The Metamorphosis of Lope de Vega's King Pedro (review)

labor de Wilson ha servido para establecer que hubo dos ediciones de la Primera Parte fechadas en 1640, una verdadera (VSL) y la otra pirata (VS), esta última impresa muy posteriormente hacia 1670. Wilson presenta la hip ótesis de que la edición pirata fue probablemente revisada por Calderón (p. 73), aserción dudosa, puesto que las pocas variantes significativas que contiene son escasas. Para ilustrar este punto he acudido a la edición príncipe de El purgatorio de San Patricio, incluida en la Primera Parte de Comedias, 1636. He escogido veintisiete erratas significativas, que se repiten en la edici ón de 1640. La edición pirata las recoge todas menos dos, una corregida arbitrariamente y la otra substituida por una mala variante. La reconstrucción de los pasajes se ha podido hacer gracias al manuscrito de esta obra, que se encuentra en la Biblioteca Nacional. El texto de Vera Tassis (1685) es muy superior al de VS y ha de tenerse en cuenta para la edición de esta parte como el mismo Wilson indica (p. 74). El tomo segundo es un facsímil de la edición príncipe de la Primera Parte (1636). Esta reproducción presta un buen servicio, dado la dificultad de acceso a la misma, pues se conocen sólo cuatro ejemplares de ella, dispersos fuera de España. University of Delaware A. Valbuena-Briones ^»€S^Í EXUM, FRANCES. The Metamorphosis of Lope de Vega's King Pedro. Madrid: Plaza Mayor, 1974. Paper, 212 pp. The author's stated intention is to examine the eight Lope plays which involve Pedro I de Castilla, investigate historical sources available to Lope and discuss his treatment of historical material . Although four plays are of doubtful authorship, the writer "finds the persuasive arguments of Menéndez y Pelayo concincing testimony [that they are Lope's] until more positive proof is offered for their attribution to another playwright . . ." (p. 13). Chapter I is a wide-ranging review of judgments and views of Pedro, the customs and temper of his age, his complicated family relationships (including ties with rulers of Portugal, Aragon, Navarra, England; Popes), his chroniclers, and a disappointingly brief examination of the ballads regarding Pedro's reign (pp. 29-32). The plays are grouped according to the corresponding historical periods, with a discussion of the anachronisms which Lope introduced into each. An effort is made to identify the probable sources which Lope used for the historical references and to explain the confusions between history and drama regarding dates and events. This is perhaps the weakest chapter in the study, primarily because the author attempts to explore so many areas that merit attention in and of themselves that the thread of discussion is often obscured. Chapter II briefly traces the evolution of the theory of the divine right of kings, Lope's application of this theory to a medieval situation when it did not obtain, and the contrasting theory of the right of a people to resist tyrants and usurpers of royal power. Chapters III through VI make a detailed examination of Lope's portrayal of Pedro's evolution from an initially self-possessed, merciful, unjustly-maligned monarch to the intermediate stage of growing fear and suspicion, progressive loss of sound judgment, control and confidence. This leads to rash, vengeful behavior and arrogance, all stemming from Pedro's insecurity. 61 The culmination of these stages is his downfall and death. Several parallel features are highlighted by the author. First, as Pedro is seen behaving more as a man than as a monarch, he enters further into a world of paranoia and is finally seen with none of the qualities of an effective ruler. Second, there is a gradual transfer of roles between Enrique , the ultimate conqueror, and Pedro, the loser. As Enrique is viewed progressing from self-centered actions and maturing, Pedro evolves toward a more immature and irresponsible mode of behavior. Chapter VII compares Lope's treatment of Pedro I with that accorded Alfonso VIII. The former is dramatized with sympathy because, among other reasons, he had been maligned by contemporaries , so "Lope concentrated upon possible reasons for Pedro's actions, offering a more detailed exposition of...