Draft:The Decapitated Chicken

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  • Comment: It is considered a literary classic among the Latin American horror genre. Can you find any sources that discuss this aspect of the article? That's what we'd need to ascertain notability. asilvering (talk) 04:32, 18 January 2024 (UTC)


The Decapitated Chicken
The Decapitated Chicken, as published in «Caras y Caretas» n° 562 (1909)
AuthorHoracio Quiroga
CountryArgentina
LanguageSpanish
GenreHorror short story
Publication date
July 10, 1909

The Decapitated Chicken is a horror short story by Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga, first published in the magazine Caras y Caretas, in 1909,[1] and later included in the book Cuentos de amor de locura y de muerte, published in 1917.[2] It is recognized as a literary classic [3] among the Latin American horror genre.[4]

Plot[edit]

It follows the story of the Mazzini-Ferraz couple, who are said to be cursed.
Their four sons, as soon as they reached a year and a half, suffered seizures that made them mentally disabled and virtually incapable of reasoning.
The fifth child, a girl, is born and grows older without any problems and with the usual mental capabilities, and soon little Berta becomes her parents' favorite, as their other sons are casted away and forsaken.
One day, the siblings watch as a hen is beheaded and cooked for dinner. This seemingly insignificant event ushers in a tragedy.
The siblings decide to echo the witnessed act, enacting the death of their sister.

Adaptations[edit]

The short story was adapted by screenwriter Carlos Trillo and illustrated by artist Alberto Breccia[5], in a classic version published in the magazine Fierro Nº8, April 1985.[6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Caras y caretas (Buenos Aires). 10/7/1909, n.º 562". Hemeroteca Digital. Biblioteca Nacional de España. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
  2. ^ Horacio Quiroga (1917). Cuentos de amor de locura y de muerte (1ra. ed.). Soc. Coop. Editorial Ltda., Buenos Aires.
  3. ^ Encyclopedia, Britannica. "Horacio Quiroga". ww.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
  4. ^ Gaceta, La. "Horacio Quiroga, salvaje y trágico, partió hace 80 años". www.lagaceta.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-18.
  5. ^ Podríamos conversar mil años sobre aquello que pensamos en un solo día, por Lucas Mercado 23-12-2012, Radar, suplemento cultural de Página/12
  6. ^ La gallina degollada por Carlos Trillo & Alberto Breccia 16-10-2013, Una historieta para cada día