Das Leben ist Traum; Der Standhafte Prinz - Calderón de la Barca, Pedro 1600-1681; Krenkel, Max (Leipzig Barth, 1881)
'La vida es sueño' is Calderón's most famous work. It is a philosophical allegory regarding the human situation and the mystery of life. The play has been described as "the supreme example of Spanish Golden Age drama". The story focuses on the fictional Segismundo, Prince of Poland, who has been imprisoned in a tower by his father, King Basilio, following a dire prophecy that the prince would bring disaster to the country and death to the King. Basilio briefly frees Segismundo, but when the prince goes on a rampage, the king imprisons him again, persuading him that it was all a dream.
Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681) was a Spanish dramatist, poet, writer and knight of the Order of Santiago. He is known as one of the most distinguished Baroque writers of the Spanish Golden Age, especially for his plays. From the beginning of his theatrical career in the 1620s to his death in 1681 he wrote about 120 'comedias' and about 80 'autos sacramentales'.
Originally published in Spanish in 1635-36 (La vida es sueño) & in 1629 (El príncipe constante)
Keywords: 17th Century (1601-1700); 19th Century (1801-1900); Play (theater); Spain