Pathology of a Fascist Tyrant: An Archetypal Study of the Autumn of the Patriarch

Abstract

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's novelThe Autumn of the Patriarchis an elaborate recounting of the reality of tyrannical rule in the South American continent in the second half of the twentieth century. The continent has become notorious for producing tyrannical regimes, whether it is in the military dictator-ruled Chileor in the one party ruled communist Cuba, or again the military rule in Marquez's country Colombia. As portrayed in the novel the dictator, an unnamed tyrant, suffers from severe psycho-somatic disorders consequent to his investing upon himself all thestate power. He keeps himself in power with the help of atrocities, ruthlessness and thereby exerting terror upon all possible opposition. In his fantasy of supposing himself a god, the military ruler avoids having a proper name, fabricates the story of his birth from a virgin woman, and names his son as Emmanuel. Despite all this appearance of godhood, he is terribly insecure, awkwardly illiterate and sickly in his testicles. He suffers from severe psychological and physical ailments resulting from the position he tries to secure for himself forever. The thesis elaborates on the psychological morbidity that has severely invaded the psyche of the rulers represented by the unnamed Colombian tyrant. If people are given an opportunity to somehow grab political power, they would not let it go off their hands. They would do whatever they think they need to retain the power. And this is not exclusive to a particular military or political power-monger, but it is a universal characteristic of politicians. One could understand this with the concept of archetype as it is elaborated by the research.