Spanish Theater: From Medieval Times to the Baroque Era

Medieval Drama

Characteristics

  • Performed in temples, streets, and squares.
  • Religious theater was performed by civilians, primarily during Christmas and Easter.
  • Originated from liturgical chants and tropes.

Secular Theater

  • Momos
  • Snacks

Manifestations

  • Auto de los Reyes Magos
  • Fiestas de Epifanía
  • Misterios

Renaissance Theater

Characteristics

  • Performed in churches, squares, halls, universities, and later in the late 16th century, in corrales de comedias.

Principal Tendencies

  • Religious
  • Italianate Classicism
  • Nationalism
  • Popular Theater

Theater of Cervantes

  • 1st Era: Renaissance influences
  • 2nd Era: Followed models like entremeses. His comedies and dramas were not as successful.

Baroque Theater

Dramatic manifestations revolved around three principles: representations of comedy, drama, and courtly mystery plays.

Manifestations

Corrales de Comedias

Structure
  • Courtyards
  • Side buildings with windows, apartments, and lofts
  • Stage with an entrance and area for the “alojera” (person who sold refreshments)
  • Balcony, rooms, discussion areas, tables, and a wardrobe
Representation
  • Started with a loa (prologue) and introductory music
  • First Act: Farce
  • Second Act: Dance or Jácara
  • Third Act: Masquerade

Courtly Theater

  • Developed in the royal court.
  • Characterized by its spectacular nature, thanks to Italian set designers who began working in Spain.
  • Performances took place in palaces and outdoors.

Carros Sacramentales

  • Focused on the sacrament of the Eucharist, using symbolism.
  • Emphasized allegory and grand spectacles.
  • Single-act structure connected to the religious theme.
  • Combined allegorical expression with sumptuous scenery.
  • Had a didactic and religious purpose.

Types of Dramas

Lengthy Works

  • Serious: Tragedies, tragicomedies, carros sacramentales
  • Comic: Cape and sword comedies, comedies of intrigue

Short Plays

  • Entremeses
  • Loas
  • Dances
  • Ballads
  • Masquerades

National Comedy

Features

  • Mix of tragic and comic elements
  • Did not strictly adhere to the unities of time and place, but focused on the unity of action
  • Three-day rule
  • Decorum and verisimilitude
  • Appropriate language
  • Varied thematic focus

Characters

  • Lady
  • Gallant
  • Powerful figure
  • Old person
  • Funny character
  • Servant

Ideology and Purpose

  • Relevance of the king, peasant, and guardian of order
  • Evasion from public issues

Leading Playwrights

Lope de Vega

  • Considered the creator of national comedy
  • Blended cultured and popular elements in his plays
  • Notable Works: Fuenteovejuna, The Knight from Olmedo, Peribáñez and the Comendador of Ocaña

Tirso de Molina

  • Cultivated a new form of comedy, incorporating intellectual elements and psychological depth
  • Female characters held significant importance in his works
  • Notable Works: Don Gil of the Green Breeches, The Trickster of Seville
  • Developed the myth of Don Juan Tenorio

Pedro Calderón de la Barca

  • 1st Stage: Wrote for corrales de comedias
  • 2nd Stage: Focused on courtly theater and morality plays
  • His plays are characterized by their intellectual depth and complexity
  • Notable Works: Life is a Dream, The Mayor of Zalamea

The Theatrical Spectacle of the Golden Age

  • Theatrical performances were abundant, especially in cities with over 130,000 inhabitants.
  • Theater was a major form of entertainment, attracting people from all social classes.
  • Performances typically took place in the afternoon in corrales de comedias (open-air spaces) or patios of houses.
  • Wealthy merchants sat in the front rows, while women occupied a separate section called the “cazuela.”
  • Men often stood in the courtyard, watching the play from afar. These spectators, known as “mosqueteros,” were known for their boisterous reactions, applauding enthusiastically or throwing tomatoes at the actors.
  • Theaters were simply decorated, lacking in extravagance.
  • Scene changes often occurred in full view of the audience, relying on dialogue and gestures to convey shifts in location.
  • Courtly theater, performed in palaces, featured more elaborate sets and costumes.
  • Playwrights aimed for popular appeal and commercial success, often selling their works to theater companies.

Baroque Literature

  • Continued some creative principles from the Renaissance while incorporating new ideas related to historical ideology.
  • 1st Phase (1580-1610): Considered a transitional period marked by renewal.
  • 2nd Phase (Early 17th Century): Represents the peak of the Baroque period, witnessing the creation of major works.
  • 3rd Phase (Late 17th Century): Dominated by imitation and the beginning of decline, with the exception of Calderón de la Barca, who continued to produce significant works.