Life's a Dream (La Vida es Sueño): (La Vida es Sueño)

Preface

Life’s a Dream, Act 1 xi THIS PROSE TRANSLATION of Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s La vida es sueño is envisioned as both a classroom text and a script for performance, and the accompanying materials reflect that dual function. The Introduction and Glossary are written especially with American high school and university students in mind, whereas the Suggestions for Directors are intended primarily for those interested in taking the play to the stage. The Translator’s Notes will appeal to specialists, translators, and others with an interest in Spanish language and poetry or in the details of textual criticism. The Bibliography provides a starting point for anyone who wishes to pursue in greater depth the issues raised in the introductory materials. The Spanish text used as the basis of the translation is that of J. M. Ruano de la Haza (Castalia, 2nd ed., 2000); all significant divergences from Ruano’s text are explained in section 7 of the Translator’s Notes. To permit an unencumbered encounter with the play, no footnotes have been used in the body of the translation; all issues of interpretation and necessary clarifications are dealt with in the supplementary materials (see especially Introduction, section 4; Translator’s Notes, sections 5–7; and the Glossary). Unless otherwise indicated, all translations of secondary sources are mine. In preparing this project, I have benefited tremendously from the suggestions and moral support of friends and colleagues, many of whom read some or all of the manuscript. I am particularly grateful to Max Adrien, Jorge Brioso, Anthony Cárdenas, Scott Carpenter, Frederick De Armas, David Eddington, Preface HI Contents xii John Estill, Timothy Face, Jaime Gelabert, Alyosha Goldstein, Pam Hammons, José Ignacio Hualde, Humberto Huergo, John Lipski, Michael McGaha, Rogelio Miñana, Éva Pósfay, Dale Pratt, J. M. Ruano de la Haza, and Cathy Yandell. A special thanks to my wife, Adriana Estill, for her attentive ear and discerning eye. Finally, I am exceptionally indebted to Alfred Rodríguez, my former colleague and mentor at the University of New Mexico, who scrupulously reviewed two completed versions of the manuscript. His expertise, generosity, and spirited engagement will not be forgotten. —M.K. Northfield, Minnesota April 2004 Preface Life’s a Dream, Act 1 xiii Life’s a Dream ...