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Calderón
de la Barca (1600-1681) |
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Secret
Vengeance for Secret Insult /A Secreto agravio, secreta venganza |
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Scene:
Lisbon, and near Gallician village |
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Cast
(8 male, 2 female)
| Berganza,
Duke of |
noble;
Portuguese |
| D.
Bernardino de Almeida |
noble;
Portuguese; old; uncle of D. Lope |
| Celio
|
servant
of D. Luis |
| D.
JUAN DE BENAVIDES |
GENTLEMAN;
ARAGONESE |
| D.
Juan de Silva |
gentleman;
Portuguese; friend of D. Lope |
| Da.
Leonor de Mendoza |
noble
lady; Castilian; wife of D. Lope |
| D.
Lope de Almeida |
noble;
Portuguese |
| D.
Luis de Benavides |
noble;
Castilian |
| Manrique |
servant of D. Lope; comic; Portuguese |
| D.
MANUEL DE SOSA |
GENTLEMAN;
PORTUGUESE |
| MANUEL
DE SOSA |
GOVERNOR
OF GOA; PORTUGUESE; FATHER OF D. MANUEL |
| D.
Sebastián |
noble
(king of Portugal); Portuguese |
| Sirena
|
servant
of Da. Leonor |
| VIOLANTE
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LADY;
PORTUGUESE |
| Boatman,
soldiers |
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Act
I: |
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Going to meet Da.
Leonor, whom he has married by proxy, D. Lope de Almeida first meets an
old friend and fellow-warrior, D. Juan de Silva, who has fled from Goa
after killing the governor's son in a duel. Offering his help, Lope sends
Manrique, a servant, to meet Leonor, who complains to her maid, Sirena,
that she cannot forget D. Luis de Benavides, believed dead. He suddenly
appears, however, pretending to be a jewel merchant, and Leonor is even
more upset over her loveless marriage. As she leaves with Lope and the
latter's uncle, D. Bernardino, Luis reflects that he may as well die for
love as from jealousy, and plans to see her again. |
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Act
II: |
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Seeing
almost every available man leave Lisbon to fight under King Sebastián,
Lope is distressed, wondering if he should do likewise. Leonor tells him
to do whatever his honor dictates, though she will miss him if he goes;
but Juan says to stay at home, for he has done his share in other campaigns.
He now worries even more, wishing that the counsels had been reversed:
was Leonor's permission given too easily, and was Juan warning him to
look to his honor? Sent by Leonor to urge Luis to return to Castilla,
Sirena instead brings a note from him, and the assurance that he will
go if he can talk to Leonor once more. After reading the note, she has
Sirena admit him, but when the women leave the darkened room after the
interview, he becomes confused, and is nearly caught by Juan, who calls
for Lope's help. Later, Lope finds Luis, who claims to have entered to
escape three armed men who attacked him. Lope shows him out, and joins
Juan in another search of the house, while Leonor and Sirena are relieved
at the narrow escape.
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Act
III:
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Juan, having finally
noticed certain things, wonders if he should hint at Lope's dishonor,
and finally cites an imaginary case. Lope is reminded of his own suspicions,
and goes to the King to offer his services against the Moors. When the
King, meaning only that Lope is newly married, tells him that he may be
needed more at home, he wonders if the King meant anything else, or if
his dishonor is known even at the court. On leaving, he finds Juan fighting
several soldiers who recalled his experiences in Goa; and Juan speaks
of the folly of making one's injuries known by the means of one's revenge.
Pondering this, Lope decides to take revenge secretly, and he hires a
boatman to take him to his estate. While waiting, he sees Luis, whom he
invites to join him. He then casts off without the boatman, kills Luis
en route, and sets the boat adrift. He wades ashore at home, where Leonor
faints on hearing that Luis had drowned (actually, of course, Lope has
stabbed him). That night, he sets fire to the house, and kills Leonor
as it burns. As he carries the body out, he meets the King, and represents
the death as an accident. He then asks again to serve the King, whom Juan
later tells what really happened. |
AHCT