I recently read a history of the liberation of South America ("Liberators", by Richard Harvey), which, among other things, attuned me to the fact that Simón Bolívar was among the great men of history. Curious to read more about Bolívar, I decided to turn to García Márquez's novel THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH (Bolívar, of course, being the "General" of the title, and "General" being the title by which he is referred to throughout the course of the book).
In structure, THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH covers the last seven months of Bolívar's life, beginning in May 1830. Thoroughly exasperated by the factionalism and selfishness of politics in the newly liberated South American countries, Bolívar determines to leave Bogotá and South America and go to Europe. At the time, he is only forty-six, but he is in very poor health, weighing only eighty-eight pounds (ten more than what he did seven months later). As matters develop, his self-imposed exile is oft-diverted, and he makes it no further than down the Magdalena River to a succession of coastal cities. All the while his health continues to deteriorate, but he continues to try to influence South American politics in favor of his dream of a united nation spanning the entire continent. As recounted by García Márquez, at the very end Bolívar "was shaken by the overwhelming revelation that the headlong race between his misfortunes and his dreams was at that moment reaching the finish line." "Damn it", Bolívar sighed. "How will I ever get out of this labyrinth!"
There were two types involved in South American politics: the oligarchs and warlords who pursued their own fortunes, and those who looked to Bolívar for guidance as to where to head and then leadership in getting them there. Bolívar, however, had tuberculosis and his life-force gave out at age forty-seven, and ever since the plaint of much of South America has been expressed in the title to this review.
In his account of the last seven months of Bolívar's life, García Márquez includes numerous flashbacks to significant events in the wars of liberation and the succeeding political turmoil, including, most prominently, the nearly successful effort to assassinate Bolívar in September 1828. In so doing, García Márquez touches on some of the more controversial events of Bolívar's life, especially his decision to execute the successful and popular revolutionary mulatto general Manuel Piar for insubordination. One such event that curiously is not mentioned is Bolívar's role in the betrayal to the Spanish of Francisco de Miranda, the revolutionary leader of the First Republic of Venezuela - an incident that has vexed Bolívar hero-worshippers ever since.
In addition to the history, García Márquez gives the reader a superb portrait of Bolívar the man. Among other things, Bolívar was a voracious reader (until his eyesight failed him, after which he had friends read to him) and an even more voracious womanizer. At one of the tranquil moments during his last journey, a friend teasingly confronts Bolívar, "Confess, General: how many were there?" Bolívar dodges the question, "Many fewer than you think". That night, while Bolívar is taking his bath, his long-time valet José Palacios comments, "According to my calculations there were thirty-five. Not counting the one-night birds, of course." García Márquez adds, "The figure matched the General's own calculations."
THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH is considered a novel, but it hews very closely to the facts. Virtually all of the characters are historical characters and almost all of the occurrences have, so I understand, a solid historical basis. Reportedly, García Márquez conducted considerable research before writing the book. As for the writing, it is magnificent. It flows majestically and inexorably, like the waters of the river of time. The last paragraph is one of the finest concluding paragraphs I have ever read. THE GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH is a superb book.
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