Evolution of Valle-Inclán's Dramatic Works and Esperpento

In the dramatic trajectory of Valle-Inclán, there is a continued desire for renewal and a formal and thematic pretension of breaking the theater of his time.

Early Decadent Dramas

These works apply Valle's Modernism; however, the drama moves away from Symbolist theater. Characters are created with the incorporation of realistic attitudes, such as in The Marquis de Bradomín (1906). In this work, he developed the play at the Palace of the Marquis and Brandeso. Dama stands out for ridiculing the use of procedures in the key characters, creating soul and technique through multiple sites of action.

Dramas of the Galician Environment

All works of this cycle are related by mythical characters created through their themes, atmospheres, and significance. They are located in a mythical, timeless Galicia. In them, he represents an archaic society. The focus is on conflicts of lust, cruelty, arrogance, despotism, sacrilege, the sin of superstition, and magic.

Barbaric Comedies

The Barbaric Comedies (Comedias Bárbaras) embody basic human impulses and are driven by obscure reasons.

Divine Words

In Divine Words (Divinas Palabras), characters and situations come together in this violent drama that contrasts the distorted world of the nonsensical with Decadent stylization.

Farces and Modernist Satire

In his farces, Valle-Inclán introduces celebrity characters, the use of costumes, and theater within theater, looking for the effect of breaking scenic reality.

The Marquise de Rosalinda

The Marquise de Rosalinda is considered the most open Modernist work of Valle-Inclán; it is an outspoken critic.

The Dragon's Head

The Dragon's Head creates an atmosphere of a fairy tale. In her parody, Valle-Inclán mocks Modernist literature and the elusiveness of love with the King. In this part, Valle-Inclán contradicts the sentimental and the grotesque.

The Pious Queen

The Pious Queen (La Reina Castiza) has significant implications; it is a devastating satire of the reign of Elizabeth II and focuses on the everyday life of the palace.

The Esperpento and the Grotesque

Valle-Inclán's dramatic production culminates in the grotesque. The Esperpento functions as a tool for unmasking, deforming certain aspects of characters and situations, resulting in a caricatured vision that is alternately comic and gruesome. Key works include:

• Luces de Bohemia (1920)
• Los cuernos de don Friolera (1921)
• Las galas del difunto (1926)
• La hija del capitán (1927)

These last three were published together under the title Mardi Gras (Martes de Carnaval, 1930).

Bohemian Lights

In Bohemian Lights (Luces de Bohemia), there is a gruesome guided trip through Madrid by Max Estrella and Latino de Hispalis, visiting various places until Max's death outside his home.

Shrove Tuesday: Martes de Carnaval

The Spanish army is the focus of criticism in this trilogy:

• Los cuernos de don Friolera: A parody that reborn theater with the theme of honor from the late Calderonian tradition.
• Las galas del difunto: The protagonist is also a military hero rebelling against the world of which he is a victim.
• The Captain's Daughter: Focuses on the Spanish army; the real target is the mother and, by extension, national life.