Summary of Baltasar and Blimunda
“Baltasar and Blimunda” is a tale of romance and adventure set in early 18th-century Portugal. At its heart is the construction of the Palace-Convent of Mafra – now a major tourist attraction and Unesco World Heritage Site. Commissioned by the Portuguese king as a thank offering for the birth of his first child, the project came at great human cost, bringing years of hardship to the labourers who built it. Saramago’s historical novel follows the love story of Baltasar, an ex-soldier, and Blimunda, a young woman with mysterious visionary powers. Their relationship unfolds against the backdrop of royal tyranny, religious fanaticism, and the struggles of ordinary people.
Reasons to read Baltasar and Blimunda
“Baltasar and Blimunda” was the breakthrough novel of José Saramago, one of the most eminent Portuguese writers of the 20th century. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998, and the Camões Prize in 1995. Many of his novels are speculative parables that explore “what if” scenarios. Other notable works by Saramago include “The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis”, “The Gospel According to Jesus Christ”, and “Blindness”.
Setting: Mafra (Portugal)
Original title: Memorial do Convento
Year of publication: 1982
Nr of pages: 356
