ibáñez.” Harpers 131 (1915): 956-960. Howells praises Blasco Ibáñez’s literary skill.
Swain, James Q. Vicente Blasco Ibáñez: General Study—Special Emphasis on Realistic Techniques. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1959. One chapter focuses on the realistic images of war in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Wedel, Alfred R. “Blasco Ibáñez’s Antipathy Toward Germans.” Revista de Istorie si Teorie Literara 35 (July-December, 1987): 3-4, 192-200. Discusses the negative portrait of Germans in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.