By Caroline O'Beirne, First Year, Politics and Spanish
One Hundred Years of Solitude, recently released on Netflix, was a fantastic series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Based on the 1967 novel written by the Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez, the show denotes a complicated yet intriguing plot. Warning - this article contains spoilers.
The story follows the family and friends of José Arcadio Buendía, played by Marco Antonio González Ospina and Diego Vásquez, and his wife Úrsula, who leave their town of origin and march through the Colombian countryside to create the fictional town of Macondo. The town is a utopia, at least at the beginning of the series, with everyone getting an equal share of the resources. For example, the first episode explains that the original houses were built in such a way that each family had equal access to the river. Considering that most Latin American countries were extremely hierarchal, this theme of liberty is what distinguishes Macondo as the utopic yet fantastical place that it is.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of the series was the diverse selection of music used by the creators. For example, amongst the scenes that explore the wild countryside and nature that surrounds the town, to create an almost ethereal effect, one can hear a pan flute played amongst the natural sounds of the country; an instrument that is characteristic of the indigenous music within this region. Alternatively, within the scenes that take place within the local tavern, a genre of music known as ‘cumbia’ is played. Cumbia is a lively genre of music which originated in Colombia and combines the influence of African, indigenous and Spanish styles of music. Within the scenes that involve the local magistrate and his family, classical music is played to perhaps demonstrate just how out of place they are within this little country town; having moved from another location.
The plot is quite complicated not only because of how much happens within eight episodes, but also how confusing the characters’ names can be as many of the younger descendants of José Arcadio and Úrsula bear their names. Nonetheless, there are several scenes and characters that really stood out for me. One of which is Úrsula, played by both Susana Morales Cañas and Marleyda Soto.
Úrsula is strong and capable. Her husband, despite being one of the founders of the town and a leader that everyone around him looks up to, often spends his time searching or experimenting. Whether that be his need to find the sea (a desire which started their journey in the first place) or his consistent experimentation with science. As a result of his obsessions, Úrsula sets up a successful sweet business to bring in money for the family; with this, they build a beautiful house. She is the moral guide and leader for both her household and the village and bravely stands up to tyranny when it comes.
What may confuse members of the audience that are not familiar with Latin American literature is the concept of ‘magic realism’. This is essentially the idea that supernatural objects such as ghosts can exist within the norm of reality, interacting with mortals. For example, when a basket containing baby Acardio (the grandson of José Acardio Buendía) begins to levitate, it is treated as normal. When the ghost of Melquiades, a family friend who introduced José Acardio to science, returns, he is given a room. Both bizarre and hilarious, it forms part of one of the most crucial themes of the book.
As mentioned before, there are all sorts of themes and different concepts that were executed brilliantly. Freedom is one which is explored via the fight that members of the town engage in against the tyrannical government, but also fate. For example, the series begins and ends with Úrsula’s fear of a superstition that would eventually entrap her family. Ursúla and her husband are first cousins, and her parents feared that they would give birth to monsters because of their union. Even though all three of their children are born human, as Úrsula remarks at the very end, they “ended up creating a monster”. All three of their children ended up as terrible people, especially Aureliano, the middle child. Despite being once viewed as the saviour of the town, by the end he needlessly inflicts conflict upon it.
For those who can appreciate the beauty in the cinematography of the Colombian countryside and can appreciate the multifaceted twists of the plot, this series is an intriguing watch that I would class as an eight out of ten.
What did you think of 100 Years of Solitude?
