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friend. Possibly he is also calling attention to himself while honors are being distributed. Subsequently, when Garcia is given another honor, he must kneel, because he is told to rise. D. Juan embraces him in congratulation and kneels to the prince in gratitude (7c; 8a). In La prueba de las promesas D. Juan, seeking a favor from D. Man, kisses his hand while kneeling. Man remarks on the exceso and without doubt raises him. When the favor is granted, Juan kneels again and is told to rise. Later he tells his servant to thank Man with the besapiés and the servant does so (436a, b, c). The above are typical examples of other similar instances found in the plays of Alarcón. They prove that he was meticulous in inserting his desired stage business in the Unes of the plays. 1 All references are to BAE, XX. Plays not used are El tejedor de Segovia, Pt. I; El marqu és de Cañete and Siempre ayuda la verdad, Act III. The Function of the Romantic Action in El mágico prodigioso Everett W. Hesse, University of Southern California Menéndez y Pelayo's adverse criticism of certain aspects of El màgico prodigioso have never been seriously considered nor refuted. Writing in Calderón y su teatro, cuarta edición corregida (Madrid, 1910), the distinguished critic asks: "¿Y qué tiene de malo El mágico prodigioso? Casi todo lo que Calderón puso de su cosecha, hasta hacer de El mágico una comedia de enredo, llena de embrollos y de lances que sientan bien en Casa con dos puertas, pero que están fuera de su lugar en un drama teológico" (p. 186). Later he laments: "¡Lástima que el autor . . . haya insistido tanto en esas vulgares intrigas que no sirven más que para entorpecer la acción y para rebajar y empequeñecer asunto tan solemne" (p. 187). It is the aim of this essay to examine the romantic action to which Menéndez y Pelayo alludes, and to show that it serves to underscore the theme of truth so basic to the religious action. In the latter a young intellectual, Cipriano, is groping for a rational concept concerning the attributes of the true God. During this excursion into the realm of metaphysics he will also learn about true love, which will be accomplished in both the religious and romantic actions . The romantic plot consists of two aspects: first, the efforts of two friends, Lelio and Floro, and ultimately Cipriano , to win the hand of Justina, a Christian. Second, the machinations of the Devil to bring about her downfall through temptation and the deliberate defamation of her character. The romantic plot is linked to the religious thematically through the discovery of truth. Cipriano's search for the true God and a concept of true love is equated with the disclosure of truth by the Devil and the subsequent removal of the stain to Justina's virtue. Strictly speaking, the two actions are so tightly meshed that it is difficult to separate them even for purposes of study and analysis. The three main characters, Cipriano, Justina and the Devil, figure in both plots. The Devil manipulates both actions: he causes confusion in the affairs of Cipriano, Justina and the galanes Floro and Lelio. Truth has been deliberately hidden from Cipriano by the Devil: "no has de llegar a alcanzarla, / que yo te la esconderé" (p. 218) (Clásicos Castellanos edition, 1930); the truth about Justina's virtue is also concealed and distorted by Satan until a Higher Power forces him to divulge it. Cipriano intervenes to halt a duel between the two galanes Floro and Lelio, who are fighting over the affections of the Christian, Justina. His moral philosophy has taught him: "qué es honor y qué es infamia" (p. 230). He has developed a social consciousness that has made him aware of the latent dangers of two or more galanes courting the same woman: "¿no es vana / acción, culpable e indigna, / querer antes disfamarla?" (p. 232). His main purpose then in stopping the conflict is to prevent scandal: "¡oh, quiera el cielo que estorbe...

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