The Black Bull


When the little girl said she had seen a black bull, what does she mean? What does Bunuel trying to say? Is there any significant meaning to that scene?

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[deleted]

my impression was the black bull was foreshadowing the eventual demise/corruption of viridiana. Not necessarily that specific, but when the little girl said that, i thought it seemed pretty clear that things were gonna go wrong in a not-so-gentle way. Seems to make sense considering the shocking events that happen under viridiana and in the conclusion, directly to her. i hope that makes sense, or doesn't sound stupid. peace.

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It´s probably a reference to his old friend Federico Garcia Lorca. A black bull is named in Lorca´s famous poem "Lament for the Death of a Bullfighter". No doubt a death symbol. There is also a poem by Lorca about a sleeping nun by the way.

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[deleted]

In my mind, it's simply a combination of evil (black) and a symbol of wild bestial power, particularly in a sexual sense.

Great directors (like Hitchcock) often enjoy foreshadowing what's to come.

Evil (or at least our base human emotions) and hedonistic sexuality rule the day over the more civilized conventions such as religion.

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[deleted]

Indubitably, the bull is a symbol for sexuality, male virility, and also a phallus. When she says the bull has broken into the house, it implies the act of coitus-- forced coitus. She then says the bull came into the house through the cupboard, it maybe means that the bull has chosen a sneaky why of forcing it's way in. Viridiana's uncle, incidentally, has very sneakily attempted to penetrate his niece by drugging her.

There are perhaps other implications, but I'm pretty sure this is a primary one.

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It's sexual. She dreams a black bull came into the room through a cupboard. The image is of penetration through a hollow object. Her dream wakes her in time to see Don Jaime kissing and fondling Viridiana, who is dressed in white.

To say a little often is to tell more than to say a great deal.

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