Fuenteovejuna is a play written by the Spanish playwright Lope de Vega in the early 17th century. It is based on a true story that took place in the village of Fuenteovejuna in Andalusia, Spain in the late 15th century. The play is a powerful commentary on the corrupt and oppressive nature of authority, and the importance of standing up for one's rights and beliefs.
The play begins with the arrival of a new commander, Don Fernán Gómez de Guzmán, in the village of Fuenteovejuna. Don Fernán is a cruel and tyrannical leader who demands complete obedience from the villagers. He is particularly cruel to the women of the village, and is known for his sexual aggression and abuse of power.
Despite their fear of Don Fernán, the villagers of Fuenteovejuna refuse to bow down to his tyranny. They secretly plot to overthrow him and reclaim their freedom. The villagers are led by a young man named Frondoso, who is brave and determined to stand up against Don Fernán's oppression.
As the conflict between Don Fernán and the villagers escalates, a young woman named Laurencia becomes a key figure in the resistance. Laurencia is a strong and independent woman who is determined to fight for her rights and the rights of her fellow villagers. She refuses to submit to Don Fernán's advances and becomes a symbol of hope and resistance for the people of Fuenteovejuna.
As the struggle between the villagers and Don Fernán comes to a head, a group of rebels led by Frondoso and Laurencia finally succeed in overthrowing Don Fernán and reclaiming their freedom. The villagers are hailed as heroes, and their victory serves as a powerful message about the importance of standing up for one's beliefs and fighting against oppression.
Overall, Fuenteovejuna is a timeless tale that speaks to the universal struggles of ordinary people against corrupt and oppressive authority. It is a powerful reminder of the importance of courage and resistance in the face of injustice.
Fuenteovejuna (1972)
Later Laurencia meets with Frondoso in the forest. He has sacrificed his own safety in his defence of Jacinta. Esteban reminds him that there are rulers in Castile who will bring order where discord has been sown, and they will not allow men —who are powerful just because they wear a powerful cross i. Commander and his henchmen are often described as predatory animals or beasts, while Laurencia has been likened to animals that are often hunted. When a magistrate sent by King Ferdinand II of Aragon arrived at the village to investigate, the villagers, even under the pain of torture, responded only by saying "Fuenteovejuna did it. Things have gone badly for the Comendador and the Maestre.
Moved by his bravery in the woods, Laurencia agrees to marry Frondoso. In this passage, Esteban demonstrates that the villagers are fulfilling their aspect of the social contract in providing their love and respect. Los reyes reprueban entonces la acción que han llevado a cabo, pero perdonan al pueblo de Fuenteovejuna, por no poder hallar al culpable. They insist that they do. Pascuala is surprised to hear Laurencia say this so fiercely. An additional theme as is tradition versus progress. Translations into English are mine.
Laurencia rejects him angrily, upon which the Comendador puts down his cross bow and attacks her. Luego, en Fuenteovejuna, cuando Laurencia y Frondoso están por caserse, y toda la comunidad de Fuenteovejuna está reunida para celebrarlo, Fernán Gómez vuelve y se lleva apresados a los novios. He argues that simply by earning his title, the Master should then know how to be honorable. He points out that Laurencia was cold to him the other day, and he says that Laurencia and Pascuala belong to him. The villagers, celebrating with the head of the Commander, are told of the magistrate's approach. The city took up arms, as the people were loyal to Fernando and Isabel. After the exit of the Commander, Laurencia and Pascuala go on the run with one of the peasants, Mengo.
Collective action and collective responsibility. But because she implies that he simply wants sex, she is frustrated that he would treat her with such a lack of respect that would cause her to lose her good reputation. Frondoso, on the other hand, does act honorably, both in protecting Laurencia and in choosing not to kill the Commander for his offense. Lope de Vega, Three Major Plays with The Knight of Olmedo and Punishment without Revenge. Spain at the time was in the middle of much change per the backdrop of the play.
He demands Esteban, Laurencia's father, to allow him to have her but he refuses and the Commander takes this as an insult. The Commander urges the Master to call upon the Knights of Calatrava to take Ciudad Real, a key stronghold between Castile and Andalusia that is loyal to Fernando and Isabel. Allà seduce a muchas de las mujeres, y ejerce o pretende ejercer violencia sexual contra muchas de ellas, por lo que las aldeanas le temen. He pursues her out of lust rather than love and completely ignores her wishes. Later on, she would eat grapes, meat, and peppers.
Fuenteovejuna. Dramatic literature,Theatre, Lope de Vega at Spain is culture.
Thus, both of these characters desire power for self-interested reasons. Laurencia tells Frondoso to hide in the trees, and he does so. Laurencia says that she hopes the Commander never comes back to Fuente Ovejuna. Mengo comments that Laurencia is very witty. Fuenteovejuna is an historical play, based on an uprising in the village of Fuenteovejuna North West of Córdoba in 1476.
The Village, directed by Nadia Fall at The Royal Stratford East is based on the Spanish play. Frondoso thanks the King for being a wise and just ruler. The Commander wonders what to do, not wanting to break the rules of chivalry and turn his back on a peasant. But the play also deals with the themes of love and reflections on men's ambitions. The Public Theaters of Golden Age Spain and Tudor-Stuart England: Class, Gender and Festive Community.
Entonces, el Comendador vuelve a reunir a sus soldados para ir a defenderla, pero fracasa. As the crowd disperses, the Commander instructs Laurencia and Pascuala not to leave. Oxford University Press, 1999, p. The discussion is interrupted by the arrival of a dishevelled Laurencia, who launches into a tirade ll. In that time, Spain united under the Habsburgs and become a world superpower with the discovery of the New World. As individuals, the women do not have the same physical or social power.
