martes, 26 de mayo de 2015

Life is a Dream- Pedro Calderón de la Barca

During the golden age of spanish literature, Pedro Calderón de la Barca emerged as one of the key figures that would eventually shape the western cannon. His most important book, Life is a Dream, narrates the story of a polish king that takes astrology to seriously and therefore imprisions his only son.



Basilio believes the prophecy that his son will be a tyrant and has him chained in a dungeon throughout all his life. Segismundo never knows that he is a king and lives his life boringly, just talking to the servants of his fathers.

But eventually, Basileo unchains Segismundo and gives him a chance to rule. This is the first time that Segismundo tastes freedom and freewill. He behaves like the tyrant of the prophecy, being a bad ruler and killing innocents.

Segismuno abused of his freewill and thus, was condemned to live again chained. But Basileo gives his son another shot. Go on and be king again. This time Segismundo proved himself to be a fantastic ruler, fair, and magnanimous.

With his freewill, Segismundo beat destiny, emphasized the importance of freewill in human beings, and proved that a prophecy can be defeated.

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