Politics, Patronage, and Lope's La noche de San Juan

More than almost any other play from the Golden Age, Lope's La noche de San Juan is rooted In the circumstances of its creation. It is a clever and good-natured play that interweaves reality and fantasy, present and timeless. It is one of Lope's most inventive plays and hides a great deal of depth in its light-hearted drama. In addition, however, it provides a fascinating window on the patronage practices and the political and social realities of the period, amply illustrating the fact that it was commissioned by the Count-Duke of Olivares for the entertainment of Philip IV and his court.