Sobre un Pasaje de El Desconfiado de Lope de Vega y Probable Fecha de Composicion de la Comedia

sense, there is a striking bond between them. For they selected (and we shall let Goya speak once more) "from the large number of follies and blunders common in all societies, and from the vulgar prejudices and lies authorized by custom, ignorance or interest , those subjects thought most suitable for ridicule as well as for exercising the . . . fancy." Rojas' plays cannot be monstrous or outrageous, as Mesonero Romanos and Menéndez y Pelayo meant these terms, if his intent was, like Goya's, social criticism. Attracted by the inconsistencies and foibles of human tradition, he exploited their dramatic potential. He did cultivate the grotesque in many of his works, and these can best be understood as an expression of this vision." NOTES ' Of more pertinence to this study is the fact that works by Bosch, including the "Temptation of Saint Anthony," and Breughel were among Philip IFs collection in the Prado Palace at the end of the XVI century. 2 Powers, Harriet Boyer. "An Annotated Critical Edition of Rojas Zorrilla's Los trabajos de Tobías" (Unpublished Ph. D. dissertation , University of New Mexico: 1967). The verse numbers are from this edition, based on the play contained in the first edition of the Segunda Parte, Madrid, 1645. 3 Not only does Mesonero Romanos condemn this play rotundly in his introduction to Rojas' Obras escogidas, so also does Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo in his "Observaciones preliminares" to Lope's La historia de Tobías: Después de Lope, debemos mencionar a Rojas, que tuvo el mal gusto de echar a perder la delicada composición de su maestro, convirtiéndola en una monstruosa comedia, altisonante y gongorina, sin rastro de poesía ni de sentimiento místico . (Obras de Lope de Vega, Real Academia Española, 1890-1913, III, lix). Their dicta have undoubtedly influenced twentieth century criticism, which has little good or nothing to say about this play. 4 Mesonero Romanos, Ramón de ( ed. ) . Comedias escogidas de Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla (BAE, 54, 1952), p. ? (see also p. xviii ) . 5 MacCurdy, Raymond R. Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla (Twayne's World Authors Series, 64, New York: 1968), pp. 135-140, passim. 6 Kayser, Wolfgang. The Grotesque in Art and Literature, trans. Ulrich Weisstein (New York: McGraw Hill Book Company, 1963), passim. 7 Ibid., p. 186. 8 Morley and Bruerton date Lope's play between 1605 and 1615; Rojas' version was probably written around 1640. It is likely that he knew Lope's La historia de Tobías. 9 R. R. MacCurdy gives more examples of Rojas' "bad taste" to substantiate this (op. cit. pp. 138-139). 10Place, Edwin B. "Notes on the Grotesque : the comedia de figurón at Home and Abroad" (PMLA, LIV, 1939, pp. 412-421). This provocative article complements the present study. " Some of the materials used for researching this paper were provided for by a grant from Colorado State University. SOBRE UN PASAJE DE EL DESCONFIADO DE LOPE DE VEGA Y PROBABLE FECHA DE COMPOSICIÓN DE LA COMEDIA Por Gabriel Rosado, University of Connecticut En el Acto II de la comedia de Lope de Vega El desconfiado nos hallamos con Ia siguiente fábula: Junto a los olmos del Prado, que es de Madrid recreación, se criaba un arbolíílo en una huerta, y rogaba al que de él más cerca estaba, que era su muerte y cuchillo, que le dejase crecer; y el olmo presuntuoso, de sus ramas ambicioso, ni el sol le dejaba ver. "Arbolillo —le decía— conténtate con vivir donde me puedas servir." Pero llegó, Pedro, el día en que la villa intentó ensanchar el verde suelo, y el olmo, atrevido al cielo, cortado al suelo cayó. El arbolillo, ya dueño del sol, dijo: "Estos asaltos da la fortuna a los altos; más me quiero ser pequeño."' Como puede verse, esta fábula no es sino una recreación de la de Aviano "De Abiete et Dvmis,"2 popularizada en Espa ña por el Ysopete castellano, en el que aparece con el título de "El pino e el rebollo o endrino."3 Ahora bien, lo que de inmediato llama la atención...