The Comedia of Virginity: Mary and the Politics of Seventeenth-Century Spanish Theater

1. The Politics of Theater at the University of Salamanca

5 1 The Politics of Theater at the University of Salamanca Félix Lope de Vega’s (1562–1635) drama La limpieza no manchada (1618) provides unparalleled insight into the cultural significance of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception and the construction of the Virgin Mary as a divine axis of political and religious power in early modern Spain. Incorporating prevalent religious imagery by means of the popular theatrical form of the comedia, this play is one of a variety of measures undertaken by the University of Salamanca in 1618 to endorse King Philip III’s (1578–1621) zeal for the belief supporting the Virgin Mary’s exception from original sin.1 This religious doctrine, which had been enthusiastically endorsed by previous Spanish Hapsburg monarchs, continued to be, during Philip III’s rule, a source of contention among members of the clergy and the religious orders as the belief had not been confirmed as dogma.2 Within this historical and cultural context, Lope’s La limpieza no manchada is an example of academic theater used to promote religious piety within the student body of the University of Salamanca.3 The dramatization of Mary’s unique state of purity worked to strengthen the political ties of Spain’s oldest and most important university with the Hapsburg monarchy. La limpieza no manchada’s protagonist is Saint Bridget (1303–1373), a popular Spanish saint known for her spiritual revelations and writings 6 The Comedia of Virginity on the Virgin and Child.4 Throughout his work, Lope de Vega directs attention to Bridget’s contemplation of the mystery of original sin and man’s fall from grace. The drama follows her as she questions the viability of Mary’s purity, before eventually coming to terms with it. The three-act play opens with an intellectual debate between Saint Bridget and the allegorical characters of Doubt, Sin, Contemplation, and Faith. Each of these figures puts forward relevant biblical examples in favor of and against the possibility of Mary’s unique exception from sin. Saint Bridget deliberates eloquently with these characters, trying to balance reason and religious faith in her arguments. The lengthy dialogue brings about the necessary understanding and conviction for Saint Bridget and Doubt to finally understand the Virgin’s immaculacy.5 The play concludes with a vibrant celebration in honor of the oath of the Immaculate Conception, replicating on stage the oath that also took place among students, faculty, and administrators. An array of characters, including countries, allegorical representations, colonial subjects from the Spanish American territories, and Africans, swear to defend their belief in the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Since its first publication, Lope’s La limpieza no manchada has received little attention from critics. What attention the work has received has erroneously tended to compare this work to traditional types of comedias of love, adventure, and marriage from the author’s more famous corpus. The work has not been analyzed within its historical context, and its value as a cultural product of particular political circumstances has been overlooked. No consideration has been given to the role of this work in the academic patronage of the cult of the Immaculate Conception; critics have failed to consider how a work like La limpieza no manchada evidences the issue of academic politics in early modern Spanish society. Much of the commentary on the play has been limited to disparaging statements regarding its apparently minimal literary merit.6 However, La limpieza no manchada merits further analysis for its cultural and historical relevance to the study of Hapsburg Spain. Despite allegedly possessing a fragmented, disjointed style, Lope’s work simultaneously captures the spirit of early modern academic disputes and the essence of religious iconography incorporated into church feasts. These connections, which might seem obvious, have previously been missed when the play has been studied in a historical and cultural vacuum. Furthermore, although on The Politics of Theater at the University of Salamanca 7 the surface the work certainly appears as an uncomplicated, faith-based commission intended to foster student enthusiasm, its intrinsic value resides in its ability to illuminate the complex relationship between religion , politics, and Spanish identity in early modern Spain. La limpieza no manchada is a drama adapted to the particular religious and political needs of an academic client, the University of Salamanca. As such, this Marianthemed play allows a beginning understanding of how theater worked as an effective, influential tool to bolster...