
A vivid portrait of seventeenth‑century Spain unfolds in this four‑act drama, where the legendary poet‑statesman Don Francisco de Quevedo steps onto the stage as both a literary icon and a fierce advocate for political change. Written in clear, elegant Castilian, the language is straightforward enough for learners while still echoing the lyrical vigor of the era. The opening scenes set the courtly atmosphere of Madrid, introducing the tensions that will drive the story and giving listeners a taste of the period’s cultural and intellectual currents.
The central conflict pits Quevedo against the powerful minister Olivares, a rivalry that quickly escalates into a series of sharply drawn confrontations. Each encounter is charged with dramatic irony and a touch of humor, balancing the heightened emotions of Romantic‑style melodrama with moments of genuine wit. As the plot advances, the play’s lively dialogue and vivid stage directions make it an engaging study of rhetoric, ambition, and the enduring clash between art and authority.
Language
es
Duration
~4 hours (273K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Chuck Greif, Stan Goodman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2006-11-17
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1822–1881
A Spanish poet, dramatist, and journalist of the 19th century, he moved from Romanticism toward a more realistic style and was admired in his day for his literary talent. Though less widely read now, his work still offers a lively glimpse of Spain’s cultural life in the decades after Romanticism.
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