17th-Century Spanish Theater: Lope, Tirso, and Calderón
17th-Century Spanish Theater
This era is renowned for its influential playwrights, impactful works, and social significance. Lope de Vega revolutionized comedy by disregarding the classical unities of time, place, and action. Plays were structured in three acts (or “days”), employed varied meter (polimetría), adapted language to each character, and incorporated songs and dances, blending comedic and tragic elements.
Themes and Topics
Plays explored mythological and pastoral themes, often set in rural environments. Dominant subjects included love, jealousy, biblical stories, Spanish history and legends, and the pervasive theme of honor.
Social Value of Theater
Theater served as both entertainment and a means of conveying social norms. It reinforced values such as the monarchy, social hierarchy, and Catholic doctrine.
Characters
- The King: Embodied authority and power.
- The Noble Knight: Rich and powerful.
- The Gallant Lover: Handsome, brave, and generous.
- The Lady: Noble and beautiful.
- The Lady’s Father/Brother/Husband: Defended family honor.
- The Villain: Often an honest, Christian peasant.
- The Gracioso (Clown): A materialistic, uneducated servant, loyal to his master.
Lope de Vega
Born in Madrid, Lope de Vega led a life filled with both literary pursuits and military service, marked by numerous love affairs. He became a priest at 52 but later experienced another romance. His writing encompassed poetry, prose, and drama.
Dramatic Works
- History and Legends: Fuenteovejuna
- Foreign Affairs: The Grand Duke of Muscovy
- Comedies of Intrigue: The Dog in the Manger
Characteristics
- Themes: Love, honor, religious ideals, and support for the Crown.
- Dramatic Action: Dynamic and energetic.
- Language and Verse: Varied meter, popular and accessible language.
- Popularity: Resonated with the public, incorporating traditional lyrical elements.
Poetic Works
Lope’s poetry is diverse, covering love, religion, and mythology, using traditional meters.
- Popular Lyrics: Simple and beautiful poems, often integrated into his plays.
- Romances: Early works focused on youthful love, later ones displaying refined form and beauty.
- Cultured Lyrics: Masterful sonnets and natural poetic language, with eclogues reflecting autobiographical elements.
- Epic Poetry: Varied topics, from historical to romantic and religious.
Narrative Works
Included pastoral romances, Byzantine-style narratives, Cervantes-esque short stories, and prose dialogues. La Dorotea, a prose narrative, depicts his youthful love affair with Elena Osorio.
Tirso de Molina
Primarily a playwright, Tirso also wrote prose works like The Condemned in Toledo. Born in Madrid.
Dramatic Works
- Minor Works: Don Gil of the Green Breeches
- Major Works: The Trickster of Seville
Characteristics
- Characters: Diverse in social status and condition, marked by human depth.
- Technical Perfection: Masterful language, verse, dramatic structure, and staging.
The Trickster of Seville
Don Juan Tenorio, an immoral character, deceives various women. The play incorporates Seville’s legends and traditions, using real and symbolic elements to advance the plot.
- Real Issues: Warnings, deceit, promises.
- Symbolic Topics: Fire (love, shame, passion, justice), night.
- Characters: Don Juan, Catalinón (his servant), and Don Gonzalo.
Calderón de la Barca
Born in Madrid, Calderón wrote over 100 plays, plus sacramental and religious-mythological dramas.
Dramatic Works
- Spanish History and Legend
- Comedies of Intrigue
- Philosophical Themes
- Honor and Jealousy
- Mythological Subjects
- Sacramental Plays (over 60, known for their beauty and theological depth)
Characteristics
- Structure: Well-crafted and complex.
- Intellectual Depth: Intense intellectual and ideological background.
- Language and Verse: Elaborate and Baroque, rich and expressive.
- Characters: Possess universal value, representing the strength of human character.
- Moral Sense: Deep moral themes, prioritizing feelings, religious devotion, monarchism, and honor.