On Heroes and Tombs
First edition | |
| Author | Ernesto Sabato |
|---|---|
| Original title | Sobre Héroes y Tumbas |
| Translator | Helen R. Lane |
| Language | Spanish |
| Publisher | Compañía General Fabril Editora |
Publication date | 1961 |
| Publication place | Argentina |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
On Heroes and Tombs (Spanish: Sobre héroes y tumbas) is a novel by Argentine writer Ernesto Sabato (1911–2011), first published in Buenos Aires in 1961.[1] In 1981, Fitzhenry & Whiteside published an English-language edition, translated by Helen R. Lane.[2][3][4][5]
Plot summary
Nineteen-year-old Martín Castillo is a boy from Buenos Aires trying to find his path in life. He meets and falls in love with Alejandra Vidal Olmos, who with her father Fernando represents the "old", post-colonial and autochthonous Argentina, which is seen mutating amid a strange and unsettling "new" world. The novel gives an evocative portrait of the city of Buenos Aires and its people.
Characters
Primary characters in the novel include:[6]
- Martín del Castillo: the novel's protagonist
- Alejandra Vidal Olmos: Martín's love interest[4]
- Fernando Vidal Olmos: Alejandra's father[4]
- Bruno Bassan: a writer who provides Martín insights[4]
- Uncle Bebe: Alejandra's uncle
- Grandfather Pancho: Alejandra's grandfather
- Aunt Escolatica: Alejandra's aunt
Literary significance and criticism
On Heroes and Tombs, filled with dark and emotional imagery, is considered by many to be Sabato's magnum opus, and the section Informe sobre ciegos ("Report on the Blind"), about Fernando's distorted obsession with, and fear of, the blind, is a haunting, nightmarish contribution to Latin American literature.
References to actual history, geography and current science
Interspersed with the text of On Heroes and Tombs, as an almost surrealistic running commentary on it, is the italicised narrative of the flight, killing and ensuing odyssey of Juan Lavalle, a classic Argentine subject.
Adaptions
John Malkovich has optioned the film rights for On Heroes and Tombs.
Swedish melodic death metal band At the Gates' album At War with Reality has lyrics based on the novel. Its intro is a quote from this book.
References
- ^ Barbour, Douglas (17 October 1981). "South America spawns another literary giant". Calgary Herald. p. F7. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gottlieb, Freema (1983). "Review of On Heroes and Tombs". Latin American Literary Review. 11 (22): 118–122. ISSN 0047-4134.
- ^ Griffith, Jonathan (30 August 1981). "'Heroes' a surrealistic study set in the sewers". Kansas City Star. p. 10G. Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Bunke, Joan (27 September 1981). "The dragons of Argentina". The Des Moines Register . Retrieved 13 November 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kennedy, William (1 January 1981). "Sábato's Tombs and Heroes". Review: Literature and Arts of the Americas. doi:10.1080/08905768108594110.
- ^ Pemberton, William E. (2015). Magill, Frank N. (ed.). Cyclopedia of Literary Characters (4th ed.). Ipswich, MA: Salem Press. pp. 1775–1776. ISBN 978-1-61925-497-8.