I.

Introduction

Bullfighting, sports spectacle involving conflict between a bull and one or more contestants, fought in an outdoor arena according to certain rules and procedures. Traditionally, the bullfight is a combination of ritual and mortal combat, with an attempt, at the risk of the principal contestant's life, to maneuver a bull gracefully and kill it in a manner both courageous and aesthetically unrepugnant. Although bullfighting is confined largely to Spain and to the Spanish-speaking countries of the western hemisphere (especially Mexico), such contests take place also in southern France and in Portugal.

In Spanish-speaking countries the bullfight is known as la fiesta brava (“the brave festival”) or la corrida de toros (“the running of the bulls”). The corrida, as it is popularly known, takes place before crowds of enthusiasts, often numbering many thousands.