The Gods of Tango
The theme of a woman passing as a man in society is not new to literature or music. Both Shakespeare and Mozart used the theme to great success. Carolina De Robertis taps into the idea in her novel The Gods of Tango, set in the early 20th century. In lyrical style De Robertis tells the story of Leda, a young woman who leaves Italy for a new home and husband in Argentina. When she arrives, she discovers her husband-to-be has been killed. Living by herself in a tenement and on the brink of destitution, Leda chooses to cut her hair, bind her breasts, and become “Dante,” a male violinist pursuing his passion—the scandalous tango. A dance of impoverished lower-classes, the tango had a reputation as music fit only for brothels and cabarets. Dante’s band wants to lift the tango beyond the demimonde to the elegant soirees of high society. In the constraints of a society where gender boundaries, as well as musical boundaries, are firmly set, Dante finds love that transcends those boundaries. As she enters into relationships with various women, she must confront gender identity, male power, and the few ways by which women can improve themselves in a male-dominated society. As she confronts her real self, she jeopardizes her musical career and her life.
While both tender and passionate, the book is written in a straightforward narrative style which at times can be off-putting. The reader is never given the chance to connect with Dante in a deeply emotionally satisfying way. Several flashback sequences, instead of elucidating the plot, never quite follow through. However, the author’s love of her characters and the musical environment in which they operate are evident. Readers will no doubt want to follow up with investigations of their own into the scandalous history of the tango.
