Divertimento (novel)
1949 novel by Julio Cortázar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Divertimento is a novel by the Argentine-French writer Julio Cortázar. The work was written in 1949 and published in 1986, two years after the writer's death.[1] Harry Morales's English translation was published by Vintage Classics in 2025.
| Author | Julio Cortázar |
|---|---|
| Translator | Harry Morales |
| Language | Spanish |
| Genre | Novel |
| Publisher | Vintage Classics |
Publication date | 1986 |
| Publication place | Argentina |
Published in English | Aug, 2025 |
| ISBN | 9781529956818 |
Plot
The story is set in 1940s Bohemian Buenos Aires, and told by Insecto, the author's alter ego, who is a friend of a group of young creatives formed by the flamboyant surrealist painter Renato Lozano and his sister Susana; the brothers Jorge and Marta Vigil; and the Dinar sisters, Laura and Moña.[2][3][4]
They all meet at the Vive como puedes art studio (Live as You Can), a place where they discuss literature, painting, and music. The meeting place, in a way, foreshadows the Snake Club from Cortázar's novel Hopscotch.[2][4]
Analysis
The novel intertwines literary, artistic, and musical themes. Life should be approached playfully; existence should not be taken too seriously.[1]
Cortázar's humor is present throughout the narrative. He uses a tone that navigates a balance between nostalgia and irony.[1]
A key theme is the concern for a non-existent future.[5] Through the bohemian characters, the novel portrays the anti-Peronist sentiments of Cortázar's early stage as a writer.[3]
