How does Ernest Hemingway portray bullfighting in Death in the Afternoon?

In his 1932 nonfiction work Death in the Afternoon, Ernest Hemingway portrays bullfighting not as a sport, but as a tragic ceremony and a high art form. He famously defines it as "the only art in which the artist is in danger of death," emphasizing that unlike games focused on victory, the bullfight is centered on the proximity to and avoidance of death.123

Hemingway provides practical and philosophical guidance on the spectacle:

• The Spectacle: He advises novices to sit far enough from the ring to view the entire event rather than having the action fragmented into individual components of man and bull.4
• The Role of the Sun: He stresses the importance of the sun, citing the Spanish saying, "El sol es el mejor torero" (The sun is the best bullfighter), suggesting that without the sun, the performance lacks its essential shadow and depth.4
• Cultural Contrast: He contrasts the Spanish fascination with the nearness of death against the American tendency to prioritize the avoidance of defeat.3

Ultimately, Hemingway’s work serves as a comprehensive, unblinking examination of the bullfight’s gravity and its status as a "dance with death".32