Towards a Definition of Calderonian Tragedy

The duality and delusion of Calderón's Semíramis

“…Menon's physical blindness and prophetic insight dramatically underscore Semiramis's figurative blindness, and his words are punctuated by portents that indicate an ambiguous divine recognition ofthe events taking But Semiramis's illusions are restored when Nino declares that he will carry out his promise to marry her in spite of the omens and Men6n's prophecy. She now imagines herself in direct competition with Diana, saying that she will be Nino's wife 'aunque procure/Diana con estos asombros/quitar a mi fama ellustre' (1,. The satisfaction of her desire for recognition and greatness overwhelms her horror at the evil brought on by Nino'sjealousy, and sustains her revision of her hados.…”

“…Semiramis first reveals her ignorance when she equates freedom with rationality. After Menon agrees to take her with him to Nineveh, she says: 'Adios,/tenebroso centro mio,/que voy a ser racional,jya que hasta aqui bruto he sido' (1,. And when she is confined again while he seeks permission to marry her, she equates physical with spiritual freedom, asking herself whether the will is free since she finds herself imprisoned again (I, 1234-59, cited above).…”

“…(I, 2421-26) STEPHEN H. LIPMANN Despite earlier statements, Semiramis's greatest desire is not to see the world but to be seen in it, to achieve fame and glory. This desire stimulated her imagination, which she indulged freely in the cave; as she tells Irene: 'como/pude alli discurrir mucho,/no me contente con poco' (1,.…”

“…(I, 2853-62) When she later tells Menon, 'dejame que yo logre/de mi destino la suerte' (1,, she can only have her personal version of her hados in mind. And when Nino promises to marry her, Semiramis forgets the prophecy completely as reality and fantasy seem to merge.…”

The Four Elemental Jewels in Calderón'sA secreto agravio, secreta venganza

“…There is thus diffusion of responsibility in A secreta agravio, to use Alexander A. Parker's term. 29 A series of errors stemming from ~que dirdn? are compounded and magnified until the tensions explode into violence at the end of the work.…”