Spanish Romantic Drama - Essay Example

European critics, most especially the Anglo-Saxon among them, have often criticized the Spanish romantic dramatists, novelists and poets for what they have identified as the excessive theatricality, unqualified emotive outburst and intense melodrama which dominate their literary outputs. Certainly, in comparison with the British, the German and even the French romantics, the Spanish appear rather theatrical and melodramatic. That does not mean, however, as some have suggested, that Spain never really experienced a European Romantic phase. Instead, the implication is that nineteenth century Spanish romanticism was distinguished from that common to Europe because it expressed the very nature of Spain itself; the land, the people, the national temperament, its myths and history.1 Spanish romanticism was, needless to say, incontrovertibly theatrical and highly melodramatic but only because it was expressive of the Spanish spirit itself. Indeed, Spanish romanticism was a creation of the Spanish spirit and, as such, was highly individualistic although rarely subjective; extrovert, rather than introvert; epic and dramatic, as compared to lyrical; satirical and comical, even as it expresses the tragedy of life; the anti-thesis of classicism even though it never rebels against it; and, rather than signal a rupture with earlier literary trends, acknowledged them.2 Spanish romanticism was, in other words, unique to the country itself. The highly emotive and theatrical nature of Spanish romanticism has been attested to be numerous critics, many of whom sought its defence by asserting it to be a politico-cultural genre of Romanticism which should not be evaluated against the criteria established by European Romanticism. Plaja, one of the first to offer a theoretical defence of Spanish romanticism against the accusation that it perverted classical Romantic renditions, claimed that it was a romantic reformulation of the Baroque tradition.3 Peers, only partially agreeing with the aforementioned through a concession to the discrete threats of Baroque-ism which ran through the Spanish romantic literary tradition, defined it as a revival of Span's inherently romantic national culture and a rejection of both Europe and Europe's rejection of Spain.4 Eschewing both interpretations, Castro maintained that Spanish Romanticism was neither a transhistorical indigenous literary movement nor a revival of Baroque forms but an exploration and recreation of the self in response to metaphysical questionings and crises.5 While largely conceding to the uniqueness of Spanish romanticism, there is a persistent lack of consensus within literary circles regarding the theoretical framework and definitional parameters of Spanish romanticism. Accordingly, questions pertaining to the characteristics, peculiarities, definitional elements and sources of Spanish romanticism were central to a number of highly influential writings on the topic. These works which include King's "What is Spanish Romanticism"6 Shaw's "Towards the Understanding of Spanish Romanticism,"7 and Vincent Llorens' Liberales y romnticos, proceed from the premise that Spanish romanticism was not a literary phenomenon as much as it was a declaration of a shift in worldview. The political turmoil and conflict which Spain experienced at the onset of the nineteenth century and which forced many of its intellectuals, writers and statesmen, among them Duque de Rivas and Francisco Martinez de la Rosa, popularly regarded as the founders of Spanish romanticism, into exile, ultimately lent to the articulation and adoption of a liberal worldview. Within literary circles, that liberal worldview translated into a romanticism which quintessentially Spanish and nostalgically nationalistic. It was, in other words, a "national-romantisme"8 and, as such, highly sentimental, lending to extremely theatrical dramatic productions. The sheer theatricality, however, of plays such as "Don lvaro o la fuerza del sino" and "La conjuracin de Venecia" should not, if understood from within the definitional framework of Spanish romanticism, distract readers/audiences from the more fundamental concerns expressed therein. Through a textual analysis of both "Don lvaro o la fuerza del sino" and "La conjuracin de Venecia," aiming towards the clarification of the relationship between theatricality and Spanish romanticism, this paper shall demonstrate that the former contributes to the expression of the mentioned concern. Martinez de la Rosa, popularly regarded as one of the founders of the distinctly Spanish romanticism defined in the above and, the first to bring romanticism to the Spanish theatre, by others,9 presents his views on the techniques particular to this genre in his forward to "La conjuracin de Venecia." For the dramatist, the genuine artist, the challenge lies in carefully selecting the most notable facts and circumstances particular to the event he wants to write about and, then, in not just arranging them but in arranging them in such a way as to give the greater weight to the more dramatic of the events and situations. The end result should be a dramatic harmonious whole. It is incumbent, in other words, on the romantic dramatist/poet, to focus on the natural drama which underlies an event and to emphasise the dramatic within the framework of a harmonious whole. Unity of tone, unity of events and unity of dramatic level are essential but the imperatives of verisimilitude sanctions disregard the notions of unity of place and unity of time. Each act may unfold in a different setting and, indeed, the true romantic artistic may exploit that to add to the drama and the mystery underpinning his production. Similarly, events may unfold within different time frames but not so that an incongruity is detectable. Days may pass but, definitely, not years. As regards the historical romantic drama, the dramatist must ensure that the language used is appropriate or both the time and the personalities; it admits persons of lower status just as it does those of the highest, lending to a contrast in language and character. Accordingly, it lies midway between tragedy and comedy.10 Just as do other theories on, and definitions of romantic drama, de la Rosa's outlines the imperatives of the colourful and the dramatic. Insofar as he is concerned, Spanish romantic drama should be theatrical but theatricality here is theorised as a strategy for the emphasising of a work's fundamental concerns and not as a tool for overshadowing them and, possibly, obscuring the fact that there are no such fundamental concerns. Within the context of "La conjuracin de Venecia," at least, the reader/audience may easily identify those concerns as the tragic interplay between fate and life; the dilemmas which honour and morality often place men in; alternating forms of nationalism, as expressed by the conspirators and by the representatives of the state; and the nature of justice. These are not trivial concerns and the fact that they are expressed within a highly dramatic, even unadulterated theatrical context in which speech alternates between verse and prose, life, love and death are intertwined, sanity and insanity are separated by a single thread, and is set against a quintessentially, even ostentatiously, romantic background of medieval Venice, complete with the entire wardrobe of swords, masks and muffling cloaks. Certainly, were one to focus on these elements/characteristics, especially from a post-romantic perspective, there is no doubt that one could find them distracting and here is equally no doubt that they may be interpreted as detracting from the play's fundamental concerns. Were one, however, to look beyond these elements and focus on how they are used to communicate both the spoken and the unspoken within the play, one would realise that they contribute to the highlighting of these concerns. For example, sentenced to death for his part in the conspiracy, Rugiero, exclaims: RUGIERO.- De cierto es mi padre... es mi padre... cuando no logro, ni al morir, el consuelo de verle! (Al ir ya cerca del cuarto del suplicio, se detiene, y levanta la voz.) A Dios, padre mo!... A Dios! Cmo no oyes la voz de tu hijo... (Act V, scene 7, ll. 24-26) Rugiero has just been sentenced to death by the father who had abandoned him, never knew of nor acknowledged his existence throughout his life and, at the moment of recognition, sentences him to death. At such moment, one may have expected an impassioned direct appeal from son to father for mercy but not such flowery language, expressing the consolation the father's closeness may have provided the son, nor the interrelationship drawn between the earthy, temporal father and the heavenly, eternal one. Yet, this does not detract from the tragedy but, instead, brings into climax the interplay between romantic coincidence and tragic dnouement. It expresses the son's yearning for life but, more so, his longing for sympathy/consolation from the father he never knew. This image of Rugiero, as a boy more than a man, sharply contrasts with earlier images of him as a cloaked, masked, armed and dangerous conspirator: RUGIERO.- (Se descubre y saluda a los dems.)No ha sido culpa ma el haber tardado estos pocos momentos: una casualidad, tal vez de leve importancia, me ha hecho suspender de propsito entrar en el palacio... Toda la noche haba notado que me segua un mscara, vestido de negro... en vano atravesaba yo los puentes, cruzaba el bullicio en la plaza, mudaba mil veces de rumbo... siempre le vea cerca de m, cual si fuese mi sombra. A veces sospech, hallndole por todas partes, que quiz fuesen varios, de traje parecido; y hasta llegu a dudar si sera mi propia imaginacin la que as los multiplicaba ante mis ojos... Al cabo me vi libre un instante, y lo he aprovechado (Act I, scene 3, ll. 1-8). Paradoxically enough, however, these two images, styles of speech, do not negate but, compliment one another. They allow an insight into the boy and the man; the conspirator and the youth who recognises that the judge whose has sentenced him to death is his father. As incredible as the romantic coincidences' may all be, the sheer theatricality of speech and contrast emphasises the tragedy and the comedy of life. Accordingly, insofar as this particular play is concerned, theatricality contributes to the tragic content of its concerns and emphasises the extent to which the country one is fighting to save (at least from the perspective of the conspirators) can be the first to betray you. Theatricality further contributes to the patriotic and humanistic concerns threaded throughout "La conjuracin de Venecia." Youth fighting for Spain and a young man being sacrificed at the altar of his father's honour. Theatricality cannot be denied but it is a theatricality which carried the fundamental concerns forward. Indeed, the entire play is replete with dichotomous images and sharply contrasting worldviews. Rugiero is both patriot and traitor; a scared young boy who longs for consolation from his father and a courageous heroic figure for whom the sacrifice of the self means very little when weighed against Spain's interest. The dichotomy apparent here is carried throughout the play wherein, faith in alternate forces looms large and sanity and insanity intertwine. Faith in alternate forces, signifying sharply contrasting worldviews, is best expressed through reference to the below quote: Peregrino Anciano:- Od, cristianos, escuchad la ms lamentable historia, que vivir en la memoria de una edad y otra edad: Los soldados del Dios vivo perecieron con valor; y otra vez el Redentor ve su sepulcro cautivo (Act IV, scene 7, ll. 8-15). In lyrical verse, reminiscent of Catholic hymns, Peregrino Anciano, laments the fate of the soldiers of God and struggles with the notion that the righteous have been condemned and will, accordingly, be executed. Apart from recalling to mind the despair with life which characterises Spanish Romantic drama and the unselfish and unwavering patriotism which dominates over this genre, these lines emphasise the paradoxical nature of a life and time which have been, effectively, perverted. Beautiful lyrical verse is used to express something innately ugly; the righteous, the patriots, are going to be sacrificed in the name of God, in the name of Spain; and the cowardly have, seemingly, triumphed over the courageous. Indeed, these lines testify to a world turned upside down; to a world that has apparently succumbed to Satan himself. That much of the theatricality apparent in ""La conjuracin de Venecia" derives from the perversion of ideals is further evident in the lines and scenes which follow the ones quoted in the above. As the travellers lament the condemnation/the sacrifice of the righteous, the next scene shifts to a festival, a carnival and the one following to a bloodcurdling call for the death of the traitors: CONJURADOS.- Nos han vendido!... OTROS.- Slvese el que pueda! SOLDADOS.- A ellos!... CONJURADOS.- Al puente de Rialto!... al puente!... (brense paso: la mayor parte de la tropa los sigue.) SOLDADOS.- Mueran los traidores! OTRAS VOCES.- (A lo lejos, y por el mismo lado por donde los conjurados se han ido:) Mueran!... (Act IV, Scene IX, ll. 6-11). These lines, spoken in base, punctuated prose are, when set against the previous scene's fiesta, are reminiscent of sacrifice rituals. The young, the pure and the brave are being sacrificed in order to appease some anti-God, a Satan who, because of the perversions of the time, has become the god; the penultimate force. The alternation between verse and prose; indeed, the use of lyrical verse versus punctuated and very basic prose carries the theme of perversion forward and, with extreme theatricality, emphatically highlights the drama's more fundamental concern: the perversion of values and the imperatives of revolting against perversion and reclaiming values lost; reclaiming Spain. Indeed, it would hardy be an exaggeration if one were to claim, as does Plaja, that this play expresses the revolutionary spirit that was fomenting in Spain prior to its eruption in 1868.11 Proceeding from the above, "La conjuracin de Venecia" is undeniably theatrical and when evaluated from a post-romanticism perspective or, from without the definitional and theoretical parameters of Spanish Romanticism, theatricality could very well overwhelm readers/audience. If, however, read and analysed from within the context of Spanish Romanticism, theatrically and the dichotomous contrasts upon which it is founded, ay be rightly interpreted as communicating and carrying the play's fundamental concerns forward. The theatricality and contrasts apparent throughout "La conjuracin de Venecia" come out in full, and equal force in Duque de Rivas' "Don lvaro o la fuerza del sino." Considered the height of romantic manifestation, "La conjuracin de Venecia" has been roundly criticised by such critics and dramatists as Larra for its sheer theatricality and what Larra scathingly considered its absolute absurdity and nonsensicality.12 Larra, who, in a uniquely Spanish act of romanticism, shot himself out of despair at what he perceived of as his country's relentless failings, is not altogether incorrect in claiming this particular drama unrealistic. Realism, however, as earlier stated, was never the intent of Spanish romanticism and if the productions of that literary period are judged from without the theoretical and definitional framework of Spanish Romanticism, there is no doubt that they may be summarily dismissed as nonsensical theatrical renditions. If, on the other hand, they are read from within the contextual parameters of this particular aesthetic, theatricality will be appreciated, not just as an integral characteristic of the genre but as a strategy for emphasising the drama's more fundamental concerns. This is the case with "Don lvaro o la fuerza del sino" just as it was with "La conjuracin de Venecia." While thoroughly Romantic, "Don lvaro o la fuerza del sino" transcends sources, genres, time, space and linguistic styles, insofar as it seeks the embrace of an entire range. The penultimate example of Spanish Romanticism, it contains discernible traces of the classics whereby the elements of relentless, inexorable and inescapable fate and destiny are rooted in the Greek tragedies. The theme of concealed identity, well-established in Spanish Romanticism is introduced here with a novel twist. The hero, Don Alvaro, universally admired and loved, is not Spanish but a foreigner. At a time when Spain, consequent to conflicts with Europe, most especially France, looked upon all foreigners with disdain and suspicion, the choice of protagonist is quite interesting. Beyond introducing an element of romantic exoticism, it probably seeks the annihilation, or at least the shaking, of national stereotypes which, consequent to his own travel experiences, de Rivas' recognised as erroneous and, more importantly, identified as one of the sources of his nation's failings.13 Accordingly, the theatricality which surrounds the protagonist and the exaggerated reactions of others towards him, while somewhat unrealistic, undoubtedly serve the emphatic conveyance of one of de Rivas' own concerns - Spanish perceptions of others. If the choice of protagonist, not to mentioned the atmosphere which surrounds him, were theatrical so is the very nature of the plot and the characters therein. Here we are confronted with a man of fate, a young girl who, bordering perfection, is wholly committed to the ideal of love and is willing to sacrifice all for that ideal; devoted and honourable Spanish males who are, without hesitation, wiling to sacrifice their own selves for their sister's lost honour; and ideal representations of faith, as embodied by Leonor and the monks. The story line, wholly romantic, is communicated through the alternation between verse and prose, with content constantly shifting from the ridiculous to the sublime. In addition, audiences/readers are transported from place to place, heightening the drama's underlying exoticism, to say nothing of the shifts in time. All of the stated only confirms the undeniable: the play is singularly theatrical but, just as the case with "La conjuracin de Venecia," theatricality contributes to, and does not detract from, the dramatist's concerns. For example, Marques (Abrazando y besando a su hija.) Buenas noches, hija ma; hgate una santa el cielo. Adis, mi amor, mi consuelo, mi esperanza, mi alegra. No dirs que no es galn tu padre. No descansara si hasta aqu no te alumbrara todas las noches... Estn abiertos estos balcones (Los cierra.) y entra relente... Leonor... Nada me dice tu amor Por qu tan triste te pones Dona Leonor (Abatida y turbada.) Buenas noches, padre mo (Act I, Scene 5, ll. 1-13) In this, the initial exchange between father and daughter, theatricality abounds. The Marquis, without any justifications whatsoever, speaks in verses which overflow with expressions of love for his daughter and whose primary motivation is not a father's love but a man's desire to appear honourable and noble. The contrast between his words and poeticism clash with his daughter's down-to-earth, unemotional reply. It is almost as if, in this interplay between verse and prose, realism and romanticism collide; the different strains of life itself and its inherent incongruities clash in this simple exchange. Indeed, just at that point where one is almost swept away by the sheer theatricality of this, essentially, inconsequential exchange, a brief pause in thought highlights the extent to which theatricality serves the communication of the play's more fundamental concerns. In essence, this play revolves around the contrast between reality and supposition; the incongruity between words and actions; indeed, the play is about the contrast between people and the contrast which exists within them. Should we re-read the quoted exchange from within this interpretive perspective, we would then realise that theatricality, the shift from verse to prose, is the medium through which the aforementioned concerns are not just communicated but, emphasised. In an article on de la Rivas' romantic drama, Shaw contends that theatricality therein was largely conveyed through the exposition of force versus counterforce. In other words, a large part of the theatricality evident in de la Rivas' works emanated from the interplay of force versus counterforce, with the stated highlighting the contrasts which existed both between and within people.14 In Don Alvaro,' the whole notion of force versus counterforce is wonderfully depicted, both in stylistic and linguistic usage and in such themes as honour being lost by the supposedly honourable; the quintessential representative of the best of the national characteristics (gallantry, courage, etc.) revealed as a foreigner; and gallantry reduced to words, as opposed to deeds. Indeed, an entire sense of people acting out of character, of speaking in ways which are inherently foreign to their nature and profession pervades throughout. Interesting in this regard is the following exchange: OFICIAL 1. (Barajando.) Se afuf en cuanto me desbanc; toditos repletos van. Se declar un juego eterno que no he podido quebrar, y siempre sali a ganar una sota del infierno. Veintids veces sali, y jams a la derecha. OFICIAL 2. El que nunca se aprovecha de tales gangas soy yo. OFICIAL 3. Y yo, en el juego contrario me empe, que nada vi, y ya solo estoy aqu para rezar el Rosario. CAPELLN Vamos. PEDRAZA Vamos. OFICIAL 1. Tiro. DON CARLOS Juego. OFICIAL 1. Tiro, a la derecha, el as, y a la izquierda, la sotita. (Act II, Scene 2, ll. 839-856) Officials and chaplain are engaged in a nonsensical exchange, which unfolds in a measured lyrical pattern. The style of speech, not to mention the content of the exchange itself, is completely incongruous with both the setting and the identity of the speakers. To emphasis the poeticism of the exchange, thereby highlighting the theatricality which predominates over it, de la Rosa has Offer 1 picking up "tiro," following Don Carlos' interjection and using it in a quasi-lyrical context. The question which needs be asked at this point is precisely what does this mean in relation to the genre itself and the fundamental concerns of this particular work Apart from the fact that the lyrical nature of much of the drama adds to , and highlights, the element of theatricality, it further emphasises the incongruity of events, the hypocritical nature of the characters and the fact that things and people are not as they seem. In a philosophical sense, bearing in mind that there was a philosophical dimension to Spanish Romanticism,15 this signifies a revolt against the established order; an order that was founded upon appearances and deception, as well as rebellion against literary traditions which effectively imposed strict conventions upon artists and limited the range of their artistic expressions. Therefore, on the one hand, instances where we find verse being spoken by the most unexpected of characters, convey de la Rivas' concern with deception, hypocrisy and the failure of people to see the truth/reality. On the other hand, de la Rivas' tendency to move from one literary style to another is his own declaration of revolt against the established strictures of literary conventions. Accordingly, when viewed from this interpretive perspective, theatricality, primarily founded upon sharp contrasts, startling exaggerations, and poeticism, often rudely interrupted by un-poetic prose, is the strategy by which the stated concerns are conveyed and emphasised. Proceeding from the above argued, it is evident that theatricality, apart from emerging from within the very soul and soil of Spain, is a medium of communication. Theatricality is the purveyor of the concerns of the Spanish Romantics and, as such, should not be interpreted as overwhelming and, ultimately, obscuring those concerns. Should the reader/audience allow him/herself to do so, they are then missing the fundamental meaning, not just of each piece of Spanish romantic drama, but of Spanish Romanticism. Bibliography Caldera, Ermanno. Ill dramma romantico in Spagna. Pisa: Universita di Pisa, 1974. Castro, Amrico. Les grands romantiques espagnoles. Paris: le Renaissance du Livre, 1923. King, Edmund L. 'What is Spanish Romanticism', Studies in Romanticism, II (1962-63), 1-11 Peers, E. Allison. A History of the Romantic movement in Spain. London: Hafner, 1964. Plaja, Guillermo Daz. Introduccin al estudio del romanticismo espaol. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe, 1936. Marrast, Robert. Jose de Espronceda et son temps. Littrature, socit, politique au temps de romantisme. Paris: Klincksieck, 1974. Shaw, Donald. L. 'Towards the understanding of Spanish Romanticism', Modern Language Review, 58. (1963), 190-95. Shaw, Donald L. Atafulo: Rivas' First Drama,' Hispanic Review 56 (1988), 231-242. Read More