The House of the Spirits

Even though the setting is never explicitly mentioned, The House of the Spirits is assumed to take place against the social and political backdrop of postcolonial Chile. Certain events and characters hint at this, including the earthquake (possibly based off the Great Chilean earthquake in 1960) and the characters of the Poet and the President. The former’s verses appear in the epigraph of the book and come from a poem by Pablo Neruda, while the latter resembles Salvador Allende, the first Marxist president to be elected to power in a liberal democracy in Latin America. The President’s manner of election and the military coup that eventually topples his government likewise reflect actual events surrounding Allende’s tenure, including the coup led by General Augusto Pinochet that eventually replaced it.

Politics and ideology are thus inherently important aspects of the story; they exist in the background but also directly and personally impact the family’s story throughout the book. One of the very first things one learns about Severo del Valle, for instance, is that he has political aspirations; his wife, Nívea, is similarly inclined as a progressive suffragette. Rosa’s death inadvertently results from these very ambitions, as she accidentally consumes poisoned brandy that arrived anonymously for Severo—presumably from one of his political enemies, as it arrives just as he is invited to join the Liberal Party. This death becomes one in a long string of politically mediated tragedies that strike the del Valle family.

The book also explores the close link between politics and personal ideology. While Severo was a member of the Liberal Party, Esteban, whom Clara eventually marries, supports the Conservatives; he goes on to actively become involved in politics as a senator. Esteban’s personal attitudes line up with his right-leaning political ideology. As a landowner, he is adamant about holding absolute power over his tenants; while he provides for them materially, he does not accord them respect or independence, professing his belief that they are incapable of managing either. He views himself as a father figure to his tenants but also feels that, as inherent “inferiors,” they must be ruled with an iron fist. This is in keeping with the general underlying principles of right-wing political ideology, which tends to view social hierarchy as natural and inevitable. These ideas also stand in direct opposition to the Marxist ideology that Esteban’s own son, Jaime, eventually embraces and that Pedro Tercero preaches among the peasants. The story of the fox and the hens, which eventually finds its way into Pedro Tercero’s music, stands as an allegory for the workers uniting and for the inevitable revolution they will lead against those who exploit them.

A further translation of personality into political ideology occurs among characters on the same political side. Miguel does not believe that a democratic revolution will accomplish anything and joins the guerrillas after the fall of the Socialist government. Jaime, on the other hand, is horrified by the violence that surrounds the last presidential election; ironically, it is he who eventually falls victim to this violence and perishes in the coup. On the right, Esteban suggests buying the media to control the narrative and take back power, whereas other members of his party believe it would be beneficial to bribe congress instead; General Hurtado outright suggests a coup to take back power. General alignment with a set of political beliefs, right or left, does not guarantee agreement on the methodology with which to seize power and rule.

Despite depicting politics as personal, however, the book also consistently portrays politics as a male space; Nívea, a politically active woman with independent convictions, is the only exception, and perhaps it is significant that she meets a grisly death. While the women in the story espouse personal beliefs, they do not take independent political action based on these beliefs. Clara opposes Esteban’s brutality with the peasants but is uninterested in political matters, even attending events to support him as senator. Blanca and Alba both fall in love with politically active men, but their support of their respective partners’ activities is motivated by love, not ideological conviction. Irrespective of this, it is the women in the story who bear the consequences of political fanaticism: Rosa’s accidental death, Blanca’s illegitimate child, and Alba’s capture and torture.

The latter in particular is a nuanced situation, with political conviction and personal vendetta intertwining in inextricable ways. Alba’s lack of strong political conviction may help her see past the ideology, understand the cycle of vengeance she is caught in, and break this cycle. The book concludes with this choice, creating the impression that politics and ideology work primarily to provide a context within which to explore ideas of hatred, vengeance, and their repercussions.