Death Comes for the Archbishop · Chapter
II explained
In the autumn of 1888, Bishop Latour enjoys good health and rides with his French priests to nearby missions.
What happens
In the autumn of 1888, Bishop Latour enjoys good health and rides with his French priests to nearby missions. After Christmas, he falls ill following a rainstorm and develops a cough. He asks Bernard to inform the Archbishop that he wishes to return to Santa Fe to die. Bernard drives him there at sunset, and the old Archbishop gazes at his beloved Cathedral, reflecting on its beauty and the changes in the town.
Themes in this chapter
Mortality and Legacy
The Bishop's illness and his wish to die in Santa Fe reflect his acceptance of mortality and his enduring legacy through the Cathedral.
Landscape and Place
The vivid description of the carnelian hills, the Cathedral's setting against the mountains, and the Sangre de Cristo range emphasize the deep connection between place and identity.
Art and Beauty
The Bishop and Molny's appreciation of the Cathedral's design and its harmonious integration with the landscape highlights the theme of art and beauty.
Characters to notice
- Bishop Jean Marie Latour
The aging Bishop falls ill after a rainstorm and asks to return to Santa Fe to die. He makes his last entry into the city, contemplating his Cathedral.
- Bernard Ducrot
Young Bernard drives the Bishop to Santa Fe and waits with him at sunset to view the Cathedral.
- Fructosa
The Bishop's old cook who puts him to bed and gives him brandy when he falls ill.
- Magdalena Valdez
Magdalena prepares the Bishop's study and will attend to him during his visit to the Archbishop's house.
Key passages
“Je voudrais mourir à Santa Fe.”
I would like to die in Santa Fe.
The Bishop expresses his wish to return to Santa Fe to die.
“I shall not die of a cold, my son. I shall die of having lived.”
I will not die from a cold, my son. I will die from having lived.
The Bishop reflects on his life and impending death.
“Setting is accident. Either a building is a part of a place, or it is not. Once that kinship is there, time will only make it stronger.”
The setting is a matter of chance. A building either belongs to a place or it does not. Once that connection exists, time will only strengthen it.
Molny's philosophy on architecture and its relationship to the landscape.