The Hive (novel)

The Hive (Spanish: La Colmena) (also translated as The Beehive) is a novel written by the Spanish author Camilo José Cela, first published in 1950.

La Colmena

The novel is set in Madrid in 1943, after the end of the Spanish Civil War, and deals with the poverty and general unhappiness found in Spain by examining a multitude of fictional characters in varying levels of detail. It is notable in that it contains over 300 characters and is considered to be the most important novel written in post civil war Spain. Because of rigorous censorship Cela was unable to get La colmena published in his native Spain, and was instead forced to publish it in Buenos Aires.

The book consists of six chapters and an epilogue. Each chapter contains a number of short passages describing short episodes and focusing on a particular character. In this way a series of insignificant events and characters work together to form an important conclusion, much in the same way that a hive of bees works together to achieve something much more than they could achieve individually.

La colmena (film)

La Colmena (tr. The Beehive or The Hive) is a 1982 Spanish film directed by Mario Camus. Based on the novel The Hive by Camilo José Cela, it depicts the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and its impact on several characters. Cela has a small role as Matías.

Synopsis

The film is set in Madrid during the postwar period, beginning in 1942. The population suffers the consequences of the civil war. A group of members of a social gathering meet every day in the café La Delicia.

Cast

La Colmena

La Colmena is Spanish for "the hive" or "the beehive". "La Colmena" may refer to:

See also