Don Juan Tenorio

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Don Juan Tenorio is a drama by José Zorrilla y Moral . The play was premiered on March 28, 1844 in Madrid's Teatro de la Cruz . Zorrilla himself claims that he wrote the play in just twenty days. Zorrilla used the Don Juan myth by Tirso de Molina from his play El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra as the most important source for Zorrilla. Accordingly, Don Juan Tenorio is set as a historical drama in the 16th century.

shape

The piece consists of two parts (primera parte y segunda parte) of four or three acts each. There is a time difference of five years between the two parts. Nevertheless, the Aristotelian required unity of time is preserved, since each part plays for itself in one night.

Basic elements of the Don Juan legend

The basic elements used by Tirso de Molina in the Burlador also serve Zorrilla: the irresistibility and ruthlessness of the seducer or defender of women, his disrespect - Don Juan is not interested in norms or social taboos - and the punishment by the stone guest he has invited himself.

content

First part

María Guerrero in the role of Doña Inés, who just found a love letter from don Juan in her prayer book after entering the monastery.

The plot of the play is strongly condensed. Don Juan and his friend as well as his rival Don Luis (this one was designed by Zorilla for the first time) meet to find out which of the two has committed more atrocities in the past twelve months: who has seduced more women, who has blasphemed more sacred things, who more people killed (this is a brief summary of the plot of the Burlador de Sevilla ). Don Juan has a clear victory in this reckoning, especially because of his speed and ruthlessness. For don Juan women are means to the end of gaining prestige, objects that he forgets immediately after conquering and replaces with another. As Luis notes, however, there is still a novice missing from the list of conquered women of the culprit .

Don Juan accepts the challenge and bets that he will kidnap Doña Inés from the monastery within one night. Even more: Luis's fiancée Ana should also fall victim to him. This new bet takes place in public (one stage on the stage) and the father of Don Juan (Don Diego) and the father of Doña Inés (the Comendador Don Gonzalo) are also present. The fathers express their disgust at don Juan's behavior, which makes them representative of the older generation, while the younger audience sees don Juan as a star and is impressed by his audacity. It is also the suppressed sexuality of the novice (Doña Inés) herself that fascinates don Juan. Doña Inés, locked behind the bars of the monastery, waits for Don Juan as if it were a savior. This shows the ambivalence of the play: Don Juan is not only a villain, but also a liberator - namely women from their social fate.

The last act of the first part takes place in don Juan's country house. Inés finally succumbs to the charm of the seducer, while Don Juan - contrary to the Burlador - really falls in love with Inés. Don Juan even comes to his senses and is then ready to humble himself in front of her father. Don Gonzalo, however, interprets this intention as Don Juan's cowardice and a duel ensues in which not only Don Gonzalo but also Don Luis perish. Don Juan, back to his old behavior, complains that he did everything to change himself. If Heaven refuses to stand by him, it will be even worse for him, not for him.

Second part

The function of the second part is to find a compromise with the forces of tradition, especially religion, and to bring about a conciliatory end. Don Juan returns home after five years of exile. In the cemetery, as a romantic element in the piece, he meets his old adversaries, each of whom is represented as a grave statue. Don Juan Tenorio also has a statue. This has the hallmarks of Lucifer. Doña Inés appears as a shadow and announces to don Juan that she gave her soul for his (Doña Inés died of grief over don Juan's disappearance in the monastery). She is convinced that she can save don Juan's soul. Then the statue of Don Gonzalo appears and, as the myth dictates, Don Juan invites him to dinner. When the latter appears at don Juan's feast and wants to drag him to hell, don Juan Tenorio - unlike the burlador - confesses repentance and asks for the grace of God. Just in time - in the face of death - don Juan confesses and will be saved. Doña Inés appears and both unite in the afterlife. One can therefore speak of a religious happy ending to the piece.

reception

Due to the theme of its second part, Zorrillas Don Juan Tenorio is traditionally performed on the Catholic holiday of All Souls in today's Spain .

literature

Web links

Commons : Don Juan Tenorio  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Single receipts

  1. ↑ Museo Nacional del Prado
  2. ↑ Hans Mattausch: The fortunes of 'Don Juan Tenorio' in Barcelona: sketch of an ignored reception. In: ZIK. 18, 2005, pp. 171–196, here p. 171.