Bullfighting: A Historical Past Time or Past its Time

1
Bullfighting A Historical Past Time or Past its
Time?

• By Laura Supalla

2
Some Background

• Every week, all over Spain, many thousands of
  Spaniards flock to the nearest bullring, but not
  all Spaniards agree with the sport, or like it.
• Each year within Spain, 24,000 bulls are killed
  in front of an audience of 30 million people.

3
The Controversy

• For Some claim it is part of Spanish
  traditional culture, with history from the hunt
  combined with artistic expression similar to the
  dance, and should be preserved.

• Against Others claim it is barbaric and should
  be banned.

4
Controversy Continued

• Controversy started in 1932 with Ernest
  Hemingways Death in the Afternoon
• City of Barcelona recently banned Bullfights and
  declared itself a bullfight free city.

5
The Defense

• Those who believe the event is a significant part
  of Spanish culture aka psychologists,
  anthropologists, and many Spanish citizens
• The elite class
• Mass popular cultures taste
• The European Union has declared bullfighting a
  protected activity under the heading of national
  culture.

6
Defensive Philosophy

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau credited bullfighting with
  keeping alive a certain vigour in the Spanish
  people.
• Employment
• Generates much-needed revenue for private
  charities and state welfare agencies
• another form of contemporary commercialized mass
  entertainment
• Is not a sport, but rather an art form

7
The Offense

• Renaissance popes and Bourbon kings to
  contemporary animal-rights activists
• Many Spanish intellectuals
• Young people
• Barcelona
• Potentially all of Catalonia
• Animal rights activists

8
Current feelings of the offense

• People who claim they have no interest has risen
  from 40 to 70 since 1970
• Lack of interest is especially high in young
  people
• The sport is considered torture of animals

9
What is being done?

• Those for bullfighting
• Knowledge of culture in schools
• Americanized environment (box seats, VIP lounge,
  etc)
• Put it in the movies
• Government subsidized bull ranches and fights

10
What is being done?

• Those against bullfighting
• Animal rights protests
• Nationalist politicians and environmental groups
  unite
• Bull rings torn down for shopping malls
• General lack of interest of younger generations

11
How it can be understood
12
Works Cited

• Ideal Spain. Bullfighting. 2006.
  http//www.idealspain.com/pages/Information/Bullf
  ighting.htm
• Study Spanish in Spain. Bullfighting Spanish
  Fiesta Brava. 2003. http//www.study-spanish-in
  -spain.info/bullfighting.htm
• Encyclopedia Britannica. Hispanic Heritage in
  the Americas. 2006. http//www.britannica.com/h
  ispanic_heritage/article-253493
• Best Friends Network BETA. Animal World USA.
  http//network.bestfriends.org/animalworldusa/news
  /7682.html Bullfighting Faces an Uphill Battle
  for Audiences and Relevance in Spain. September
  16, 2006.