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May Day Eve

Background Of Author
Name: Nicomedes Marquez Joaquin
Born: May 4, 1917, Paco, Manila, Phil.
Died: April 29, 2004, San Juan, Phil.
- Filipino novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, and biographer
- works present the diverse heritage of the Filipino people.
- was conferred the rank and title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature

Characters
 Anastasia
- Elderly woman, obeys what the mistress asks of her, accused of being a witch and believes in superstitious
beliefs

 Agueda
- beautiful, young woman who has a lot of curiosity, hardheaded, brave and will do anything for her husband
to be

 Dona Agueda
- old lady with grey hair, many sentiments, emotional and resentful

 Dona Agueda's Daughter


- A vain curious girl who is motivated to know about the past of her mother.

 Don Badoy Montiya


- A good lover, emotional and repents for what he has done to Agueda.
- over sixty during 1890

 Voltaire
- Believes in superstitious beliefs just as much as his grandma.

Setting
- Intramuros, Manila; In a room with a mirror on May Day Eve (written during world war II)

Plot
 Exposition
- Anastasia told the girls about the story that they would be able to know their future husband by reciting an
incantation in front of the mirror but if it gone wrong, they would see a devil.

 Rising Action
- Agueda tried the incantation in front of the mirror then she saw Don Badoy. They had some confrontation
and she ended up biting Don Badoy’s hand because he wouldn’t let her go. At that moment, he fell in love
with her but he would still make her pay for what she did.

 Climax
- Don Badoy told his grandson, Voltaire, that he once saw a witch in front of a mirror when he caught him
doing the incantation in front of the mirror. Amazed by what he said, Voltaire told him that his grandma once
saw the devil in that mirror.

 Falling Action
- Don Badoy realized that he ponders on love that had been wasted. They had shared a bitter and loveless
marriage. His forgot his love to Agueda since that May day eve.

 Resolution
- Don Badoy reminisced the time when he saw Agueda in front of the mirror and when he fell madly in love
with her. That old love had been blinded by hatred, but it has now resurfaced but it’s too late because Agueda
is dead.

Conflict
- External Conflict
 Man vs. Man
 Man vs. Supernatural
- The conflict within the story May Day Eve is when the protagonist, Don Badoy Montoya, hears from his
grandson that his wife, Doña Agueda, describes him as a devil. Badoy is devastated at this news and in return
tells the boy that his wife is nothing but a witch.
- We can see that Agueda and Badoy after having a bad married life with each other, used to regret the past
that they’ve been together and it is revealed with their hatred for each other and how Agueda used to
describe the devil to her granddaughter as if it was Badoy and same way as Badoy describing the witch in the
mirror to his grandson as if it was Agueda.
- Man vs Man in a way wherein Badoy was full or regret for not being able to address his emotions with
Agueda.

Theme
- The main theme that is present in the story by Nick Joaquin is magic realism, sometimes known as magical
realism.
- Other strong theme that is recurrent in the story is the theme of true love.
- The theme centers on intense remorse caused by wrong decisions. Like believing in superstitions.
- Life is always full of regret, for we always realize what we have when it is gone.
- Physical really attracts us but personality makes us stay.
- Love cannot be based on passion alone.

Symbolism
 MIRROR
Illusionary love between Agueda and Badoy.
-The variant of realism called magic realism. The events Chronicled in the story may very well have happened in
Real life except that they are so hyperreal and so mundane.
-That they cannot be mistaken for anything else but magic Realism. During their encounter at the sala.
 MAY DAY EVE it symbolizes the superstitions we have here in the Philippines.
 ANASTASIA represents the filipinos, that even up to this day we really Believe in superstitous beliefs.
 MASK represents that physical appearance changes as we grow old.
 CANDLE DROPPEDFROM HER HAND
It represents the bitterness of the marriage of Donya Agueda and Don Badoy Montiya, the candle ignites the
marriage was dropped or we can say that there’s no love. Involve so the marriage doesn’t worked out.

Allegory
“YOU MAY LEARN IN A MIRROR IF It also represents that many people are really afraid of
YOU ARE NOT AFRAID” facing the reality or truth.
Especially when they knew it would hurt them.
“I AM NOT AFRAID, I WILL GO” CRIED This also represents bravery, just like what our heroes
AGUEDA showed during this era.
“I WILL NEVER FORGET THIS NIGHT” This only shows that we are always looking forward
for vengeance to someone who
committed a sin towards us.
"I SAW THE DEVIL” This shows that Don badoy became the devil to Donya
Agueda’s life, and the reason behind.
The regrets and pain, and why Donya Agueda’s
Life became miserable.
“SHE BEWITCHED AND TORTURED ME. Meaning, Agueda broke the heart of Badoy
SHE ATE MY HEART AND DRANK MY And didn’t love him despite of the love he gave to her.
BLOOD”

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