La Celestina: Unveiling Love, Death, and Greed
La Celestina: A 15th-Century Masterpiece
The Matchmaker, originally published anonymously in 1499 as *Comedy of Calisto and Melibea*, consisted of 16 acts. The following year, it was reissued with the author’s name, Fernando de Rojas. In 1502, it was printed with a new title, *Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea*, and significant expansions. This final text became known as *La Celestina*, named after the work’s most prominent character.
The book was an enormous success, with numerous editions published since its creation. Fernando de Rojas was born in La Puebla de Montalbán (Toledo) around 1475. He studied law in Salamanca and settled in Talavera de la Reina in 1507, eventually becoming the city’s mayor. He married into a converso family, and also lived in a hostile environment. He died in 1541.
Genre and Style: A Dialogue-Driven Narrative
La Celestina is a work of considerable length presented entirely through dialogue. This has led to debate on whether it is a play or a dialogued novel. The characters’ speech is the driving force, suggesting the work was not intended for public performance. However, it also shares characteristics with drama.
The language and style blend cultured, academic language with popular speech. The cultured language features Latin influences, long phrases, and verbs placed at the end of sentences. In contrast, the popular language is lively and direct, filled with sayings, short phrases, colloquialisms, jokes, and insults. This linguistic variety showcases the power of language in the *Tragicomedy*, used to inform, communicate, interact, persuade, convince, deceive, and dominate.
Characters: A Reflection of Social Strata
The two linguistic levels correspond to the two groups of characters:
- Upper Class: Calisto, Melibea, and Melibea’s parents, Pleberio and Alisa.
- Lower Class: Celestina, Areusa, Elicia, and the servants.
Calisto is a wealthy, idle suitor, blinded by passion. He uses trickery to conquer Melibea and speaks with rhetorical language.
Melibea is an active character who does not hide her passion and ultimately dies for it.
Alisa and Pleberio are parents unaware of their daughter’s true feelings.
Celestina, the central figure, is characterized as a sorceress and procuress with vast life experience. Her ambition leads to her death.
The world of servants and prostitutes is driven by selfish instincts and greed. Sosia and Tristan harbor resentment towards their masters.
Central Themes and Author’s Intention
Love, death, ambition, selfishness, greed, and class struggle are central themes in *La Celestina*. The story explores love not only between the protagonists but also among those of lower social standing, and the death of many characters.
Some interpret the work as having a moral purpose, showcasing the consequences of immoral behavior. Others emphasize its pessimistic vision, reflecting deep disappointment and despair. *La Celestina* reflects the mentality of late 15th-century Castile and the emerging capitalist values of the time. Lying, cheating, and deception dominate human interactions, and money seems to hold ultimate power. There appears to be no future in *La Celestina*; only the prostitutes and servants, who survive the catastrophe, have a life ahead of them.