A Bull Fight by Oscar Wilde (1881)

Name: A Bull Fight
Author: Oscar Wilde

A young Infanta is the center of attention at a lavish celebration featuring a bullfight staged by noble boys. The event is marked by elaborate costumes and playful performances, where the boys, dressed as toreadors, engage in a mock battle with a wicker bull. The spectacle captivates the Infanta, who finds it more delightful than a real bullfight she previously attended. The boys display their skills on hobby-horses and on foot, waving cloaks and brandishing javelins, while the audience, including the Grand Inquisitor and other nobles, watches with amusement. The bull, though artificial, performs impressively, eliciting cheers from the children. The climax occurs when the young Count of Tierra-Nueva delivers the final blow to the bull, revealing a hidden boy inside, which adds a layer of surprise and humor to the event. Following the bullfight, the arena is cleared, and a variety of entertainment continues, including a tightrope act and a puppet show that moves the audience emotionally. The puppets' tragic performance resonates deeply, even affecting the Grand Inquisitor, who reflects on the sorrow of inanimate creations portraying human suffering. The celebration highlights themes of innocence, the nature of performance, and the contrast between reality and artifice, ultimately leaving the Infanta and her guests with a mix of joy and melancholy.

By Oscar Wilde · First published 1881 · Genre: Fantasy, Satire, Children's Literature · 734 words

First lines

A procession of noble boys, fantastically dressed as _toreadors_, came out to meet her, and the young Count of Tierra-Nueva, a wonderfully handsome lad of about fourteen years of age, uncovering his head with all the grace of a born hidalgo and grandee of Spain, led her solemnly in to a little gilt and ivory chair that was placed on a raised dais above the arena. The children grouped themselves all round, fluttering their big fans and whispering to each other, and Don Pedro and the Grand Inquisitor stood laughing at the entrance. Even the Duchess -- the Camerera-Mayor as she was called -- a thin, hard-featured woman with a yellow ruff, did not look quite so bad-tempered as usual, and something like a chill smile flitted across her wrinkled face and twitched her thin bloodless lips.

What this Textopian page supports

A Bull Fight is listed on Textopian as a short story by Oscar Wilde, dated 1881 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Oscar Wilde
Date: 1881 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Satire, Children's Literature, Drama, Literary Fiction
Length: 734 words
Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story features fantastical elements such as children dressed as toreadors and a bull made of wicker-work, creating a whimsical and imaginative setting.
Satire — The narrative critiques societal norms and the absurdity of adult behaviors through the lens of a child's perspective on a bullfight.
Children's Literature — The story is centered around children and their playful interactions, making it suitable for a younger audience.
Drama — The performance aspects, including the mock bullfight and the puppetry, contribute to a dramatic presentation of events.