In this article mourning is analyzed, in the short story of Julio Ramón Ribeyro, as a fundamental element in the construction of his narrative. For this reason, the objective of this study is to identify how the mourning affects its characters, leading them to carry out actions that are decisive in the plot of the story. For this purpose, the following stories will be analyzed “La vida gris”, “Los gallinazos sin plumas”, “Al pie del acantilado”, “Te querré eternamente”, “Cuando no sea más que sombra”, “Página de un diario” y “Los otros”. Likewise, to recognize and define the stages of mourning, the studies of Kübler-Ross in his book Sobre la muerte y los moribundos (1969) will be used. With this we will show the relevant role of the duel in...