Don Juan Tenorio: Plot, Characters, and Literary Analysis
Don Juan Tenorio: Plot Summary
Part One: The Bet and Betrayal
Don Luis Mejía had lost the bet he made with Don Juan Tenorio a year ago. When they meet to see who has lost, Don Juan bets Don Luis that he will seduce his fiancée, Doña Ana de Pantoja, and also conquer a novice.
Commander Don Gonzalo de Ulloa, father of Doña Inés (who was to marry Don Juan), undoes the marriage upon learning of Don Juan’s challenge.
Don Juan swears to Don Gonzalo that he will abduct his daughter, who is in a convent of novices.
That night, Don Juan deceives Doña Ana by posing as her fiancé, Don Luis. Afterward, Don Juan goes to the convent where Doña Inés is enclosed and kidnaps her.
Don Juan falls in love with Doña Inés, and she with him.
Don Luis and Don Gonzalo confront Don Juan. Don Juan kills them both. As he attempts to escape, Doña Inés dies of fright by jumping out the window. Don Juan then flees to Italy.
Part Two: Redemption and Salvation
Later, Don Juan returns to Seville and visits the cemetery, the burial place of Doña Inés (who died of love), as well as the Commander and Don Luis.
Doña Inés, however, also made a bet with God: if she could make Don Juan repent, they would both be saved; if not, they would both be doomed forever.
Don Juan invites the Commander’s ghost to dinner. The Commander, in turn, invites Don Juan to share a stone table with him in the pantheon. Just as Don Juan is about to be dragged to hell, Doña Inés intervenes and begs him to repent.
Doña Inés wins the bet, and the two ascend to heaven amidst songs and celestial images.
Narration in the Play
The play is narrated by the characters themselves, as it is a theatrical work. They recount what is happening among them and describe the events as the play progresses.
The characters are not simply objective witnesses; they are present on stage, speaking and influencing the plot. However, in some parts of the work, a character might act as a narrator, merely describing facts.
Main Characters
Don Juan Tenorio: He is characterized as an arrogant, womanizing, reckless libertine who is not afraid of death. He is selfish and immoral, yet true to his word, romantic, and emotional. Physically, he is imagined as sturdy, attractive, tall, and dark, given his many conquests.
Doña Inés: A 17-year-old daughter of the Commander of Calatrava, accustomed to solitude. She is a pure, innocent, naive, and gentle religious novice. Physically, she is imagined as a beautiful, sensitive, tall, blonde girl.
Don Luis Mejía: A character similar to Don Juan, a libertine who mocks and offends women and even the dead. Physically, he is also imagined as beautiful, attractive, tall, and dark.
Secondary Characters
- Don Gonzalo de Ulloa: The Commander of Calatrava and Doña Inés’s father. He is a good father who cares for his daughter’s honor, a staid man. Physically, he is tall, handsome, but serious.
- Ciutti: Don Juan Tenorio’s servant. He is fearful, cowardly, and a braggart, representing the comedic relief in the work.
- Doña Brígida: Serves as a matchmaker and also a procuress who seeks personal gain.
- Buttarelli: A historical figure who serves as the host.
- Don Diego Tenorio: Don Juan’s father, concerned about his son’s behavior.
- Doña Ana de Pantoja: Don Luis’s fiancée, a very self-confident person.
Setting and Locations
The play takes place in Seville around the year 1545. The first four acts occur on a single night, while the remaining three acts take place five years later, on another night.
It unfolds across seven different scenarios:
- The Inn
- The streets of Seville
- Doña Ana de Pantoja’s house
- The convent
- Don Juan’s father’s house
- Don Juan’s house
- The cemetery
Chronology and Pacing
- The play’s action spans only two nights, separated by a five-year interval.
- The pace of events is quite slow, as the author uses this slowness to build mystery and intrigue within the work.
- The work’s progression is orderly, despite a five-year time jump during which Don Juan is in Italy. The narrative then resumes seamlessly.
Literary Style and Language
The play is written in verse drama. It uses modern Castilian in some parts and Italian dialogue in others. It incorporates ancient religious themes and language.