Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) is recognized worldwide as the author of the first Western modern novel, Don Quixote de la Mancha, which has heavily influenced literature around the globe ever since. He is also known as a master of humor, and he proves it repeatedly in each of his works. Although less known than his prose, his theater is equally delicious and brilliant. His eight entremeses, short comic pieces meant to be performed in the intermissions of the main play in the Spanish Baroque Theater Shows, are true gems of the genre. La guarda cuidadosa, The Devoted Guard, is one of them. Following Aristotle, for centuries, Europeans used serious topics for characters in the highest level of society and humorous ones for the laymen. Continuing the tradition of stock characters developed in the Renaissance in Italy in the Commedia dell'arte, and in Spain by Lope de Rueda, among others, Cervantes writes his entremeses using common places like the dirty old man, the trickster, the hick, and the arrogant and poor soldier. However, he does it with a depth unseen until that moment and a reflection that seems to us incredibly contemporary. The Devoted Guard has an arrogant and poor soldier as its protagonist indeed, a laughingstock, following the genre rules. Highly influenced by Erasmus' thought and a close cousin of Don Quixote, this soldier lives a fantasy about his own identity. He thinks of himself as a war hero, a gentleman, a knight. The rest of the characters only see a miserable, poor man, lost in his delusions of grandeur. His glory, as in all good humor, walks hand-in-hand with his doom.
But like Don Quixote, this poor soldier evokes in us many more things, and it is precisely that ambivalence that makes Cervantes' characters immortal. It talks to us about the feelings of social rejection and love sorrows; it reminds us of the biography of Cervantes, who, after losing his hand's mobility in the Battle of Lepanto, upon his return to Spain, confronted a life full of difficulties. In this entremés, we also see the inability to adapt to a world that sometimes keeps spinning without us; we witness the experiencing of a replacement of values that reveal themselves difficult to understand. But at the same time, it shows us a world in which social mobility, individualism, and more agency over the own life are beginning to show. In sum, disguised in laughs, Cervantes shows us his endless genius meditating not only about a country and a period but also about the very same human soul.
Back to Theater in Spanish
Professor Elizabeth Winters is General Manager of the HCTV and a member of the Hanover Communication Department in charge of video production and broadcast journalism courses.
Prior to coming to Hanover College, she worked for eight years as a documentary producer for Florida Public Television and then as senior producer at the Florida Channel. Her awards include The Florida Bar Awards Grand Prize for Television for "Alarmed and Dangerous," a Wolfson Media Center Film and Video Awards Honorable mention for "The Changing Face of AIDS" and a Sunshine State Video 2nd Place Award for "Below the Surface". Recently, she has produced a variety of magazine, news and documentary programs for the college cable channel, including For Our Country: The Story of the Jefferson Proving Ground and Faith in Friendship, a documentary about the Ulster Project peace and reconciliation program in Northern Ireland. contact: winters@hanover.edu
Cameron T. Mills - Soldado
Mounting Cervantes' play was so much fun. It helped me improve my pronunciation in Spanish and allowed me to discover a whole new side of me that I never knew existed-acting! I have never done theatre, so doing it in Spanish was a challenge, but I really enjoyed this opportunity. I learned so much from the class itself in which it made me very interested in the life and works of Cervantes. Overall, this class offered a rewarding experience to combine theatre and Spanish that ultimately resulted in a wonderful mounting of a play... and it was a blast!
Sam DiBiasio - Ama
As someone who is usually introverted, this experience was a bit out of my comfort zone. However, I learned that I like to play a character. I have always been known and perceived as "Magin." Through this experience, I was able to explore different parts of myself, despite what seems like just playing a funny character. Dedication, vocal projection, and 17th-century Spanish slang are the most notable skills I have developed after taking this course. In addition to learning more about myself, Professor Rodriguez helped to walk me through the life of Cervantes and the historical contexts around his work. This has allowed me to change my perspective on plays, music, and movies from all time periods and today. Knowing the reasons behind scenes, melodies, or lines can enhance the entertainment experience by so much more!
Magin Morrow - Oil Lamp Boy
