Moral Opposition to Philip in Pre-Lopean Drama

Abstract

No dudo yo, senr, sino que importa regir con dura freno la milicia, y que se de al soldado rienda corta cuando el se precipita en la injusticia. La fuerza del ejercito se acorta cuando va sin arrimode justicia, antique mas le acompanen a montones mil pintadas banderas y escnadrones(Cervantes, La vv. 57-64)As the Spanish Empire expanded in the second half of the sixteenth century, King Philip II's policies began to change in a manner deemed by many to be immoral and unjust. Moralists and intellectuals of the day chose their own media to express their concern and fear of tyranny as Philip increasingly threatened to use military force to obtain the crown of Portugal in the late 1570s; moral treatises, pamphlets, epic poems, and dramatic works arose to communicate social commentary. Relatively recently, Golden Age scholars have begun to focus more attention on subversive political discourse written by dramatists preceding Lope de Vega (1562-1635) and the rise of the comcdia inteva, concentrating their efforts almost exclusively on Miguel de Cervantes's (1547-1616) La destruccion de (c. 1583). Furthermore, an increasing number of scholars has analyzed Cervantes's history play as a covert criticism of Philip II's government, rather than the overtly patriotic propaganda derived from a literal reading of the dialogue. In the 1970s, Alfredo Hermenegildo's book-length study La Numancia de Cervantes, which echoes some of his findings in his 1973 book on tragedy in the Spanish Renaissance, and Willard F. King's groundbreaking article represent two of the first challenges to the generally accepted reading of La Nitmancin as a proimperialistic work. Since then, works by the likes of Frederick A. de Armas, E. C. Graf, Michael Armstrong-Roche, Barbara Simerka, and later studies by Hermenegildo have surfaced that further validate the notion that in the play imperial rule is seen in a troublesome light (De Armas 130).While Cervantes's play certainly merits the meticulous studies it has received, it becomes apparent that La serves as only one example of a broader range of theatrical works from the 1570s and 1580s that portray similar derogatory opinions of the Spanish king. Hermenegildo reminds us that this time period contained a great amount of tension between the monarch in Castile and those on the periphery affected by his policies (Antologia 15), sentiments he expresses on other occasions (La tragedia 17; La Numancia 47; El tirano 14). A thorough investigation of the plays of Gabriel Lobo Lasso de la Vega (1559-1623), Jeronimo Bermudez (1530?-1605?), el canonigo Francisco Augustin Tarrega (1553?-1623), Cristobal de Virues (1550?-1609), Cervantes, and especially Juan de la Cueva (1543-1612), reveals two important points: there existed a very real fear of tyrannical overlordship among Golden Age Spaniards, and the critical discourse contained in these works draws attention to the notion that the reign of Philip II was by no means free from dissenting voices.1Several plays by these writers speak directly or indirectly to their creators' reservations about Philip's shift from his father's policy of Christian Imperialism to the pursuit of a more aggressive Universal Monarchy. Until the 1570s, Philip had continued Charles V's method of not expanding his European territories, at least not at the expense of other Christians. Rather, he seemed to have taken a more defensive approach; but when he claimed the Portuguese crown for himself, this signaled a change in policy and ignited great criticism from many of his subjects, including these playwrights. These writers regarded this new strategy as dangerous and unjustified, as seen by their depiction of tyranny, as well as their illustration in many instances of the consequences of either autocratic rule or ambition.2The injustice of tyranny, despotic rulers, and totalitarian regimes influenced by ambitious courtiers, were popular literary and dramatic themes in the Golden Age. …