Spanish Baroque Theater and Punctuation Rules

Characteristics of Spanish Baroque Theater

• Combines tragic and comic elements.
• Shows little respect for the rule of three unities (action, time, space).
• Characters are often simple archetypes: protagonist, antagonist, lover, servant, comic relief, etc.
• The main plot is driven by love and honor, closely linked. In Baroque theater, characters may kill to defend their honor, considered a person's greatest asset—individually, within the family, and in society.
• Follows a simple three-act structure (beginning, middle, and end).
• Employs stanzas of verse.
• Performances were accompanied by music and dance.
• Features a wide variety of themes: love, religion, history, legends, etc.

Capitalization Rules

• Names, surnames, nicknames, and aliases are capitalized.
• Names of institutions, agencies, and political parties are capitalized.
• Trademarks are capitalized.
• The first word of any work's title (books, paintings, movies, etc.) is capitalized.
• Titles and dignities are capitalized, except when accompanied by the name of the person holding the title.
• After a colon, the word following a heading and the first word in a direct quote are capitalized.

The Comma

• Use commas to separate items in a list when they are not joined by the conjunctions *and*, *or*, or *nor*.
• Use a comma to set off the name of the person you are addressing.
• Use commas to set off clarifications or extensions introduced after a word or in the middle of a sentence.
• Use commas to avoid repeating the same verb in two or more sentences.
• Use a comma when the normal order of a sentence is reversed.
• Expressions and words like *and so*, *but*, *nevertheless*, *therefore*, *in order*, and *indeed* are set off by commas.

The Semicolon

• Indicates a pause of intermediate duration.
• The use of the semicolon is often a matter of style and depends on the degree of independence the author attributes to the sentences.
• Use a semicolon to separate individual items or sentences in a long period when they already contain commas.
• Use a semicolon to separate sentences that, although independent, are closely related in meaning.

The Colon

• Use a colon before a list that explains what is said in the previous sentence.
• Use a colon at the end of a list, preceding its summary or conclusion.
• Use a colon at the end of a statement that is immediately explained or developed.
• Use a colon before a statement that is a consequence, conclusion, or summary of the preceding sentence.
• Use a colon before quoting a phrase or text.
• In stories, use a colon before dialogue.