Under the Volcano

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses depictions of addiction to alcohol and outdated and offensive language referencing Indigenous peoples, mental health, and addiction, which feature in the source text.

At the Hotel Casino de la Salva in Quauhnahuac, Mexico, M. Jacques Laruelle and Dr. Vigil sit under the shadow of two volcanoes, Popocatepetl and Ixtaccihuatl. They are enjoying a drink on the eve of Jacques’s departure from the town after nearly five years. It is November 2, 1939, the Day of the Dead, and the friends discuss events that led to the death of their friend exactly a year prior. Both remember their own involvement in the Consul’s demise and wonder if they could have prevented it. With his impending move, Jacques bids Dr. Vigil farewell and takes the long way back to his still-unpacked home. 

As he maneuvers through town, Jacques continues to think of that fateful day. He remembers his complicated relationships with the Consul (Geoffrey Firmin) and the Consul’s ex-wife, Yvonne. He is avoiding returning home and finds himself passing the local prison and the dilapidated palace of Emperor Maximilian. He soon finds himself on a bridge and pauses, falling into a memory of his relationship with the Consul that predates their time in Mexico.