Comic and tragic women figures in Rojas Zorrilla

Abstract

This article aims at analysing the characteristics of the roles played by women in the comedies of the Siglos de Oro, particularly in the work of a dramatist such as Francisco de Rojas Zorrilla, who began his literary career when both theatrical categories (the cape and dagger comedy/ the heroic or tragic comedy) had already become consolidated, and it was therefore necessary—for dramatists—to surprise the spectator; that is, it was necessary to “renovate” these subgenres. This explains why Rojas carries to the extreme the characteristics of these two theatricals facets, and explains the roles played by the “dames” in his comedies.