Fuenteovejuna by Lope de Vega

Start a new lesson from a TEACHER centered on the literary analysis of Sourceovejuna by Lope de Vega. We are talking about one of the most influential writers in the history of Spanish literature, and one of his most important works.

Felix Lope de Vega y Carpio He was a Madrid writer born in 1562 and educated within the Imperial College of the Jesuits. From a young age he began to work on letters and very soon showed his talent for writing and translations. In the literary legacy of Lope de Vega the same way of living of him can be appreciated, certainly somewhat unbridled and full of slips and adventures with various marriages that would end with his entry into the priesthood thanks to his great faith religious. Finally, he died in his native Madrid in 1635 with his remains buried in the Church of San Sebastián.

Known briefly Lope de Vega, we continue with the literary analysis of Sourceovejuna, which is probably his most famous work of all his fertile work.

We start with the argument of Sourceovejuna

, a small town that receives a new Commander while the Master of the Order of Calatrava leaves for take Ciudad Real and fight alongside Juana la Beltraneja in the war that she has against the Kings Catholics.

The Commander turns out to be not a good man, and soon falls in love with Lucrecia, a young woman from the town who wishes to give herself to Frondoso, another boy for whom he has deep feelings.

The Commander, jealous, he tries to abuse Lucrecia in a forest, but it is Leafy who prevents it. However, taking advantage of his position of power, said Commander ends up appearing at Lucrecia's wedding and Leafy in an unexpected way to put the boy in prison for having attacked him with the crossbow in the incident of Forest.

Lucrecia's father, in turn mayor of the town, she discusses with the rest of her people about what has happened to make a decision and see what they can do to help Frondoso. Meanwhile, the young woman marches along with her friends to try to end the abuse of the Comendador, a bad man who is tormenting the residents of Fuenteovejuna.

Finally, when the Commander and his henchmen decide what to do with Leafy, the townspeople enter the place of deliberation, killing the tyrant and freeing Leafy.

Later, a servant of the Commander who has been able to escape ask the Catholic Monarchs for help, who appear in the town to investigate what happened, since neither the Master nor a judge sent to the place have been successful despite having even tried to torture the inhabitants. but nobody speaks.

Ultimately, the entire town blamed itself for the death of the Commander. However, the kings have no choice but to free them all by understanding that their attitude and proceeding was fair, and in turn forgive the Master for not having fought on his side and for allowing himself to be deceived by the Commander.

Known the author and the argument of Sourceovejuna by Lope de Vega, we continue to delve into the literary analysis of the work:

• Main topic: the people rise up against the oppressive power of an unjust ruler.
• Secondary topics: We find other themes such as youthful love, excessive ambition, evil and abuse of power or the way of imparting justice of the kings with an almost infallible style.
• Writing: it is a work written in verse.
• Current: baroque
• Stage: practically all the action takes place in the town of Fuenteovejuna, although there are other settings such as the Casa de la Encomienda or the Palacio de los Reyes Católicos.
• Influence: we find a work with a certain moralizing intention, enhancing the work of kings, but also influenced by issues such as honor, tyrannization towards the people by bad government, hypocrisy or class difference, all very common to see in the epoch.

We finished the literary analysis of Sourceovejuna of Lope de Vega doing a review of the main and secondary charactersof the work:

• Sourceovejuna: the entire town is treated almost as the absolute protagonist of the work.
• Fernán Gómez de Guzmán: is the Commander of the Order of Calatrava. A tyrant and bad ruler who meets the just end of him.
• Ortuño: devious and with bad intentions, he is a servant of the Commander.
• flowers: another of the Commander's servants, this one less devious than the other.
• Leafy: young man in love with Lucrecia who defends his honor and his love against the tyrant.
• Lucrecia: the young girl in love who proves to be a brave girl with arms to take.
• The Master of the Order of Calatrava: character who is fooled by the Commander and Juana la Beltraneja, although his lack of bad intention is finally forgiven.
• Catholic kings: Both Isabel and Fernando appear in the work as a symbol of a fair way of imparting justice and governing the people.

In addition, other secondary characters appear such as Pascuala, Mengo, Barrildo, Jacinta, etc.