Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel García Márquez | Review, Summary & More

About:

Love in the Time of Cholera is a novel published in Spanish in 1985 by Nobel prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez, Alfred A. Knopf published an English translation in 1988, and an English Language movie adaptation was released in 2007.

Summary:

The Story starts from the day of Dr Juvenal Urbino's death. He is a highly successful doctor who has done much for Caribbean city in which he lives, so death has a great effect on the city. The two who are most affected are Fermina Daza, his widow, and Florentino Ariza, the man who has been waiting for him to die for fifty-one years. Florentino Ariza professes, for a second time, his "eternal fidelity and everlasting love" to the Doctor and his wife, Fermina Daza. Fermina is horrified by such an insensitive display, and, for the first time, she realizes the magnitude of "drama" she had provoked at the age of eighteen.

Although Fermina Daza may have Florentino Ariza from her memory, he has not stopped thinking of her since long, troubled love affair ended fifty-one years, nine months and four days ago. Florentino first meets Fermina when he delivers a telegram to her father, Lorenzo Daza, who is notorious for his shady dealings. After watching Fermina, always accompanied by her Aunt Escolastica, walk to school each day from her Park of the Evangels, Florentino works up the courage to approach her one day. He asks her to accept a letter from him, but she refuses because she obligated to get her father's permission. Florentino decided to give her a subdued note instead of a 60-page letter he wrote for her in which he resolutely declares his love for her and she finally answers approvingly.

Later Fermina caught writing love letters by Mother Superior at her academy and is expelled. Lorenzo finds out about her love letters and as punishment, banishes Escolastica and forces Fermina to accompany him on a long journey.

Florentino hardly recognises Fermina upon her return from the long journey, because, now she has matured into a woman. In the fifty-one years, nine months and 4 days that follow, not once does Florentino have a chance to speak to her or see her in private. Meanwhile, he conducts affairs, however, secrets, with innumerable women through he has rumoured to be homosexual.

Lorenzo Daza forces Dr Urbino upon his daughter, and she reluctantly concedes. When Florentino hears that Fermina is to marry a prestigious physician, he vows to make himself worthy of her. His uncle, Don Leo XII Loayza, gives him a job at the River Company of the Caribbean, of which, after thirty years. Florentino becomes Pesident. Despite his determination to win Fermina, Florentino continues his lustful affairs with other women.

Fermina and the doctor appear to be a very happy couple, but in reality, they are quite dissatisfied. The unhappy but stable marriage is rocked when Dr Urbino conducts a 4-months affair with Barbara Lynch, though he ends it when Fermina confronts him with her knowledge of it. Infuriated by her husband's infidelity, Fermina goes to live with Hildebranda on her ranch. The Doctor arrives at the ranch unannounced to take Fermina, who is overjoyed by his arrival, home with him.

Upon the Doctor's accidental death. Florentino, now elderly, abruptly ends his affair with fourteen-year-old America Vicuna and at Dr Urbino's wake, professes his "eternal fidelity and everlasting love" to Fermina. After having banished him from her home in anger, she sends him a hateful letter. He responds with a meditation on life and love, which helps her overcome her grief. Gradually, after a letter correspondence, they rekindle their relationship and spend afternoons together in Fermina's home. Florentino asks Fermina to accompany him on a river voyage, and she accepts. On the voyage, knows and frets that if they see her with Florentino, it will cause scandal. Florentino orders the Captain to raise the yellow flag of cholera, which he does. There remain no passengers on aboard but Fermine, Florentino, the Captain, and his lover. No port will allow them to dock because of the supposed cholera outbreak aboard, and they are forever exiled to cruise the river.