17th Century Spanish Theater: Lope de Vega's Influence

The Theater of the 17th Century

The 17th century is the great period of Spanish drama due to the importance of the authors, the quality of their work, and their social impact. This is thanks to the impetus given by Lope de Vega with the principles of his New Comedy.

Lope de Vega's Theatrical Innovations

In his theatrical production, Lope de Vega introduced innovations that he later detailed in his New Art of Making Comedies:

• He did not respect the three unities of time, place, and action.
• The work is structured in three acts and workshops.
• While the classical precept separated comedy and tragedy, they can now be mixed in the same work (tragicomedy).
• All the works are written in verse. He resorted to polymetry, using different stanzas and meters.
• He sought to adjust the language to the status of each character (poetic decorum).
• It may include dances and folk songs.

Themes and Issues in 17th Century Spanish Drama

The arguments of the comedies tend to be complicated and developed with great dynamism. There are a variety of issues, but the most important are:

• Themes of popular and national character, drawn from tradition, history, and legends of Spain.
• Themes of love and jealousy.
• Religious themes.

The Theme of Honor

In the 17th century, honor referred to the good opinion others have of a famous person, an opinion that person has acquired by their virtue and merit. In Golden Age drama, the theme of honor began to focus on marital fidelity, an issue closer to the audience.

Offenses to honor were resolved with the death of the offender, unless the offender was the king. The issue of honor was also joined by the purity of blood. The aggrieved father or husband often reaffirmed their status as an Old Christian, not mingled with Jewish or Moorish blood.

Social Value of the Baroque Scene

The theater was largely, in the 17th century, a popular spectacle that served to entertain and teach models of behavior. The audience saw reflected in the scene the rigid social structure and the standards of the time. The audience especially appreciated:

• The defense of the monarchy.
• The maintenance of the status of the characters.
• The former military hegemony.
• The defense of strict adherence to Catholic rule.

The Comedy Corrales

Composition of the Corrales

The old corrales were mounted on the patios of tenements. Some audience members stood on the balconies and windows. The place called the cazuela, the bottom level of the first floor, was devoted to women attending the show, separated from men, but in the boxes, they could be together.

Standees were also called Musketeers for their riots and the fuss they made. It was they who used to lead the signs of approval or disapproval.

Scenography

It was simple, with just a few decorations, especially at the time of Lope. The functions were held in the evening and lasted two or three hours. Performances were only on Sundays or holidays.

It began with a loa, between the first and second act, and a brief interlude between the second and third, a jácara (popular song). At the end, there could be a dance.