Point of View

The Point of View of the novel of Baltasar and Blimunda by Jose Saramago is one of the most intriguing elements of the work. In this novel, the author chooses to use a very unconventional technique of mixing third-person and first-person subjection freely, so at one and same time we can be listening to a character's voice and feelings, whilst hearing a historical narrative from an 'outside' voice. This technique gives a clear and a strong sense of the narrator's voice, tone and character (which we must assume is the author's own own voice and not another character).

This style of narration allows the author to utilise the voices of any of the characters of the book as he reveals their thoughts, with the greater depth being given to the main trio of protagonists Baltasar, Blimunda and the Padre Bartolomeu as they occupy the most of...