The Elephant's Journey
port. A Viagem do Elefante · 2008
Prepared bythe Litseller editorial team.Our goal is to share concise, accurate, and valuable book notes for personal growth and education.
Interesting Facts
- The book is based on real events that occurred in the 16th century when the Portuguese king João III gifted an elephant named Solomon to Archduke Maximilian II of Austria.
- The plot revolves around the elephant's journey from Lisbon to Vienna, which lasted about two years.
- José Saramago employs his characteristic style in the book, including long sentences and minimal punctuation, creating a unique narrative rhythm.
- The book explores themes of power, human nature, and the absurdity of life through the lens of a historical journey.
- The elephant Solomon and his mahout Subhro become central characters through whom the author reveals cultural and social differences between various regions of Europe at the time.
- The narrative is filled with irony and satire, allowing the author to critically examine historical events and human weaknesses.

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Date of publication: 10 February 2025
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Genre: Historical novel
This material is prepared for educational purposes and is not a reproduction of the original text. We do not use protected elements of the work (text, structure, unique scenes).
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