Honor y libertad: El perro del hortelano de Lope de Vega

At the close of the sixteenth century, Spain and England were bitter religious and political rivals. When Felipe II and Elizabeth I died in 1598 and 1603, respectively, diplomatic relations between the two powers took a turn for the better, but at the level of popular culture Spain remained permanently vilified in the eyes of most Englishmen. This phenomenon is one aspect of the leyenda negra , the English roots of which are found in events such as Henry VIII's break with Rome, the translation of Las Casas's Brevísima relación , the reign of "Bloody Mary," and the failed invasion of the Spanish Armada. This article continues work on the comedia started by Donald Cruickshank, partly in an effort to redress an imbalance of studies on the image of Spaniards in England and the neglected image of the English in Spain. Although Spanish encounters with peoples of the New World have been closely examined, considerably less attention has been given to the question of European others in Spain. With this in mind, I look at Lope de Vega's English characters and settings in ten comedias written between 1598 and 1612, searching for evidence of a Spanish response to the Black Legend. Did Lope vilify in kind and, if not, why not? (RSS)

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Duelling Sonnets: The Battle of the Lovers in Lope de Vega's El perro del hortelano

Howe¹

2011

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In his Arte nuevo de hacer comedias , Lope de Vega suggests that "el soneto está bien en los que aguardan … y para las de amor las redondillas." In his comedia, El perro del hortelano , therefore, it comes as a surprise that the sonnet is used throughout, both to express feelings of love as well as of the frustrations of waiting for that love to be reciprocated by the real object of the characters' affections. In fact, El perro del hortelano has the distinction of including the largest number of sonnets (9) of any of Lope's comedias . This article examines the sonnets, spoken and written by Diana, Teodoro, and Marcela, that appear in the course of the play. In these poems, the characters give voice to the conflicting feelings engendered by love and desire. The duelling sonnets are presented as exercises intended to respond to others' needs, but, as the audience is made aware, actually reveal the characters' real feelings. As the principals interact in scenes surrounding the sonnets, they establish an overt and covert conversation about love, honor, and social standing. Resolution of the convoluted plot occurs in the final act but in a form that underscores the dark comedy of the work as a whole.

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Honor y libertad: El perro del hortelano de Lope de Vega

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

Bibliography of Publications on the Comedia (1998-1999)

Bibliography of Publications on the Comedia (1998-1999)

"Con arte se vence todo": Images of the English in Lope de Vega

Duelling Sonnets: The Battle of the Lovers in Lope de Vega's El perro del hortelano

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