17th Century Spanish Theater: A Golden Age
XVII Century Spanish Theater: A Golden Age
The Rise of Spanish Theater
The seventeenth century marks a golden age for Spanish theater, distinguished by its prolific authors, exceptional works, and significant social impact. This flourishing period was largely due to the contributions of Lope de Vega, whose innovative “New Comedy” shaped the landscape of Spanish drama.
New Comedy: Lope de Vega’s Innovation
Lope de Vega introduced groundbreaking changes to dramatic structure and style:
- Plays disregarded the classical unities of place, time, and action.
- Instead of five acts, plays were structured in three.
- Works were written in verse, utilizing diverse meters (polymetry) and incorporating folk songs and dances.
Themes and Issues
Plays of this era often featured complex and dynamic plots, exploring a range of themes:
- Popular and national issues drawn from Spanish tradition, history, and legend.
- Love, jealousy, and religious themes, including biblical stories.
The Theme of Honor
In the seventeenth century, honor represented public reputation earned through virtue and merit. While traditionally associated with nobility and heroic figures seeking revenge, Lope de Vega extended this concept to other social classes, linking it to the exaltation of the monarchy and the purity of bloodline.
Tirso de Molina
Known for his work The Trickster of Seville.
Calderón de la Barca
Calderón de la Barca further developed Spanish drama, exploring diverse themes:
- Spanish history and legend (The Mayor of Zalamea)
- Intrigue (The Phantom Lady)
- Philosophical concepts (Life is a Dream)
- Religious allegories (The Great Theater of the World)
Characteristics of Calderón’s Comedies
Compared to Lope de Vega’s works, Calderón’s plays exhibited:
- A stronger emphasis on intellectual themes, sometimes overshadowing the dramatic action.
- More elaborate and baroque language and versification.
- A profound moral sense, often highlighting religious, monarchical, and honor themes.
Social Value of Baroque Theater
Seventeenth-century theater was a popular form of entertainment, serving to both amuse and impart social norms. It often reinforced:
- Defense of the monarchy.
- Maintenance of the social status quo.
- Strict adherence to Catholic doctrine.
Characters
Lope de Vega established a set of recurring character types, including the king, nobleman, gallant lover, lady, old man (father, husband, or brother), villain, and gracioso (jester/witty servant).
Corrales de Comedias: The Theaters
Plays were performed in corrales de comedias, courtyards adapted into theaters. The audience occupied balconies, windows, and the courtyard, with men and women seated separately. Sets were initially simple but became more elaborate over time. Performances, lasting two and a half to three hours, began with a celebratory prelude.
Lope de Vega: A Literary Giant
Lope de Vega, renowned for his poetry, prose, and especially his dramatic works, is considered a major figure in Spanish literature.
Dramatic Works
- Historical plays (Fuenteovejuna, Peribáñez and the Commander of Ocaña)
- Comedies of manners (The Dog in the Manger, The Foolish Lady)
Characteristics of Lope de Vega’s Theater
His plays are characterized by diverse themes, dramatic intensity, skillful language and versification, and popular appeal.
Other Works
- Poetry: Popular lyrics, romances, cultured lyrics, and religious poetry.
- Narrative: Pastoral (Arcadia), Byzantine (The Pilgrim in his Homeland), Cervantes-style novellas (Novelas a Marcia Leonarda), and prose dialogues (La Dorotea)