Zorro

Zorro, first published in 2005, is a historical fiction novel by the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. Taking the form of a biography or bildungsroman, Zorro is the first work to chronicle the origins of Zorro, a fictional character created by American pulp writer Johnston McCulley in 1919.

Set against the backdrop of Spanish colonialism at the turn of the 19th century, the novel details the events that led the protagonist, Diego de la Vega, to become the masked vigilante known as Zorro. The novel explores themes of heroism, class, colonialism, and justice. Zorro was originally published in Spanish with the title El Zorro: Comienza la leyenda (Zorro: The Legend Begins), followed by English translation by Harper-Collins.

This study guide refers to the 2006 Harper Perennial English edition.

Content warning: The novel depicts graphic violence, sexual assault, and racism. Note also that the original text uses incorrect, outdated terminology for Romani and Indigenous people. Except in direct quotes, this guide has changed that language to better reflect the groups’ identities.

Plot Summary

The novel is recounted in the third person by a narrator who is eventually identified as the protagonist’s friend Isabel de Romeu. The story begins in 1790 in California as an Indigenous uprising threatens Padre Mendoza’s mission in San Gabriel.