Introduction
Lope de Vega Carpio is one of the most famous Spanish playwrights who contributed significantly to seventeenth-century literature. In his poem “Fuenteovejuna” or “Sheep Fountain,” the author raises many topics based on human relationships. The writer masterfully reveals the essence of this interaction and emphasizes the value of positive human qualities. Love is one of the central themes in the poem “Fuenteovejuna.” It is revealed in various philosophical reflections of the main characters, which cause opposite reactions in the reader.
When writing “Fuenteovejuna,” Lope de Vega Carpio paid great attention to several sources of inspiration. Hence, their basics were mythology, biblical teaching, and Italian literature (Holloway 177; Mascia 186). The author identified the most important lessons from these works that he could represent in his poem. Even though the leading theme of the work is to praise ordinary people and the positive qualities that distinguish them from the nobles, the topic of love occupies an equally important place. It is revealed by providing the reader with reflections throughout the play.
Love in Fuenteovejuna by Lope de Vega
The words of Laurencia regarding love aroused particular interest when reading. In one of the conversations, the girl claims love is a “desire for beauty” (de Vega 12). Therefore, for Laurencia, this feeling manifests itself in the desire to enjoy the beautiful things surrounding a person. However, this point of view is formed by a girl who has not yet experienced love and is based only on experience and perhaps the norms and traditions of the society in which she grew up.
Moreover, it is worth noting that the words of the character Barrildo caused a positive reaction. In the first scene, he said, “If love did not exist, neither would this world of ours” (de Vega 12). In these words, a parallel can be drawn with the Bible, which also emphasizes that love in all its manifestations is one of the central and valuable feelings that a person can experience. This aspect concerns the romantic context, family, friendship, love for strangers, and everything surrounding a person. I agree with these words because love conveys such feelings as respect, trust, and affection, without which humanity could not exist in harmony and peace.
While Barrildo proves that love is a powerful and valuable feeling that promotes harmony in the world, Mengo’s character has a different opinion. Therefore, he proves that “we love ourselves and no one else” (de Vega 12). For a man, love is presented as a concept that puts a person’s interests at the center, which I cannot entirely agree with. Even though self-love and self-respect are critical for any person, they should also be shared with others. This feeling does not imply concentration on the individual as the center of all living things; love determines the importance of relationships and connections with others.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the poem by Lope de Vega Carpio, “Fuenteovejuna” or “Sheep Fountain,” reveals various ideas about love. Henceforth, for some characters, it is an instrument of harmony and peace; for others, the desire to admit beauty or the concept of taking into account the personal interests of others before others. This causes a different reaction of agreement or denial, an advantage for the poem. This ability to provoke such different thoughts contributes to the confirmation of the uniqueness and skillfulness of the author.
Works Cited
de Vega, Lope. Fuenteovejuna. Independently Published, 2020.
Holloway, Anne. “After Amaryllis Began Her Sway: ‘Late’pastoral (and early fan fiction) in the poetry of Lope de Vega.” The Routledge Hispanic Studies Companion to Early Modern Spanish Literature and Culture. Routledge, 2022.
Mascia, Mark J. “Romances de senectud by Lope de Vega.” Bulletin of the Comediantes, vol. 72, no. 1, 2020, pp. 185-187.