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One Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel García Márquez

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Student Question

Is Jose Arcadio Buendia an overpowering husband in One Hundred Years of Solitude?

Quick answer:

In One Hundred Years of Solitude, the patriarch José Arcadio Buendía is not an overpowering husband. He is self-absorbed and detached, particularly from his wife, Úrsula, who manages the household while he is preoccupied with his interests. Ultimately, he goes mad and is tied to a tree by his family. His son, José Arcadio, is physically imposing but not overbearing, as he treats his wife Rebeca well. Therefore, neither fits the description of an overpowering husband.

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There are five Jose Arcadio Buendias in the novel: Jose Arcadio, his son Jose Arcadio II, his illegitimate son Jose Arcadio III, Jose Arcadio Segundo Buendia IV, the twin of Aureliano Segundo, and Jose Arcadio V, Fernanda's son.  To which are you referring?

If you are referring to the patriarch Jose Arcadio Buendia, then the answer is "no."  Arcadio is self-absorbed, detached from his family, especially Ursuala, his wife.  While he is busy in his laboratory, she runs the family.  In the end, he goes crazy, and the family ties him to a tree.  He is the very antithesis of an overpowering husband.

His son, Jose Arcadio, is the one who is "well-equipped."  He conceives an illegitimate son with Pilar and then runs away with the gypsies.  When he returns, he is a giant--a hulk of a man, tattooed like the Illustrated Man.  He marries his foster sister, Rebecca.  He is a physically overpowering husband, but not an overbearing one.  He treats Rebecca right, and she is happy.  Jose is found mysteriously murdered one day.  Some people suspect Rebecca, but the murderer is never caught.

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