The Knight of Olmedo

Felix Lope de Vega.

Felix Lope de Vega.

The Knight of Olmedo it is a play that marks a before and after within Castilian dramaturgy. Written by Lope de Vega between 1620 and 1625, it is considered the foundational tragicomedy. Or at least the first piece in which both elements are mixed "thoroughly" by an author.

Likewise, the text clearly establishes the archetype of common characters within the plots of the Spanish Golden Age. To a certain extent, these features of protagonists and antagonists of the narrative continue in force —with some variations— to this day.

The author

Beyond having been an outstanding poet, heLope de Vega Carpio's dramatic work earned him its place in the history of literature. He was born in Madrid on November 25, 1562, the same city in which he died 72 years later, on August 27, 1653. Together with Tirso de Molina, he was responsible for giving the definitive impulse to the comedy of entanglements, very in vogue during the Iberian baroque.

He did not go unnoticed among his contemporaries, on the contrary, he always knew how to be noticed in the context of his time. Meanwhile, he forged great friendships with Francisco de Quevedo and Juan Luis de Alarcón. Although he had a great rivalry with Miguel de Cervantes, respect was maintained between them. However, he was irreconcilably at odds with Luis de Góngora.

A life full of tangles

His own life seems like a dramatic script: multiple love affairs, condemned to remain in exile for a time, a widower ... The adventures of Lope de Vega are worthy of many of his characters. After a life full of ups and downs and many “crazy things”, he finally chose to ordain himself as a priest.

However, his commitment to God did not stop him from continuing his "questionable" behaviors. For example: falling in love with Marta de Nevares, a 25-year-old woman who was married since she was 13. Of course, the "official story" reserves the "honor" of being considered the poet's last lover.

The Knight of Olmedo, A minor work?

The Knight of Olmedo.

The Knight of Olmedo.

You can buy the book here: The Knight of Olmedo

Lope de Vega he did not give greater importance to this creation of his. He did not get to see the print version (the first edition would not come out until after his death). Furthermore, the original manuscript was lost for a time, without the playwright worrying about it.

Critics of her time also did not consider her worthy of note. In fact, Until the end of the XNUMXth century it was simply one more work within the vast catalog of the Madrid author. It wasn't until the 1900s that this perception changed. The work was claimed to the point of ascending to the category of essential within the universal history of the arts.

Definition of tragicomedy

As already commented on the top lines, until the arrival of The Knight of Olmedo the concept of tragicomic theater did not exist. Dramas, —which, in most cases, were tragedies— or comedies were performed. Thus, laughing at misfortunes was an idea for which neither writers nor the public were prepared.

Of course, Lope de Vega managed to combine both elements successfully. Although in general, during the development of the plot, each one passes separately, without really producing a mix. Despite the fact that the public can intuit from the beginning a not very favorable ending for the protagonist.

A predictable work?

Perhaps this is the reason why both Baroque criticism - a prevailing opinion until the end of Romanticism - and the author himself considered The Knight of Olmedo as a minor piece. From the first lines it is clear that the only possible destiny for the main character is death.

Additionally, the importance given to surprising endings within the narrative of the Spanish Golden Age is inescapable. Moreover, this aspect was considered sensitive within the performing arts. And, apart from the montages of this work (always entertaining), no one is particularly surprised by the final resolution.

The archetypes

The Knight of Olmedo revolves around three perfectly defined characters:

  • The protagonist is Don Alonso, a noble knight, brave and honored; example of all the qualities expected of a gentleman.
  • Doña Inés, embodies the love interest. A classy lady, loyal and respectful of authority (represented by her father, Don Rodrigo).
  • Don Rodrigo, is the antagonist of the story, dishonest and treacherous.

Secondary characters

The trio of protagonists are accompanied by other characters, which also respond to closed archetypes. Among them: Tello, Don Alonso's servant, is the buffoon of history. Therefore, your dialogues and actions are responsible for getting laughter from the audience.

Next to the harlequin stands Fabia, the pimp who facilitates romance. Although some of her lines are comical, her condition as a sorceress ends up turning her into a dark and diabolical character.

On the side of the antagonist, Mendo, Don Rodrigo's servant, is the synthesis of the implications of working alongside a bad personto. To such an extent, that he is directly responsible for causing the death of the main character.

The language

Outside of the archetypes described above, one of the novelties of The Knight of Olmedo it is the absence of differences between the characters. In other words, in this work by Lope de Vega the predominant pattern was not followed during this historical period. Where "nobles and commoners" were represented in a clearly differentiated way.

Phrase by Félix Lope de Vega.

Phrase by Félix Lope de Vega.

What is truly decisive is the role played by one and the other within the development of the plot. The only palpable differences are in the ways of speaking. With the work written in its entirety in eight-syllable verses and consonant rhyme, the leading couple constantly resort to rhetorical figures such as metaphors and anaphoras.

The jesters

Tello and Fabia, representatives of the "lower classes", speak flat and simple. This way of expressing themselves further accentuates their role as "buffoons" within the story. In this way, Lope de Vega demonstrated the little importance that he attaches to refined language in The Knight of Olmedo.

Moralizing function?

Even during the seventeenth century, Iberian art was obliged to fulfill a certain moralizing function. For this reason, Lope de Vega, beyond his life full of entanglements and contradictions, could not escape this demand. The Knight of Olmedo is no exception, despite some nuances

Well, the tragedy takes the life of the protagonist (without really deserving it), those who do wrong end up receiving their punishment. Similarly, those who resort to magic to try to achieve their goals pay a rather high price for daring.


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