The play, La vida es sueño (Life is a Dream) by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, is an extraordinary work that mimics the societal nature of what was going on in Spanish society. Calderón’s drama is considered a prime example of Spanish Golden Age drama and it truly highlights this time period. As the title predicts, the play is about the uncertainty of life and the nature of illusion and it ties down with the idea of life and dreams. Through this erratic drama of the seventeenth century, we can see that Life is a Dream, emphasizes the philosophical questions about life and illusion the complex yet twisted Spanish values, and the reality behind the tangling life of the Royal court in Spanishs society. As we follow along the fickle narrative of …show more content…
The play is tangled with complicated relationship between characters such as Rosaura and Clotaldo that allows us to be guided by their interactions and dialogue in order to understand what is going on. An example of this is the intriguing father-daughter relationship that Rosaura and Clotaldo hold. As the opening scene develops, Rosaura encounters with Clotaldo, who is guarding Segismundo’s prison cave, as he approaches and notices the sword, which is a symbol of Rosaura’s family honor, he realizes that she has to be his “son” as Rosaura was seen first dressed as a man. Although, the family sword definitely signals that Clotaldo and Rosaura are family, Clotaldo is a general and furthermore must stay loyal to his king as he expresses, “Thus my loyalty and self-love/ Upon either side attack me;” Clotaldo is conflicted between being loyal to his “son” or following his duties to the king. In his soliloquy, he tries to come up with a plan that will allow him to be able to follow his duties as general, yet have his “son” be pardon by the king instead of the ultimate route of execution. This difficult decision between choosing his governmental duties and his family duties reflects the understanding that betraying the king or the royal court overall is a huge crime which imitates the …show more content…
The influential ideals and values of society are emphasized through the play with the conflicts and interactions between each of the characters. Calderón’s development of the characters social mores deepen our understanding of societal norms in the golden age of Spain. Honor and reputation are two of the values that form a significance in this drama. As the truth behind the king’s secret unfolds, Segismundo comes to light in what he experiences as different dream likes episodes. While we are first introduced to Segismundo as a prisoner, he is then drugged and woken up in the attire of a prince. As the people around ihm play along with the King’s request, Segismundo is observed with every action by the king to see if he is royalty worthy. After he convinces himself that the enslavement he remembers is a dream, he begins to enjoy the power that comes along with such a high ranking. However, he is still dazed with what he perceived as his reality and what he perceives as his