Lucifer and El burlador de Sevilla

Celestina: Mal sosegadilla deues tener la punta de la barriga. Pármeno: ¡Como cola de alacrán! Celestina: E avn peor: que la otra muerde sin hinchar e la tuya hincha por nueue meses. [Fernando de Rojas, La Celestina, I ,ed. Julio Cejador y Frauca (Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1958), 95-96.] 7 For a discussion of the theme, see Leicester Bradner, "The Rise of the Secular Drama in the Renaissance," SRen, 3 (1956), 7-22. 8 This is the technical device referred to earlier. We do not know that the comedia was never meant to be performed; this structuralthematic use of act openings can be interpreted as an authorial awareness of their importance for an audience, as opposed to a body of readers. 'For some reason Sepúlveda omits reconciliation scenes between the two sets of lovers; given the gently moralizing tone of the play we may perhaps assume that the satisfaction of honor's demands within the amorous relationships was more important to him than further sentimentality. The play closes almost immediately with Parrado's comment on the excellence of the dramatic invention, and a farewell to the audience. His final words would also appear to argue that the play was written for a specific occasion: "Yo me voy; que esta tarde, los que de vuesas mercedes se quisieren hallar a los conciertos y escrituras, entren acá que no les faltará colación" ( 359b ) . 10It will be remembered that it was Bartolom é de Torres Naharro's Comedia !menea (e. 1516) which introduced the topic to the Spanish stage. As in the prototype, Sepúlveda expunges dishonor by matrimony, harmony imposed on discord. Florencia's case unfortunately escaped the attention of Carmen BravoVillasante in her study La mujer vestida de hombre en él teatro español (Siglos XVI-XVII) (Madrid: Revista de Occidente, 1955), even though she discusses the anonymous Gli Ingannati and the mujeres vestidas de paje which the Italian work is presumed to have spawned. 11Spanish Drama before Lope de Vega, p. 122. ^fßS^i LUCIFER AND EL RURLADOR DE SEVILLA Sandra. L. Brown, Southern Illinois University In Tirso's play El burhdor de Sevilla the hero, Don Juan Tenorio, stands out as a social counterpart to the Biblical figure Lucifer, the shining one of heaven who is expelled to Sheol. Just as Lucifer enjoyed preeminence among the angels, as one of the guardian cherubs of God, so Don Juan Tenorio enjoys special royal favor as the son of the King's chamberlain. Arrogant pride is at the root of each one's fate. Lucifer aspired to enjoying the same glory as God: " ? will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High'" (Isaiah 14: 13-14). And to advance his already privileged state, he fomented a rebelHon: "Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven" (Revelation 12: 7-8). Don Juan Tenorio thinks that there will be plenty of time before he dies to repent of his waywardness and transgression of the moral law. And when his servant Catalinón, one of his victims , or his father reminds him that he will pay for his treachery at death, he customarily exclaims: "¡Qué largo me lo fiáis!" That remark, or a variation of it, clearly exposes the hubris of the burlador, who trusts in time, an earthly phenomenon, and is unmindful of God. In other words, both Lucifer and Don Juan are without the fear of God that 63 He expects from His creatures. Just as the casting down of Lucifer into the pit is an act of God, so the burning death of Don Juan Tenorio is the punishment of God. "Esta es justicia de Dios: / 'quien tal hace que tal pague,'" says Don Gonzalo on the death of Don Juan. Whereas the insubordination of Lucifer is against God, that of Don Juan...