The Title
The story's title, "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World," is itself a form of irony, as it juxtaposes two unexpected ideas (handsomeness and death) with one another and sets up the strange sequence of events that makes up the story's plot. The story suggests through this ironic premise that transformation and inspiration can arise from the most unlikely places or circumstances.
The Men's Response
Initially, the men of the village are frustrated with the women for spending so much time preparing the drowned man for burial, instead wishing simply to toss him back into the sea. When the women remove the handkerchief from Esteban's face, the men are similarly overcome by his beauty and join the women in their elaborate funerary preparations. This ironic reaction from the men emphasizes the sense of collectivity and community that the figure of Esteban inspires in the villagers.
Esteban's Influence
The villagers spend days preparing Esteban's body for burial, meticulously cleaning him, sewing him new clothing, assigning him family members, and other efforts to honor him. However, the villagers are unaware that they also receive something in return from Esteban: the desire to live brighter and fuller lives, to embrace vitality and beauty even in their simplest forms. Thus, the villagers' labor to mourn Esteban appropriately comes to serve their own community by the end of the story.
