The Spanish Sacramental Plays (review)

1 72Bulletin of the Comediantes Castro comedias begin with brief opening statements.» Weiger's findings in this article support conclusions made earlier by Courtney Bruerton, William Wilson and Robert La Du. In «An Historical Background and Interpretation of Luis Vêlez de Guevara's Más pesa el rey que la sangre y blasón de los Guzmanes » (pp. 229-40), Henryk Ziomek argues that this poet's «reputation as a playwright should be broadened to include other noteworthy plays.» Since Máspesa el rey que la sangre «was the first dramatic interpretation of Guzmán el Bueno, the second most important Spanish hero after the Cid» and because«it is also outstanding for its dramatic portrayal of the political turbulence that took place during the second half of the thirteenth century» Ziomek believes that this play should receive more scholarly attention. The editors state (p. 3) that it is as editor of the Spanish section of the Twayne World Authors Series that Professor Wade «has performed his greatest editorial service to Hispanists.» This observation underscores the appropriate nature of the comedia articles in this collection published in honor of Professor Wade, which includes reaffirmations by three comediantes of scholarly opinions previously published in volumes of the Twayne series, together with articles by three other colleagues who have also been collaborators in the series. Frances Exum Winthrop College ARIAS, RICARDO. The Spanish Sacramental Plays. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1980. Cloth. 178 pp. $11.95. The auto sacramental is an early example of a mixed-media presentation which worships the Eucharist, expresses itself in the allegorical mode and uses the stage for mass-communication in such a way that theology, allegory and drama are its essential components. Dr. Arias has chosen to stress the first component in his discussion of The Spanish Sacramental Plays; in fact his selection of autos is based entirely on whether the Eucharist is presented «as the predominant or crowning element of the play.» So that the modern reader may understand the theological background, the first chapter is devoted to an explanation of Catholic worship , the Eucharist and the Feast of Corpus Christi. This is a particularly useful introduction, not only for students of the auto but to all who study Spanish Golden Age literature, as Catholicism permeated every fibre of the period's attitudes. In seeing the auto as central to the feast of Corpus Christi, Dr. Arias aptly brings out «the spirit of joy and celebration characteristic of these plays.» As the question of whether the average spectator would understand the complex theological matters presented in the auto, chapter two indirectly gives Book Reviews173 an affirmative answer as it deals with «The Eucharist in non-theatrical works,» e.g., sermons, monstrances, catechism, poetry. To this list one could add the emblem books, which were immensely popular at the time, religious paintings, sacred music, etc., all of which must have contributed to the spectator 's familiary with doctrine and terminology. Another burning question Professor Arias seems to answer in the affirmative is whether a dramatic tradition already existed in Spain when, in chapter three, he points to some 15th-century short compositions «with Eucharistie overtones.» Chapters four and five discuss early authors and autos (Yanguas, Badajoz, Códice de Autos Viejos, «autos of 1590») followed by the«professionals» Timoneda, Lope, Valdivielso, Mira de Amescua and Tirso. Particularly valuable in these two important chapters is the way in which Arias elaborates the following: the stage of development in dramatic technique, the harmony or imbalance «between didactic intention and the demands of the stage,» the more or less successful use of allegorical language and the dramatist's ease or un-ease in writing autos. Chapter six is dedicated to «Calderón and After» and the only regret I have is that the chapter is a brief as it is. Departing from the premiss that Alexander Parker, Bruce Wardropper et al. have already studied the better known autos of Calderón, only two plays are analysed here: El divino Orfeo as an example of the use of allegory through mythology and El mayor día de los días as an illustration of «how to write an auto. » The last...