El duelo

Synopsis of El duelo

«El duelo» is the short novel by Joseph Conrad, published by Destino in hardcover (148 pages, in Spanish).

Set during the Napoleonic Wars, it narrates the rivalry between two French officers, Feraud and D'Hubert, who duel on numerous occasions over more than fifteen years without a clear motive. Conrad wrote the story in 1907 and later included it in «Seis relatos»; the central theme is human stupidity and prolonged absurdity.

1988 edition, in the Cuadernos de Bitácora collection no. 1, with a presentation by Carlos Barral. In 1977, Ridley Scott directed a movie adaptation of the story.