Duelling Sonnets: The Battle of the Lovers in Lope de Vega's El perro del hortelano

In his Arte nuevo de hacer comedias, Lope de Vega suggests that "el soneto está bien en los que aguardan … y para las de amor las redondillas." In his comedia, El perro del hortelano, therefore, it comes as a surprise that the sonnet is used throughout, both to express feelings of love as well as of the frustrations of waiting for that love to be reciprocated by the real object of the characters' affections. In fact, El perro del hortelano has the distinction of including the largest number of sonnets (9) of any of Lope's comedias. This article examines the sonnets, spoken and written by Diana, Teodoro, and Marcela, that appear in the course of the play. In these poems, the characters give voice to the conflicting feelings engendered by love and desire. The duelling sonnets are presented as exercises intended to respond to others' needs, but, as the audience is made aware, actually reveal the characters' real feelings. As the principals interact in scenes surrounding the sonnets, they establish an overt and covert conversation about love, honor, and social standing. Resolution of the convoluted plot occurs in the final act but in a form that underscores the dark comedy of the work as a whole.