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Fall 1977

Social-Comic Anagnorisis in La Dama Duende

Matthew D. Stroud Trinity University, [email protected]

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Repository Citation Stroud, M.D. (1977). Social-comic anagnorisis in La dama duende. Bulletin of the Comediantes, 29(2), 96-102. doi:10.1353/boc.1977.0008

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Modern Languages and Literatures Department at Digital Commons @ Trinity. It has been accepted for inclusion in Modern Languages and Literatures Faculty Research by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Trinity. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Recista de filologia es-pafwla, 34 (1950), 137- . 23 "Vino griego," Kohler notes, p. 193, is 50. one of a number of famous Neapolitan wines. is For a discussion of "optical" illusion de­ "Remarquer que 'hablar en griego' signifie e alement: 'parle de fa<;on incomprehensi- riving from the Greek romance see Stanislav � ... Zimic, "El 'engaiio a los ojos' en las bodas de b e. Camacho del Quijote," Hispania, 55 ( 1972), 24 The "locos" of v. 3244 are Federico and 881-86. Ricardo who have just paid Tristan an addi­ 16 Historia eU6pica de los amOTes de Tea­ tional sum to kill Teodoro. Tristan here varies genes y Cariclea, Traducida en romance por the spelling of Serpalitonia and exuberantly Fernando de Mena, ed. Fr ancisco Lopez adds three names not in the tale he told Estrada (Madrid, 1954), p. xxviii. Ludovico: Xipatos, Atecas and Filirnoclla. 1 7 Ibid., p. 15. 2s 8 In the last verse of Diana's gua.rded son­ 1 Kohler, p. x,�xix, notes the "evocation des net, "Amar por ver amar, embidia ha sido," mythes d'Icare, de Phaeton, de Pasiphae, allu­ Kohler cites, p. 45, the direct influence of sions a Anaxarte, Faustine, Lucrece, Marc Petrarch. The second tercet of the sonnet Aurele, Messaline, Poppee, Semiramis, Troie reads: "Ni me dexo forr;ar, ni me defiendo; I et Ulysse, etc; et Ovide, qui lui avait enseigne darme quiero a entender, sin dezir nada; I une partie de ces fables, Se trouve nomme ..." entiendame, quien puede; yo me entiendo" 19 Lope consistently evokes the proverb (vv. 562-64; italics mine). Kohler: "Ce vers through the play: vv. 2194, 2200, 2297, 3070, est Ia trad. litterale d'un vers de Petrarque 3072. F. C. Hayes deals with the proverb and (CV, 17): 'Intendami cl1i puo, ch' i' m'in­ the play in his article "TI1e Use of Proverbs as tend'io.'" Titles and Motives in the Siglo de Oro Drama: 26 Kossoff, interestingly, combines in the one Lope de Vega," Hispanic Review, 6 (1938), volume bis edition of El pe"o with one of 305-23. 20 El castigo sin venganza, juxtaposing in this "pues como el cavallo en Troya I pudiera way the lighter and more tragic aspects the meter los Griegos." - vv. 469-70. of 21 honor theme in Lope. Edward M. Wilson and "Pero es mucho que me engafien I Duncan Moir characterizeEl perro as a "dark aquellos ojos a ml, pudieran ser bastantes I si I comedy." A Literary Hfatory of Spain, The a hazer engafios a Ulises?" - vv. 1701-04, Colden·Age Drama, 1492 -1700 (London and already cited is "Que a ti se passa I de Ulises New York, 1971), p. 52. el espfritu."-vv. 2544-45. 27Francisco Ynduram, "Lope de Vega como n L. Fichter in his review of William novelador," in Relecci6n de cldsicos (Madrid: Kohler's 1934 edition of the play, Hispanic Editorial Prensa Espanola, 1969), p. 158. Ret>i.ew, 3 (1935), 261-64, indicates these 2s burlesques of Gongora (acknowledged by Alan S. Trueblood, Experience andArtis­ Kohler in the 1951 version, p. xliii): "las con­ tic Expression in Lope de Vega (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1974), pp. 160-62. geladas lagrimas que llora el cielo ... ," vv. 726-27; "En campaiias de sal pies de madera 29For L6pez Pinciano's commentazy on re­ I por las remotas aguas estampara," vv. 733- conocimiento see the Philosophia antigua 34; "quando dora el blanco Toro I que pace poetica, ed. Alfredo Carballo Picazo, 3 vols. campos de grana? I (Que ass! llamava un (Madrid, 1953), 11, 25-39. poeta I los primeros arreboles.)," vv. 1225-28. 30 See n. 11.

SOCIAL-COMIC ANAGNORISIS IN LA DAMA DUENDE

MATTHEWD. SrnouD, Trinity University

La dama duende has become quite ments of Calderonian tragedy in a work a puzzle. Barbara Mujica, in her article, which she ultimately defines as "com­ '.'Tragic Elements in Calderon's La edy in its highest sense," ( p. 328) and dama duende,"1 discusses several ele- she finds implicit social criticism in its

96 vaguely happy ending.Robert ter Horst and complications come about tillough refutes the idea of comedy and tragedy non-tragic praxeis. What we have here as leading a double life by saying, in is not so much tragic hamartia as comic effect, that comedy is potential tragedy hamartema, both of which may trans­ which is averted by "anticipating or late as "mistake," but which are funda­ delaying the conclusions to which trag­ mentally different in scope.7 Tragic edy leaps,"2 but then he goes on to claim hamartia springs from the untenable po­ that Don Manuel is the protagonist of sition on the part of the tragic hero the drama, and not Doiia Angela, there­ either to act against the prevailing law by denying any of the social criticism and order or to lose his identity.8 Since of the honor code which .Ms. Mujica he is endowed with an extraordinary . found. Essentially, there are two prob­ moral character, he ends up; knowingly lems which are brought up here: 1) or not, acting against the higher order, what is the nature of the suffering and thus bringing about his necessary de­ the complications of the play, and 2) mise. Comic hamartema, on the other what is the meaning of the play. The hand, is not the life and death situation suffering of the play is validated for of the tragic hero, but is the mistake or both the characters and the audience action of a protagonist who is still with­ by means of an anagnorisis, or recog­ in society, who does not respond in re­ nition of what has happened. It is at action to the cosmos, but to society. the point of anagrwrisis that the two The comic hamartema is totally socie­ aforementioned problems converge. tal; it is the action of customs, not of The dramatic sequence as proposed laws. The fact that the hamartema by Calderwood and Toliver is from brings about a complication of the plot praxis to pathos to anagnorlsis, that is, is nothing more than the necessary from action through its consequences pathos resulting from the praxis. It is to a state of knowledge concerning the true that in Calder6n's case, the theme action's essential quality.3 In the come­ of honor can be material for tragedy, dia, every action has a reaction which comedy, or tragicomedy. Therefore, it results in a climax of synthesis and rec­ is necessaryto reflect on the comic am­ ognition of transcendent values, a moral bient in which these actions take place. purpose already noted by Alexander Comedy, as an interaction of types Parker.4 This sequence is applicable for rather than individual eccentricities,9 both comedy and tragedy, as well as produces no one sterling character who tragicomedy.The fact that there is suf­ stands above the others in his virtue. fering is not in itself tragic. Basing her­ This is certainly the case in La dam.a self on another article by Mr. Parker, duende. Angela is the victimized Ms. Mujica affirms that "we may con­ widow, forcedinto seclusion through no sider La

97 disguised to mingle with the people at lo que mas siento es que sea Court. Don Manuel is the successful mi hennano tan poco a ten to, man of arms who bas come to Madrid que llevar a casa quiera to take a post there, but he is not wholly un hombre mozo, teniendo, virtuous. He is a little slow mentally, Rodrigo, una hermana bella, somewhat irresponsible (he missed the viuda y moza .... baptism by an hour), and, on at least (I,320-325 ) one occasion, a coward ( II,916-917). The plot anagnorisis, that is, the recog­ Don Luis is the gaLfa who seems to fail nition of Manuel, has not yet resolved at of Angela's whatever he does: "No hay accion the thematic pathos, that que me suceda/ bien; Rodrigo." ( I,294- plight as the young isolated widow. But 295) Don Juan and Doiia Beatriz are the resulting pathos and anagnorisis of the same general types as Luis and An­ Luis' doubt are put off until Act III,

98 These false anagnoriseisof the situation multiple marriage and all supposedly are in themselves motivation for much ends happily. However, we are still left of the action of the rest of the play: one major anagrwr-isis short: society Manuel's constant though passive still calls for young widows to be se­ search for the truth, and his reluctance cluded. Within the play itself, there are to show his mounting love for Angela. recognitions of this custom as good and During an attemp t to steal Manuel into as bad, and it is important now to look her roo m, after an abortive attempt in into the anagnorise'is which uphold the whci h Cosme is mistaken for Manuel, individual and those which uphold the Luis interrupts the two, and challenges so cie ty. Manuel to a duel, thus reinserting the Only two anagnoriseis affirmthe in­ pathos generated by the first primary dividual over the system, yet those two p?'llX·is into the pathos of the second mark the end of si.'C different secondary primary praxis. Luis loses the use of his praxis-pathos series: Angela's asking sword, thus stalling the potentially dan­ Manuel for help, Angela's entering gerous conclusion to the dispute be­ Manuel's room, her writing a letter to tween Luis and Manuel, allowing Man­ him, her falling in love with him, her uel time to find out the truth and offer trying to steal the portrait of the woman Angela his hand. In view of the comic which she found among Manuel's pos­ nature the and the pathoi up sessions, and s t ng a with of p1·axeis her et i up tryst to this point, for Luis and Manuel actu­ him. In Act II, as Manuel prepares to ally to have fought to the death would run the duende through to prove have created an outrageous tragicom­ whether she is human, Angela admits: ed y, as outrageous in its injustice and Yo confieso que lo [soy], nonsense as A secreto agravio, secreta y aunque es deli to el querer, venganza is in its unjust, nonsensical no delito que merezca ending. morir mal, por querer bien. In general, then, the two interwoven ( II,1051-1054) pathetic sequences are nothing more Indeed, to die for having loved well is than an improbable series of circum­ on the surface o ne of the greatest stances, as Angela herself admits: breaches of poetic justice. Only in a porque caso extrafiofuera society where marriage was a contract que un hombre en Madrid viniera, and not a spiritual bond could lo ve even y hallase recien venido be considered in any way a crime. An­ una dama que rogase gela, unlike the other characters in the que su vida defendiese, play, is human and not a slave to the un hermano que le hiriese norms of the nobility. This particular y otro que le aposentase. dramatic moment would never have oc­ Fucra notable suceso, curred bad she not entered Manuel's y aunque todo puede ser, room in the first place and had she not no lo tengo de creer returned to find the portrait. Her crime sin vcllo. is love. ( I,554-564) The culmination of the love action of The plot anagnoriseis show noth in g the play, and therefore its prime anag­ which borders on tragedy; melodrama norisis comes at III, 755-162:. and pathos, yes, but not tragedy. The Mi intento fue el quererte, outcome is as felicitous as the actions mi finamarte, mi temor perderte, are facetious. There is the customary mim iedo asegurarte,

99 mi vida obedecerte, mi alma hallarte, volved the passer-by Manuel, even mi deseo servirte, though she does cover the blame some­ y mi llanto, en efecto, persuadirte what by the reason of temporary in­ que mi daiiorepares, sanity: que me valgas, me ayudes y me Yo fui ampares. necia en empeiiarle asi; Here we have the plight of the woman mas una mujer turbada who, constrained by a rigid society, is ;, que mira o que considera? forced to use deceits and underhanded ( 1,438-441) tricks in order to make any sort of self­ Later, in Act 11, Angela makes a judg­ assertive overtures to the man of her de­ ment which is somewhat surprising in sires. Ultimately, it is necessary to flee light of her own willingness to go to to the protection of the same man who exh·emes for the sake of love. In talking almost ran her through just to satisfy his to Luis, who is distraught over his cous­ own curiosity. Angela's mistake here, in's disdain for him, Angela advises him her comic hamartema, was in being her to own go-between. Considering that gen­ Dar tus penas al olvido; erally alcahuetas co uld expect some que querer aborrecido form of social punishment if discov­ es morir y no querer. ered, Angela came out all right, but (Il,266-268) only by undergoing a role-name change This advice is given by the same person from mischievous woman to wife. By who caused Beatriz to remark, in the time she makes the change, she has, amazement, how Angela has caused in effect, lost her former name and iden­ Manuel tity for the sake of society, a society ... que se halle which does not appreciate her as a luego con una

100 posed to the veiled lady) when he D. Manuel. Si no lo estas, finally realizes that she is not Luis' wife hoy con Isabel te casas. but his sister (IIl,76'.7). The pathos Cosme. Para estarlo fuera eso; which results from that discovery is in­ mas no puedo. deed typical of Manuel's vacillations: Isabel. ;.Por que causa? Pues ;.que es lo quc prctendo? Cosme. Por no malograr el si eshacenne traidor si la defiendo; tiempo co as si la dejo, villano; que en estas s se ga t si la guardo, mal huesped; inhumano, s si a su hermano la entrego. <(°iri;862-868) ( IIl,781-785) Cosme's marriage to Isabel, uninterest­ ing Naturally, he chooses the noble thing secondary thin g that it is, is buried to do, but it is not an cmotionaJly satis­ beneath commonplaces about Cosme's fying moment - after aJJ, we're talking drunken nature. This is the extent to the about marriage and he weighs it as which society is upheld in anagnor­ though it were a problem of abstract i.seis at the end. philosophy. He is still objectifying An­ One other character who deserves gela just the way he did wben be helped some attention is Luis. In Act I, Luis her as she, disguised, was fleeing from bemoans his fate: Luis. is not Angela he cares about; it It Si riiio y mi hermano llega, is the image of his honor. When he es mienemigo su amigo. gives her his hand in marriage, it is true Si por disculpa me deja that he is doing the noble, socially dig­ de una dama, es una dama nifying (if individually troublesome) ue mil pesares me cuesta: it q thing to do, but is nonetheless true de suerte que una tapada that his duty in this case, as with most an me huye; un necio me atormenta; of :Manuel's actions, .is marked by un forastero me mata; acute bloodlessness and lack of convic­ y unhermano me le Ueva tion. He does the correct thing but only a ser mihuesped a casa, by seeing that any other course of a�­ y otra dama me desprecia. tion would cause him. to lose that ulti­ De mal anda mi fortuna. mate bloodless, brittle commodity, ( I,300-311) honor. In itself, this speech is nothing more Vlhen Manuel finall doses all the than pathos. Luis giving y an exposition of his wounds by his hand to Angela is never capable of making any discov­ (IIl,847), it is noteworthy that Angela eries about himself because he is a total has no more lines in the play. Her part archetype of society: his discoveries in it, the love, the spontaneity, bas been must be made for him by an outside subsumed by contractual society. The party; in this case, by us the viewers. point of the lackluster quality of this Why would Luis have all these terrible particular multiple marriage is brought things happening to him? He has been home further by Cosme who, after Isa­ unlucky in dueling, love, lust, and his bel has been given to him like a prize status at home. Surely these qualities heifer, says, in effect, "Oh, boy! What do not befit such an upstanding mem­ a pity I don't have time to get drunk:"' ber of so ciety, yet within the context of Cosme. . .. -Dime, ;,estaba the play he is a loser because he lacks borracho? (A Don the capacity to go against the system. Manuel.) He is so bound up in this Golden-Age

101 version of machismo that he can't act Univ. Press, 1957), p. 349££.: "The other mo­ on his own if he wants to. He is a pawn ment or structural form of the complex tragic change is "recognition.' Its definition, as w of society, a of his own nobility e victim said, is given in parallel with that of peripety, and, as such, he is unable to reap the and likewise contains the basic word metabole: rewards gained by taking risks. Luis it too is a change, this time from ignorance to never acts, he only reacts, like the fossil knowledge.'' Aristotle's concept of anagrwrisi.s was society of which he, of all the charac­ strictlycharacter-defined, although he ob­ viously was aware that the audience wasom c ­ ters of the play, is the most sterl i ng ing into certain knowledge, which provoked representative. his "fear and pity." For the purposes of this article, I include both character-defined and In conclusion, the action of La dama audience-defined recognition under the head­ duende is indeed comic. It may from ing of anagrwrisis. time to time border on the melodrama­ 4 "The Spanish Drama of the Golden Age: tic, but it does not border on the tragic. A Method of Analysis and Interpretation," in The idea that suffering is always tragic The Great Playwrights, ed. Eric Bentley, I (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1970) pp. a gross oversimplification of the term. is 679-707. The protagonist, the prime mover of the s "Toward a Definition of Calderonian Trag­ action, is Angela. As Mr. Honig sums it edy," BHS, 39 (1962), 222-237. up, "Angela is the pri ncipal actor, and 6See, for example, Robert B. Heilman, ... the ethos she acts in is the social "Tragedy and Melodrama: Speculations on ethos of comedy instead of tragedy.... " Generic Form," in Tragedy: Vision and Form, ( p. Despite the rigid system of ed. Robert W. Corrigan (San Francisco: 133) Chandler, 1965), pp. 245-257. which she is prisoner, does finally she 7 escape, although it must necessarily be For a further discussion of harnartia and 1wrnartema in Aristotelian terms, see William through marriage. The ultimate anag­ K. Wimsatt, Jr. and Cleanth Brooks, Literan1 norisis, left for the audience to make, Criticism: A Short Hist<>ry (New York: Vin­ concerns the nature of a society which tage Books, 1957), pp. 39-51, and Else, p. prizes honor over love, form over con­ 189: "And then we recall that Aristotle later tent, men over women. The play is not a ( 11.52bll) defines the tragic pathos as a praxis phthartike e ody11era; and still further direct social satire, because Angela's athos that the p is often brought on - and P�ape comes about through existing better so than otherwise - by a hamartia.The socially acceptable means, but neither tragic error is "big" ( megalen, 13.53a16) in is it a panegyric to the existing society, its dimensions and consequences foi· the char­ It leads to death, wotmding, since none of the societally defined acters ofthe play. hlinding, or the like: i.e. the pathcs. The members ends up in enormous happi­ comic hamartema, on the other hand, is smal4 ness. The play just ends, leaving us to has to do with 'no-account' people, and does decide whether the characters are truly not involve pain or destruction to them." happy in accepting, without question, a Compare the concept of necessary suffe�­ L. the mores of their society. ing in Roger Cox, "Tragedy and the Gospel Narratives," YR (Summer 1968), 552. 9 Wimsatt and Brooks, p. 49. NOTES lOCf. ter Horst, who points out that 1 p. 68, KRQ, 16 (1969), 303-26. Angela is also in hiding until her late hus­ z "The RuJing Temper of Calder6n's La band's debt� are sorted out. dama duende," BCom, 27 (1975), 68-72. 11 All references are to Angel Valbuena 3 James L. Calderwood and Harold E. Toli­ Driones' edition of Ladama duende (Madrid: ver, "Introduction to Comedy," in Perspectfoes Espasa-Calpe, 1954). on Drama (New York: Oxford Univ. Press, 12 Edwin Honig, "Flickers of Incest on the 1968), p. 171. For an Aristotelian discussion Face of Honor: The Phantom Lady," in Cal-· of anagnorl$is, see Gerald F. Else, Aristotle's der6n and the Seizures of Honer (Cambridge: Poetics: The Argument (Cambridge: Harvard Harvard Univ. Press, 1972), pp. 110-57.

102