Characters and Themes in Calderón de la Barca’s Play
Clarin
Clarin is a comedic character. In Renaissance plays (like those of Lope de Rueda), the figure of grace, a funny servant, appeared. Lope de Vega adopted this character but gave him more importance, making him a key element of Spanish theater. Calderón surpassed Lope’s characterization, making Clarin a significant figure, especially for the moral lessons he represents. Clarin becomes a symbol, and his death summarizes the significance of the work. More than a deterministic stance, Clarin’s end expresses the inescapable nature of fate, something humans cannot fully understand.
Astolfo
Astolfo plays the role of the gallant. Though a minor character, he is prominent and plays an important role in the conflict, along with Estrella, helping to maintain the secondary plot involving Rosaura. He is characterized as one who violates Rosaura’s honor, as gallants of the time often did, by not fulfilling his promise of marriage. He can also be seen as an opponent to Segismundo, especially due to his arrogance.
Estrella
Estrella is the leading lady. However, she is not well-developed and serves as a mere dramatic device in the conflict. Unknowingly, she becomes Rosaura’s rival. There is an underlying competition between Rosaura and Estrella, especially from Rosaura’s perspective when she learns of the wedding.
First Soldier
The First Soldier stands out because he leads the popular rebellion and subsequently receives his punishment. Despite Calderón’s criticism, the ending is consistent with his offense (rebelling against the king), and it aligns with Segismundo’s conversion. Segismundo’s decision to imprison him to restore order is justified.
Setting
The story primarily takes place within the palace, suggesting a courtly environment. This environment has its own language, dress, and customs. When the soldiers arrive to save Segismundo, there is a noticeable shift in language, and the environment becomes more vulgar.
Message
The message conveyed by this work emphasizes patience, perseverance, and the desire to improve, allowing us to accomplish more complex tasks each day. In the future, everything we learn and implement will demonstrate that our efforts were not in vain.
Themes
Ideal Monarchical and Religious Themes:
- Love: For Lope, love is a noble and inevitable passion that can be experienced within each social class, but one cannot hope to surpass it. Love stimulates other noble virtues like courage and nobility.
- Defense of Honor: Honor consists of an unblemished reputation that a woman or man deserves in the eyes of others. It can be lost through one’s own actions (cowardice, betrayal, theft) or through the actions of others (insult, provocation, infidelity of a spouse). This shame can only be avenged, and only the king can ultimately grant salvation.
Personal Comment
I believe the work is well-written, with a good plot and interesting characters. The execution of the action is also commendable. However, some of the language was difficult to understand, as it has changed since the play was written. Despite the language barrier, the book is relatively easy to read and understand.