Félix Lope de Vega (1562-1635)

Siblings - Francisco, Juan, Juliana, and Luisa

Children - Marcela and Lope Félix, or Lopito

### Best Known For

his prolific output of plays, having written as many as 1,800 plays and several hundred shorter dramatic pieces

## About

Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio (1562-1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist who was one of the key figures in the Spanish Golden Age of Baroque literature. He was born in Madrid, Spain, and was the second son and third child of Francisca Fernandez Flores and Félix de Vega, an embroiderer. Lope de Vega was taught Latin and Castilian by the poet Vicente Espinel in 1572-73, and the following year he entered the Jesuit Imperial College, where he learned the rudiments of the humanities. He wrote his first play at the age of 12 and composed poetry even before he could write. Lope de Vega was an outstanding dramatist of the Spanish Golden Age, author of as many as 1,800 plays and several hundred shorter dramatic pieces. He played a major role in transforming Spanish theater during the Renaissance, creating the popular “new theater” that drew large crowds to open-air performances in the city of Madrid. Lope de Vega's reputation in the world of Spanish letters is second only to that of Miguel de Cervantes. He created real types and fully three-dimensional characters that would influence generations of writers. Lope de Vega faced a series of tragedies in 1635, losing his son Lope, a worthy poet in his own right, in a shipwreck off the coast of Venezuela, and the abduction and subsequent abandonment of his beloved youngest daughter, Antonia. Stricken with grief, Lope de Vega took to his bed and died in Madrid on August 27, 1635, at the age of 72.

## Early Life and Education

Félix Lope de Vega was born in Madrid on November 25, 1562, to a family of undistinguished origins. His father was a tailor, and his mother was a descendant of Jewish converts to Christianity. Lope de Vega showed signs of his genius at an early age, having learned to read Spanish and Latin by the age of five and translating Latin verse by the age of ten. He wrote his first play when he was 12 years old. Lope de Vega attended the University of Alcalá at the age of 14 and joined a military expedition to the Azores at the age of 21. He was exiled from Madrid for an affair with a married woman and spent seven years in Valencia. During his exile, he became familiar with several dramatists from Valencia, whose influence led him to introduce several innovations in Spanish theater.

## Personal Life

Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio was born in Madrid in 1562 to a family of undistinguished origins. He was taught Latin and Castilian by the poet Vicente Espinel when he was only ten years old. Lope de Vega was a child prodigy who wrote his first play at the age of 12 and was already reading Spanish and Latin at the age of five. He studied at the University of Alcalá de Henares and joined a military expedition to the Azores when he was 21. Lope de Vega was married twice and had several children, but he also had numerous affairs and was known for his love of women. He suffered several personal tragedies, including the deaths of two of his children and his wife, which led him to a deep religious crisis. From 1609 onwards, he wrote almost exclusively religious works.

## Filmography

There are films based on the works of Félix Lope de Vega. According to Wikipedia, there is a category of films based on his works, which includes “The Dog in the Manger” (1978 and 1996) and “Dance Teacher.” Additionally, a 2010 Spanish-language film about Lope de Vega, entitled “Lope,” is available with English subtitles as “The Outlaw”. In the Spanish TV series “El Ministerio del Tiempo,” Lope de Vega is played by actor Víctor Clavijo in his first appearance in 1588, on the eve of the Spanish Armada, while the second episode depicted Vega in 1604.

## Litigation

Félix Lope de Vega (1562-1635) was involved in several lawsuits during his lifetime. In 1596, he faced a lawsuit due to his public concubinage with the widow Antonia Trillo de Armenta. Despite this, he continued to have various female companions throughout his life. Lope de Vega also faced personal tragedies, including the loss of his son Lope in a shipwreck off the coast of Venezuela and the abduction and abandonment of his youngest daughter Antonia. Stricken with grief, he took to his bed and died in Madrid in 1635. Despite his personal struggles, Lope de Vega is celebrated as one of Spain's most prolific and influential writers, having created fully three-dimensional characters that would influence generations of writers.