Bullfighting Research Paper

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Bullfighting has been a tradition passed along for many years. It is a sport of baiting and killing bulls spectated by the public in an outdoor arena. But how exactly did Bullfighting begin? Bullfighting originated when the first bullfight was held in honor of King Alfonso VIII's coronation in 1133. It was called a corrida back then. These events eventually became popular for celebrating important events and to test the zeal of noblemen. The bullfight first seen at the coronation in 1133 was popularized in 1726 when Francisco Romero started using a cape and weapons during the event. Some older paintings imply that some type of bullfighting existed before 1133. A wall painting in Crete that dates to 2000 B.C. shows men and women grabbing a bull …show more content…

A matador is a bullfighter whose task is to kill the bull. Although most may think Matadors are men, there are also many women who have become matadors and are killing bulls for a living as well. The matador wears a ceremonial outfit called traje de luces, or suit of lights and a montera, which is a traditional folk hat. The red cape that the bullfighters wave is a muleta and the sword used to kill the bull is called the estoque. Six bulls are to be killed by three matadors during the bullfight. Each encounter lasts about 15 minutes. The three matadors, each followed by their assistants, the banderilleros and the picadors march into the ring to the accompaniment of traditional march rhythm music. When a bull first comes into the arena out of the bullpen gate, the matador greets it with a series of manoeuvres or passes, with a large cape. Fighting bulls charge instantly at anything that moves because of their natural instinct. Unlike domestic bulls they do not have to be trained to charge nor are they starved or tortured to make them savage. Ticket prices for bullfights can range from just a few euros to over 100 euros, depending on the seating area. Shaded areas (Sombra) happen to be more expensive than sunny ones (Sol). However, the better or more popular fights, and especially those during the San Isidro festival, are often sold-out almost

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