The Female Voice of Reason in the Plays of Juan Ruiz de Alarcón

Several of Juan Ruiz de Alarcón's plays written during the final years of the reign of Philip III and the beginning years of Philip IV, which marked a period of reform for Spain, highlight assertive actions of female characters who serve as voices of reason. His heroines are examples of model behavior and espouse a healthy body politic. The other characters of the plays, the privados, as well as the wayward kings, learn from the wise counsel of women. This study is devoted to three of Alarcón's plays treated in chronological order according to their date of composition.