Celestina: Love, Tragedy, and Social Commentary

Celestina: A Masterpiece of Spanish Literature

Celestina is a masterpiece of literature, written in the late fifteenth century and achieving success in the sixteenth century.

Authorship

The authorship is a subject of debate. The accepted theory suggests two authors. One author wrote the first act, and Fernando de Rojas wrote the rest.

Title Variations

Early editions were titled Calisto and Melibea, but in the sixteenth century, the title changed to Tragicomedy of Callisto and Melibea.

Plot Summary

Callisto, a nobleman, encounters Melibea and becomes infatuated, but she rejects him. Callisto, through his servants, employs a procuress named Celestina. Through her deceptions and spells, Celestina changes Melibea's feelings. Celestina secures her commission but is killed by Callisto's servants (Sempronio and Pármeno) because she refuses to share her earnings. Later, during a romantic encounter between Callisto and Melibea, the nobleman falls to his death while descending some stairs to seek help for his servants. The servants also die as they are executed. Finally, the book concludes with Pleberio's monologue, Melibea's father, lamenting the fate that God has given him.

Genre Classification

The book's genre is also debated. Some argue it's a drama, emphasizing the characters' importance and the narrator's absence. Others consider it a novel in dialogue, pioneering the use of the monologue. It could also be a humorous comedy, given the uncertain duration of events, anticlerical themes, action in different locations, and so on.

Modes of Address

In the characters' speech, three modalities can be observed:

• Alternating Discourse: Long, rhetorical interventions alternating with quick verbal exchanges.
• Monologue: Used primarily when characters are alone, exposing their fears.
• Aside: Used as a mechanism for humor, though not always.

The Portrayal of Love

Love in the play is a parody of courtly love, mocking the conventions of such love. For example, when the young man tells his servants that he has had relations, he resorts to a go-between, reducing Melibea to a mere figure. The matchmaker uses magic to make Melibea fall in love, even invoking the devil to achieve her purpose. Love is conceived as madness, as Melibea commits suicide after hearing about the death of her beloved. Furthermore, love is no longer treated as something delicate and spiritual but is characterized by sexual and physical pleasure.