The whole book in fact is absolute in its fidelity to the general fact it deals with, and the persons of its powerful drama.

Each in his or her place is realized with an art which leaves one in no doubt of their lifelikeness, and keeps each as vital as the _torrero_ himself.

There is little of the humor which relieves the pathos of Valdes in the equal fidelity of his _Marta y Maria_ or the unsurpassable tragedy of Galdos in his _Dona Perfecta_.

The _torrero's_ family who have dreaded his boyish ambition with the anxiety of good common people, and his devotedly gentle and beautiful wife,--even his bullying and then truckling brother-in-law who is ashamed of his profession and then proud of him when it has filled Spain with his fame,--are made to live in the spacious scene.
But above all in her lust for him and her contempt for him the unique figure of Dona Sol astounds.

She rules him as her brother the marquis would rule a mistress; even in the abandon of her passion she does not admit him to social equality; she will not let him speak to her in thee and thou, he must address her as ladyship; she is monstrous without ceasing to be a woman of her world, when he dies before her in the arena a broken and vanquished man.