La comedia historial de Bances Candamo

Abstract

For reading and understanding Golden Age drama, it is essential to keep in mind that literature and history are two different ways to approach reality. From Aristotle to Cascales or Pinciano, some authors have theorized about the prevalence of the first over the second. At this point, Bances Candamo divides comedy into two, depending on the content: history or love. Historical dramas have a deep didactic value, mainly aimed to teach the king (Carlos II) how to rule or/and glorify the monarchy, but always maintaining a sense of decorum. Some examples are ‘El Austria en Jerusalén’, ‘Duelos de Ingenio’ y ‘Fortuna´s’ loa or ‘La restauración de Buda’.