ISSN 2349-7831
International Journal of Recent Research in Social Sciences and Humanities (IJRRSSH)
Vol. 4, Issue 4, pp: (152-156), Month: October - December 2017, Available at: www.paperpublications.org
Page | 155
Paper Publications
The vanity and good looks of Badoy used by Nick Joaquin to symbolize what man wants did not totally work well on
Agueda. In fact, it was the charm she hated most in him. It was the charm that made him the vengeful and proud man who
never admitted his real feelings for Agueda because she too chose not.
Anastasha’s belief of the supernatural beings emphasizes other people’s perspective about the role of fate in one’s life. In
the story “May Day Eve”, both Badoy and Agueda believed they were trapped in the magic of the mirror one night in
their lives and thought they were fated for each other. Unfortunately, the mirror seemed to have lied and they did not do
anything to save what was in them for their relationship to have triumphed.
On setting:
The story happened in the year 1847 on the eve of May. It deals with witchcraft as depicted in “She bewitched me”;
blended with horror as evident in “She suck my blood and ate my heart; and flavored with fiction as expressed in the
superstitious belief of the devil and the witch coming out of the mirror if everything in the ritual will go wrong. These are
descriptions of the anguish one has to go through when he chooses not to be true about his feelings.
On conflict:
There is the presence of internal and external conflicts all throughout the story.
In that encounter in the dark room, Young Badoy already realized how sudden he fall in love with Young Agueda. But
when they were married, they both manifested regret and revealed hatred for each other as reflected in their description of
each other as the devil who inflicts them harm. Out of pride and desolation, Agueda bore it out until death. After her
death, the painful realization for Badoy was depicted. The tragedy was that it was too late for him to tell her the truth
about how he felt…that she loved her all through those years of pain and of hating. Thus the conflict between man and
himself and between man and another man.
On symbolism:
The mirror symbolizes the physical attraction of Badoy and Agueda had for each other. Even in their first meeting the
attraction was already tense which they thought to be love. On the part of Agueda, this is manifested in her recall of
Badoy’s “flashing eyes”, “very elegant moustache”, “fine clothes”, and “curly hair” as reflected in the mirror. On the part
of Badoy, his physical attraction was evident in seeing the young Agueda’s “charms,” “tremendous beauty,” the “eyes she
had,” “bare shoulders gold in the candlelight and delicately furred,” “the mobile insolence of her neck, her taut breast,”
her enchanting “fire” and “grace,” “her hair that was like black waters” as they were reflected in the same mirror.
The illusion became evident when they married and thought of each other as “fatal creatures”. The symbolism of illusion
was reinforced when that physical attraction was not transformed into something more positive during their marriage
years.
On the theme:
The story of Badoy and Agueda which was founded on physical attraction is a proof that love cannot be based on passion
alone. It has to be deeply rooted from respect and acceptance of each other. It has to be constantly worked on, nurtured,
earned and given willingly rather than be based on superstitions and fate.
It is only under this criteria that love grows and blossoms. Otherwise, like the story of Badoy and Agueda love will be
blinded and will be turned into hatred. Then, the regrets and the realization of what we actually had when it is already
gone.
V. CONCLUSION
If the mirror is a symbolism of an illusion, then this story could be about someone’s illusionary love affair as portrayed by
the different characters. Or is this just another literary piece of Quijano de Manila portraying something more serious
under the guise of a woman’s weakness and limitation like that of his story “The Summer Solstice”? But why always
portray the woman as a creature of limitations and weaknesses but keeps hidden strength?
If we have to consider the fact that some writer’s literary pieces are auto-biographical, then maybe the story has
something to do with Nick Joaquin’s unfulfilled romantic relationship? In his biographies, there is no mention of