The Bullfight
In the days of youth, I went to libraries and would read up on many topics. During one of these rounds to the library, I came across the sport of bullfighting. And while reading up on bullfighting , I came across the legendary role that is played in this game - the Bullfighter, as I call him. He is called the Matador , and he is the lead actor of the sports theatre, and he battle with his arch rival , the bovine macho madness, the bull. I enquired about this sports with family and friends. family did'nt know much, but my parish preist at the time told me it was a battle that was supposed to represent good and evil, the fight between St.Michael and Lucifer, and in this battle , man fights against sin which is represented by the bull, the huge black bull. The game is a twist and turn of anatomy, both human and animal and there are no collisions, but clashes that finally result in the death of the bull or the loss of the matador, and in som extreme cases even death. But that is just part of their lives, and and their culture just as baseball is to America, and football is to Brazil.
Some years later, I go through the same topic and this time I go through it in detail, and I start learning more about his sport. Then I studied this spot a little more, and I find out that it is a series of stages- which i'd like to put across. The primary thing being - the matador is not alone- he has assistants. They are the Picadores, the banderilleros, and the moso de ezpada. The moso de ezpada is the sword servant, and takes care of the sword requirements of the matador. There are three stages during which the bull is worked on - the first stage involves the Picadores who get in the ring and start provoking the bull to attack the horses. When the bull attacks the horses, the Picadores stick lances in the bull's neck muscles causing loss of blood from the animal. the bull is still encouraged to attack due to which his neck muscles are weakened. He is now ready for the second stage, which is where the banderilleros caome in and place pointed flags of the local colour on the bulls neck and shoulder, thus weakening them further. Then he is ready for the third stage which is the fight with the Matador. The Matador then gets in the ring and starts his fight with the bull. he has studies the bull and understood his movements and weakness of the bull. Now, he has to guide the bull in such a way that the bull is tired from being led continously and running and then tired, he slows down which is when the Matador goes for the kill. and from all this time, you learn that you saw a lot in the sprt, where the matador was glorified and got the regognition, and the bull who has done most of the hardwork, lies bleeding in death.
To go through all this torture, and still keep his ground and finally meet his end when he can take it anymore is actually the true mark of a warrior. The bull has endured so much with all this opression.Wow, I,m not promoting any animal rights, but the picture of the matador and the bullfighting in the tournament could do with some change. What about the fact that this could be a match between a bull and a man!!! The man woud fight the bull with his skill while the bull has all his strenght, and not blood dripping from his neck and shoulders, and a severed neck which is his main weapon for attack. the matador would not like his hands severed for the fight, so it would be diffuclt for him to move the cape , giving the bull a advantage. would that be fair? the Matador would be in a most uncomfortable position, which the bull actually goes through in every match. how about giving the bull a fair chance, and all his strenght, so if the Matador wins in this fight, it would be a well deserved victory. And ther's a question that's always on my mind - with the vistory, the applause, the fame, money and the women he gets - there is just a question I would like to ask him - " wher'es the Pride of the Bullfighter?"
Thats a question that i would ask a bullfighter when I met one. Bullfighting, frankly is a sport I love. I love the fight, the fanfare, the struggle of the Matador as he too puts in his effort. But I also feel its an advanced form of treachery where which is given a good mask. I consider it the "birthplace of politics" where manipulation is so skilfully crafted and matures in every level. the teamwork out here has to be perfect because a little distortion of perfection can cause big problems. Everything practiced in the bullring has been applied to politics of the "dog eat dog" world. Peole get misled by false promises , fake guarantees and even terror. The bull , to the majority of the spectactors would be the symbolical sign of evil, who is crushed by their hero, the Matador. So I assume they would feign ignorance and accept their hero, which would give them hope in the world. To others, the bull would be the sad sign of our times.
Some years later, I go through the same topic and this time I go through it in detail, and I start learning more about his sport. Then I studied this spot a little more, and I find out that it is a series of stages- which i'd like to put across. The primary thing being - the matador is not alone- he has assistants. They are the Picadores, the banderilleros, and the moso de ezpada. The moso de ezpada is the sword servant, and takes care of the sword requirements of the matador. There are three stages during which the bull is worked on - the first stage involves the Picadores who get in the ring and start provoking the bull to attack the horses. When the bull attacks the horses, the Picadores stick lances in the bull's neck muscles causing loss of blood from the animal. the bull is still encouraged to attack due to which his neck muscles are weakened. He is now ready for the second stage, which is where the banderilleros caome in and place pointed flags of the local colour on the bulls neck and shoulder, thus weakening them further. Then he is ready for the third stage which is the fight with the Matador. The Matador then gets in the ring and starts his fight with the bull. he has studies the bull and understood his movements and weakness of the bull. Now, he has to guide the bull in such a way that the bull is tired from being led continously and running and then tired, he slows down which is when the Matador goes for the kill. and from all this time, you learn that you saw a lot in the sprt, where the matador was glorified and got the regognition, and the bull who has done most of the hardwork, lies bleeding in death.
To go through all this torture, and still keep his ground and finally meet his end when he can take it anymore is actually the true mark of a warrior. The bull has endured so much with all this opression.Wow, I,m not promoting any animal rights, but the picture of the matador and the bullfighting in the tournament could do with some change. What about the fact that this could be a match between a bull and a man!!! The man woud fight the bull with his skill while the bull has all his strenght, and not blood dripping from his neck and shoulders, and a severed neck which is his main weapon for attack. the matador would not like his hands severed for the fight, so it would be diffuclt for him to move the cape , giving the bull a advantage. would that be fair? the Matador would be in a most uncomfortable position, which the bull actually goes through in every match. how about giving the bull a fair chance, and all his strenght, so if the Matador wins in this fight, it would be a well deserved victory. And ther's a question that's always on my mind - with the vistory, the applause, the fame, money and the women he gets - there is just a question I would like to ask him - " wher'es the Pride of the Bullfighter?"
Thats a question that i would ask a bullfighter when I met one. Bullfighting, frankly is a sport I love. I love the fight, the fanfare, the struggle of the Matador as he too puts in his effort. But I also feel its an advanced form of treachery where which is given a good mask. I consider it the "birthplace of politics" where manipulation is so skilfully crafted and matures in every level. the teamwork out here has to be perfect because a little distortion of perfection can cause big problems. Everything practiced in the bullring has been applied to politics of the "dog eat dog" world. Peole get misled by false promises , fake guarantees and even terror. The bull , to the majority of the spectactors would be the symbolical sign of evil, who is crushed by their hero, the Matador. So I assume they would feign ignorance and accept their hero, which would give them hope in the world. To others, the bull would be the sad sign of our times.
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