Zorba the Greek

The next morning Zorba wakes the narrator, telling him of his dream of Zorba trying to get on a ship. A messenger arrives, saying that Hortense is asking for Zorba. The narrator again insists that the messenger get a doctor for her, then he and Zorba go to visit her. In the village the narrator sees Mimithos sitting by her garden. The boy screams that they’re all murderers, and the narrator agrees. When they arrive at Hortense’s, they see her illness has advanced and that she can barely breathe. She says she doesn’t want to die.

As she is on her deathbed, some boys chase her hens. The dirge singers hiss at her to die quickly so they can take her belongings. Hortense brings out her crucifix. Anagnosti comes in and apologizes to Hortense, who is thinking of her past. The dirge singers begin singing, and Zorba scolds them for beginning while she is still alive. He comforts Hortense. The narrator is struck by the villagers’ callousness. Hortense dies with a cry, and the dirge singers begin singing again. Zorba leaves for the yard, and the narrator remembers him saying, “I’m not ashamed of crying in front of men. I’m a man; we’re all the same tribe and it’s not shameful for us. But in front of women we need to appear brave” (259).

The villagers feast in her honor. Zorba joins them in drinking and eating while the dirge singers periodically stop to take Hortense’s things. Other elderly women stop by to steal her things as well. They learn that Mavrandoni has taken to the mountains to avoid repercussions for killing the widow. Uncle Anagnosti, Kondomanolio, and other elders come to take inventory of Hortense’s belongings to distribute them among the poor, but their plans are foiled by the poor villagers, who start looting everything. The elders decide to bury her. Zorba takes her parrot; he and the narrator watch as they take Hortense’s body out.

When the narrator and Zorba reach the sea, they sit, and Zorba asks why people die. The narrator says he doesn’t know. Zorba is upset at this. The narrator is anguished that he cannot answer, but thinks, “humanity’s highest reach was not knowledge, nor was it virtue, goodness, or victory, but something else, something higher, more heroic and despairing—namely awe” (266). He tells Zorba that mankind are just grubs on a lead and that at the edge of that leaf, many react in different ways. Zorba says that he’s not one to be resigned to death. The narrator thinks that acceptance is the only way to be free, but he doesn’t know what to do with human beings who fight against their circumstances. Zorba leaves and the narrator feels himself changing.

Several days go by. Zorba works quietly, and the narrator is consumed by questions about the nature of life. He goes down to the village and finds Hortense’s hotel deserted. Zorba knows where the narrator has been when he returns. The narrator accuses Zorba of forgetting Hortense, but Zorba claims he lives in the present. Zorba says this is why he gave her more pleasure than any other man when she lived. Her old lovers hadn’t given her the attention Zorba did.

As they talk, Zacharias appears, smelling of kerosene. He tells them that he set the monastery on fire. Zacharias goes to sleep on the beach. Zorba intends to send him away on a ship. He and the narrator talk about having demons, and the narrator thinks that this is all right as long as they aim for the same destination. He explains that there are three types of men: those who live their lives for themselves, those who want to enlighten men, and those who want to “transubstantiate matter into spirit” (273). Zorba doesn’t understand and wishes the narrator would dance. He recalls a story he heard about how God could be contained in the hearts of men.

Zorba goes to see Zacharias and finds him dead. He ponders over whether he should burn the monk’s body. The narrator doesn’t want to be involved. Zorba talks about a miracle, and when the narrator next awakens, Zorba tells him he was busy creating such a miracle.