page_title: Spanish Baroque literature
section_title: Calderón de la Barca
hierarchical_section_title: Spanish Baroque literature / The theater / Calderón de la Barca
caption_attribution_description: Ilustraciones pertenecientes al libro: Las glorias nacionales&#160;: grande historia universal de todos los reinos, provincias, islas y colonias de la Monarquía Española, desde los tiempos primitivos hasta el año de 1852. - Madrid [etc.] (Barcelona&#160;: Imprenta de Luis Tasso) Librería de la Publicidad [etc.], 1852-1854.
context_page_description: Spanish Baroque literature is the literature written in Spain during the Baroque, which occurred during the 17th century.
context_section_description: The other great dramatist of the 17th century was Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681). His most famous work is Life is a dream (1635), a philosophical drama in which Segismundo, son of the king of Poland, is chained in a tower because of the fateful predictions of the royal astrologers that he will kill his father. Meanwhile, Rosaura proclaims in the Court that her honor has been violated by Duke Astolfo. Duke Astolfo courts Estrella in order to become king. The aggressiveness of Segismundo explodes when he is released from his tower, where he returns, chained, believing he has dreamed his experience of freedom. When a riot rescues him again, his will overcomes the predictions: he overcomes his violent nature, marries Rosaura to Astolfo, and accepts the hand of Estrella.
  El alcalde de Zalamea may have been first staged in 1636 or 37. It was printed in 1651. First translated into English as The Garrotte Better Given, from 1683 on the title was more accurately rendered as The Mayor of Zalamea. It presents the story of the rape of Isabel, daughter of Pedro Crespo, by the captain Alvaro de Ataide. Pedro Crespo being named mayor, he kills de Ataide. The king listens to his defense and Crespo presents his reasons. He is then pardoned by the King. This customary drama of honor deals with Lope's similar theme of the honor of a peasant.
caption: Pedro Calderón de la Barca
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