Lope de Vega and the «Comedia de Santos»

Lope de Vega's (1562-1635) vast dramatic output and his solid reflection of the attitudes and practices of his day uniquely represent seventeenth-century Spain. Similarly, the saint's play uniquely represents Spain's Golden Age because only there did it achieve such heights of development and popularity. This study treats Lope's twenty-five Comedias de Santos, clarifies their cultural setting, and traces their ancestry. It reveals the Siglo de Oro concept of human perfection and encourages greater attention to the lyricism and techniques of these distinctive plays. The appendices include an annotated list of the Golden Age Comedias de Santos.