Lions in Early Spanish Literature and on the Spanish Stage

Abstract

Before venturing into the den of lions which lies ahead, it may be well to make the acquaintance of a few varmints that appear for a brief moment on the Spanish stage, and then are seen no more. Lope de Vega has a bear in El casamiento en la muerte, and another in Alejandro el Segundo, both of which are disposed of without difficulty. A tiger appears in Tirso's Escarmientos para el cuerdo and seizes the gracioso Diagnito, but does no apparent harm. A number of serpents make themselves heard in the wings of the Spanish stage and their hissing invariably proves to be bad luck, bad luck for them, because they soon get their heads cut off. We see the bloody heads, but seldom the serpents. In Lope's El amor enamorado and in Perseo, however, the serpents actually appear on the stage, echando fuego. In El vellocino de oro we have quite a menagerie. There is Pegasus, with wings; there is a dragon which guards the Golden Fleece; and there are two bulls which breathe out fire.