Mary Parker - Böcker

The Golden Age of Spanish drama extends from the close of the 15th century to the death of Calderón in 1681. During that time, the humanists, as dramatists, followed Italy's artistic awakening direction, and imitated Classical drama. With originality and dreams of greatness, they subverted the nature of tragedy; modified the approach of Comedy and invented the New Play, the Comedia Nueva. In it the poet-dramatists introduced important modificaitons of realism, included imagined reality, Christian symbolism and theatricality, as artistic truth. They elaborate all kinds of syntheses. For this reason, the Spanish Golden Age theater can be viewed as part of a tradition that includes the Greco-Roman comedy and tragedy, Christian tragedy, and the authentic national literary and dramatic tendencies.The entries in this reference book explore the fascinating history of the Golden Age of Spanish drama. The volume begins with an introductory overview of the literary, cultural, and historical contexts that shaped dramatic writing of the period. The book then presents alphabetically arranged essays for nineteen significant Spanish dramatists of the Golden Age. Each essay is written by an expert contributor and includes biographical information, an analysis and evaluation of major works, a discussion of critical response to the plays, and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The volume closes with a selected general bibliography of central critical studies of Golden Age Spanish drama.

Since its Golden Age, Spanish drama has evolved in considerably unintended and unexpected ways with the contemporary playwrights of any present time engaging in experimental forms and treating current political issues intended to modernize, reformulate, and re-conceptualize the State and the stage. This reference includes alphabetically arranged entries on 33 Spanish dramatists from the eighteenth century to the present. Some of these figures have been translated, anthologized, and studied for centuries; others remain known chiefly to specialists; still others are active in contemporary theater and draw critical interest for their innovative work.Each of the entries is written by an expert contributor and provides an overview of the dramatist's life and art. Each includes a brief biography; a discussion of works, themes, and dramaturgy; an overview of the critical and scholarly response to the playwright's productions; and primary and secondary bibliographies. As a whole, the volume highlights trends, movements, and historical contexts related to modern Spanish drama. A lengthy introductory essay overviews the history and development of Spanish drama since the Golden Age, and extensive bibliographies conclude the work.