by Lope de Vega
In the plays printed here I have of course attempted to convey the meaning of the original Spanish, but they are not 'literal' translations and there will, inevitably, be some small differences. As far as line-length is concerned, I have opted in the main for an octosyllabic line in an attempt to preserve the quick pace of Lope's original, though there are too a number of lines of ten syllables. In general, absolute consistency in the number of syllables seems less important than a sense of flow and rhythm. Furthermore, I have avoided any attempt to reproduce the rhyming patterns of the original, since to try to do that would lead in English to distortion of the syntax and a clumsiness which is at odds with the musicality of the Spanish. My policy has been to use occasional rhyme both at the end of lines and within lines, but in a way which allows the verse to flow naturally. Above all, because the plays of the Golden Age were written in verse and employed rhyme, they have a sense of discipline and style. It is important in translation that that sense of style -- of verse
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which is musical and pleasing on the lips of an actor and the ears of an audience -- be preserved. This, in the end, has been my main concern.
In the case of Fuente Ovejuna, my translation is based on the Spanish text published in Madrid in 1619 in the Dozena Parte de las Comedias de Lope de Vega Carpio, of which there is a copy in the British Library (1072.i.12). A modern edition is Lope de Vega: Fuente Ovejuna, ed. and trans. Victor Dixon ( Warminster, 1989). For the translation of The Knight from Olmedo, I have followed the Spanish text published in 1641 in Zaragoza in the Veintiquatro Parte Perfecta de las Comedias del Fénix de España, Frey Lope Félix de Vega Carpio, of which there is a copy in the Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid (R. 13875). A good modern edition is El caballero de Olmedo, ed. Francisco Rico ( Madrid, 1981). Punishment Without Revenge is based on the autograph manuscript of the play dated 1 August 1631 and now in the Ticknor Library in Boston. A modern edition is El castigo sin venganza, ed. C. A. Jones ( Oxford, 1966).
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SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
General Studies on Lope de Vega
Castro, A. and Rennert, H. A., Vida de Lope de Vega (1562-1635) ( Salamanca, 1969).
McKendrick, Melveena, Theatre in Spain 1490-1700 ( Cambridge, 1989). See chapter 4.
Rennert, H. A., The Life of Lope de Vega (1562-1635) ( Glasgow, 1904).
---- The Spanish Stage in the Time of Lope de Vega ( New York, 1909).
Shergold, N. D., A History of the Spanish Stage from Medieval Times until the End of the Seventeenth Century ( Oxford, 1967). See chapters 7 and 8.
Vossler, K., Lope de Vega y su tiempo ( Madrid, 1940).
Wilson, E. M. and Moir, D., A Literary History of Spain, the Golden Age: Drama 1492-1700 ( London, 1971). See chapter 3.
Wilson, Margaret, Spanish Drama of the Golden Age ( Oxford and London, 1969). See chapters 4 and 5.
Studies of Fuente Ovejuna
Anibal, C. E., "The Historical Elements of Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna", Publications of the Modern Language Association of America, 49 ( 1934), 657-718.
Carter, Robin, "Fuente Ovejuna and Tyranny: Some Problems of Linking Drama with Political Theory", Forum for Modern Language Studies, 13 ( 1977), 313-35.
Darst, David H., "The Awareness of Higher Authority in Fuente Ovejuna", Oelschläger Festschrift, Estudios de Hispanófila, 36 ( Chapel Hill, NC, 1976), 143-9.
Dixon, Victor, Lope de Vega, Fuente Ovejuna ( Warminster, 1989).
Gerli, E. Michael, "The Hunt of Love: The Literalization of a Metaphor in Fuente Ovejuna", Neophilologus, 63 ( 1979), 54-8.
Hall, J. B., Lope de Vega, Fuente Ovejuna, Critical Guides to Spanish Texts ( London, 1985).
---- "Theme and Structure in Lope's Fuente Ovejuna", Forum for Modern Language Studies, 10 ( 1974), 57-66.
Herrero, Javier, "The New Monarchy: A Structural Reinterpretation of Fuente Ovejuna", Revista Hispánica Moderna, 36 ( 1970-1), 173-85.
Larson, Donald R., The Honor Plays of Lope de Vega ( Cambridge, Mass., 1977).
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McCrary, William C., "Fuente Ovejuna: Its Platonic Vision and Execution", Studies in Philology, 58 ( 1961), 179-92.
Moir, Duncan W., "Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna and the Emblemas morales of Sebastión de Covarrubias Horozco . . .", in Homenaje a William L. Fichter, ed. A. David Kossof and José Amor y Vázquez ( Madrid, 1971), 537-46.
Pring-Mill, R. D. F., "Sententiousness in Fuente Ovejuna", Tulane Drama Review, 7 ( 1962), 5-37.
Ribbans, G. W., "The Meaning and Structure of Lope's Fuente Ovejuna", Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 30 ( 1953), 150-70.
Studies of The Knight from Olmedo
Brownstein, Leonard A., "Comedy in El Caballero de Olmedo", in Perspectivas de la comedia, 2 ( Valencia-Chapel Hill, 1979), 27-37.
Casa, Frank P., "The Dramatic Unity of El caballero de Olmedo", Neophilologus, 50 ( 1966), 234-43.
Gerard, A. S., "Baroque Unity and the Dualities of El caballero de Olmedo", The Romanic Review, 56 ( 1965), 92-106.
Hesse, Everet W., "The Role of the Mind in Lope's El caballero de Olmedo", Symposium, 19 ( 1965), 58-66.
Jones, Sonia, "The Tragedy of Passion: Lope's El caballero de Olmedo", Reflexion, 3-4 ( 1974-5), 138-5.
King, Lloyd, "The Darkest Justice of Death in Lope's El caballero de Olmedo", Forum for Modern Language Studies, 5 ( 1969), 388-94.
King, Villard F., "El caballero de Olmedo: Poetic Justice or Destiny", in Homenaje a William L. Fichter, ed. A. David Kossoff and José Amor y Vázquez ( Madrid, 1971), 367-79.
McCrary, C., The Goldfinch and the Hawk: A Study of Lope de Vega's Tragedy, El caballero de Olmedo ( Chapel Hill, 1966).
McGaha, Michael, "The Structure of El caballero de Olmedo", Hispania, 61 ( 1978), 451-8.
Powers, Harriet B., "Unity in El caballero de Olmedo", Bulletin of the Comediantes, 27 ( 1974), 52-9.
Schafer, Alice E., "Fate versus Responsibility in Lope's El caballero de Olmedo", Revista canadiense de estudios hispánicos, 3 ( 1972), 26-39.
Soons, Alan, "Towards an Interpretation of El caballero de Olmedo", Romanische Forschungen, 73 ( 1961), 160-8.
Turner, Alison, "The Dramatic Function of Imagery and Symbolism in Peribáez and El caballero de Olmedo", Symposium, 20 ( 1966), 174-85.
Wardropper, Bruce W., "The Criticism of the Spanish Comedia: El caballero de Olmedo as Object Lesson", Philological Quarterly, 51 ( 1972), 177-96.
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Wilson, Edward M., "The Exemplary Nature of El caballero de Olmedo", in Spanish and English Literature of the 16th and 17th Centuries ( Cambridge, 1980), 184-200.
Yates, Donald A., "The Poetry of the Fantastic in El caballero de Olmedo", Hispania, 43 ( 1960), 503-7.
Studies of Punishment Without Revenge
Bianco, F. J., "Lope de Vega's El castigo sin venganza and Free Will", Kentucky Romance Quarterly, 26 ( 1979), 461-8.
Dixon, Victor, "El castigo sin venganza: The Artistry of Lope de Vega", in Studies in Spanish Literature of the Golden Age Presented to Edward M. Wilson, ed. R. O. Jones ( London, 1973), 63-81.
---- and Parker, A. A., "Two Lines, Two Interpretations", Modern Language Notes, 85 ( 1970), 157-66.
Edwards, Gwynne, "Lope and Calderón: The Tragic Pattern of El castigo sin venganza", Bulletin of the Comediantes, 33: 2 ( 1981), 107-20.
Evans, W. P., "Character and Context in El castigo sin venganza", Modern Language Review, 74 ( 1979), 321-34.
May, T. E., "Lope de Vega's El castigo sin venganza: The Idolatry of the Duke of Ferrara", Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 37 ( 1960), 154-82.
Morris, C. B., "Lope de Vega's El castigo sin venganza and Poetic Tradition", Bulletin of Hispanic Studies, 40 ( 1963), 69-78.
Pring-Mill, D. F., Introduction to Lope de Vega: Five Plays, trans. Jill Booty ( New York, 1961).
Wade, Gerald E., "Lope de Vega's El castigo sin venganza: Its Composition and Presentation", Kentucky Romance Quarterly, 23 ( 1976), 35764.
Wilson, E. M., "Cuando Lope quiere, qu
iere", in Spanish and English Literature of the 16th and 17th Centuries ( Cambridge, 1980), 155-83.
Further Reading in Oxford World's Classics
Luís Vaz de Camõs, The Lusíads, trans. and ed. Landeg White.
Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote de la Mancha, trans. Charles Jarvis, ed. E. C. Riley.
---- Exemplary Stories, trans. and ed. Lesley Lipson.
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CHRONOLOGY OF LOPE DE VEGA'S LIFE
1562 Lope Félix de Vega Carpio born 25 November in Madrid.
1577 A student at the University of Alcalá de Henares.
1581? Birth of Tirso de Molina, another major Golden Age dramatist.
1582 Leaves Alcalá de Henares.
1583 Begins a five-year affair with Elena Osorio, daughter of an actor-
manager.
1588 Banished from Madrid for eight years and from Castile for two
years as a result of libellous attacks on Elena Osorio and her
family. Marries Isabel de Urbina by proxy. Sails with the Armada
in the attack on England and is one of the few survivors.
1595 Death of Isabel de Urbina.
1596 Relationship with Antonia Trillo de Armento leads to prosecution.
1598 Lope marries Juana de Guarda, daughter of a Madrid butcher.
Extra-marital affair with Micaela de Luján, wife of an actor. Death
of Philip II, succeeded by his son, Philip III.
1600 Birth in Madrid of Calderón de la Barca, one of the great Golden
Age dramatists.
1605 Lope Peribáñez possibly written in this year. Part I of Cervantes
Don Quijote.
1609 Publication in Madrid of Lope's poetic essay, The New Art of
Writing Plays.
1612? Lope Fuente Ovejuna.
1613 Death of Juana de Guarda. Lope becomes a priest. Writes The
Dog in the Manger. Cervantes Exemplary Novels published.
1615 Extra-marital affair with Marta de Nevares Santoyo. Publication
of Part II of Cervantes Don Quijote.
1616 Death of Cervantes.
1620 Possible date for Lope The King is the Best Judge and The Knight
from Olmedo.
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1621 Death of Philip III, succeeded by Philip IV.
1630 Publication of Tirso de Molina's Don Juan play, The Trickster of Seville.
1631 Writes Punishment Without Revenge.
1632 Death of Marta de Nevares Santoyo.
1634 Lope's daughter, Antonia, elopes with a courtier, and his son, Lope, is drowned in the Caribbean.
1635 Lope dies in Madrid on 27 August, aged 72.
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FUENTE OVEJUNA
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THE CHARACTERS OF THE PLAY
Fernán Gómez, the Grand Commander of Calatrava
Ortuño
Flores, his servants
The Master of Calatrava, Rodrigo Téllez Girón
Pascuala
Laurencia, peasant-women
Mengo
Barrildo
Frondoso, peasants
Juan Rojo, alderman, Laurencia's uncle
Esteban, magistrate, Laurencia's father
Alonso, magistrate
King Fernando of Aragón
Queen Isabel of Castile
Manrique, Master of Santiago
An Alderman*
Cimbranos, a soldier
Jacinta, a peasant-woman
Boy
Peasants
A Judge
Musicians
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ACT ONE*
Enter the COMMANDER, with his servants FLORES and ORTUÑO.
COMMANDER. Doesn't the Master* know I'm here?
FLORES. He does.
ORTUÑO. Now that he's older, he's much More high and mighty.
COMMANDER. But he surely knows That I am Fernán Gómez de Guzmán?
FLORES. He's still a boy. It's not surprising. 5
COMMANDER. But if not my name, my rank of Grand Commander.*
ORTUÑO. There are those who advise Him not to show respect.
COMMANDER. Then he'll not Win much affection. Respect's the key
To men's good will; discourtesy merely 10
Makes enemies.
ORTUÑO. If such men knew How everyone detests them and longs To see them grovel, they'd sooner die.
FLORES. Such people are so hard to take!
Such surliness and lack of manners. 15
Amongst equals it's pure folly; Towards inferiors sheer tyranny. But you shouldn't take it to heart, sir. He's still too young to know what it means To be loved by others.
COMMANDER. The day 20
The sword was placed around his waist,
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The cross of Calatrava* on His breast, it should have been enough To teach him due respect.
FLORES. You'll soon know If they've turned him against you.
ORTUÑO. Look 25
This way. Find out for yourself.
COMMANDER. Let's hear What he has to say.
The MASTER enters with his attendants.
MASTER. Forgive me, Fernán Gómez de Guzmán! I've only just been told Of your arrival.
COMMANDER. I have good reason to 30
Complain. My love and background led Me to expect much more respect From you, Master of Calatrava, Towards your most obedient servant and Commander.
MASTER. I was expecting the warmest 35
Of welcomes, Fernando.* Let me Embrace you.
COMMANDER. You are right to honour me. How often have I risked my life On your account, before the Pope
Acknowledged you had come of age! 40
MASTER. Of course! And I swear by the cross Displayed on your breast and mine That I am grateful, and honour you As much as my own father.
COMMANDER. Then I Am happy.
MASTER. What news of the war? 45
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COMMANDER. Hear my account and you shall learn Where your duty lies.
MASTER. Proceed, then. I Am listening.
COMMANDER. Rodrigo Téllez Girón, Master of Calatrava,
You owe your high position to 50
Your brave and famous father.* When you Were only eight, he stepped Aside, granting you his great authority, Which was then ratified by kings And great commanders too, as well 55
As papal bulls, first from Pius,* then From Paul,* but on condition that Juan Pacheco, Master of Santiago, shared Your rule. Now that he's dead and you, Though still so young, govern alone, 60
Do not forget that you are duty bound To carry out the wishes of Your family. They insist that, after The death of King Henry the Fourth,* His subjects swear allegiance to 65
Alonso King of Portugal, Who, through his wife and consort, Juana,* The child of Henry, rightly claims Castile. And though Fernando,* Prince Of Aragon, contests that claim, 70
And seeks the kingdom for his wife, And Henry's sister, Isabel,* Your family favours Juana, at present in Your cousin's power, denying that Her claims are false. So I am here 75
To urge you call upon the Knights Of Calatrava, assemble them in Almagro, and take Ciudad Real,* A town that, placed between Castile And Andalusia, faces both. 80
We'll not need many men. The soldiers who
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Protect it are its own inhabitants, Together with some minor nobles, Who both defend the name of Isabel
And call Fernando their king. 85
You would do well, Rodrigo, to astonish those Who think you are too young and that Great Cross too much for you to bear. Remember your ancestors, The Counts of Urueña,* and take 90
As your example their great deeds. Villena's Marquesses* as well, And other captains too whose feats The wings of Fame can scarcely bear. Take your sword, so far unstained 95
By blood, and turn it red as the Cross Upon your breast. How else can I Address you as Master of the Cross If the one is red and not the other? Le
t both of them be crimson, and you, 100
Worthy Girón, crown the immortal temple of Your famous ancestors.
MASTER. Fernán Gómez, You may be sure that in this conflict I Support my family, for their cause
Is just. If you want proof, you'll see 105
Me march upon Ciudad Real, And like a bolt from heaven, destroy Its walls. My uncle may be dead, But no one should assume, because I'm still so young, that with his death 110
My courage vanished too. I'll take My sword and make the brightness of Its blade the colour of this Cross, Bathed in blood. From where you govern, can You provide some soldiers?
COMMANDER. Not many; 115
In fact my vassals. But if they are obliged, They'll fight as fiercely as lions.
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In Fuente Ovejuna* they
Are humble people, more used to fields
And ploughshares than battles.
MASTER. Is that 120
Where you live?
COMMANDER. In times as dangerous
As these, it's where I chose to live. Summon
Your men. No one shall remain behind.
MASTER. You shall see me ride out, my lance
