The Limits of Privilege and the Sins of Don Juan
Subject Area
Spanish Peninsular Studies
Abstract
Don Juan Tenorio is one of the most famous characters of world literature, and certainly Spanish literature. Oft translated and reimagined, this figure has been attracting attention since 1630 for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps one reason particularly relevant for the twenty-first century is that Don Juan’s story shows the limits of privilege. Going back to Tirso’s El burlador de Sevilla, we see that Don Juan has all the comforts of his time: money, title, charm, prestige, family honor. However, he turns his back on his upbringing, choosing to squander his time with deceptive conquests. In spite of his affluent background, Don Juan does suffer for his crimes. Slowly but surely, his punishment builds, culminating in a personal escort to hell. This phenomena is in direct contrast with the prevailing idea that those of means are able to commit crimes, in varying degrees of severity, and escape with minimal or no punishment. In this paper, we will seek to establish the fascination with Don Juan into the twenty-first century, relating the work to contemporary situations, as we approach the 500th anniversary of its publication.
Brief Bio Note
BA, Spanish, Charleston Southern University
MA, Spanish, University of South Carolina.
PhD (ABD), Spanish, University of South Carolina. Dissertation: The Continuity of Contrast Between the Renaissance and Baroque
Areas of Research: Golden Age Peninsular Drama, Post-Civil War Spanish Drama, Post-Civil War Irish Drama
Keywords
Don Juan, Privilege, Punishment, Spanish Drama, Baroque
Location
Room 218
Presentation Year
March 2017
Start Date
3-24-2017 2:35 PM
Embargo
10-24-2016
Recommended Citation
Woods, Adrianne, "The Limits of Privilege and the Sins of Don Juan" (2017). South East Coastal Conference on Languages & Literatures (SECCLL). 60.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/seccll/2017/2017/60
The Limits of Privilege and the Sins of Don Juan
Room 218
Don Juan Tenorio is one of the most famous characters of world literature, and certainly Spanish literature. Oft translated and reimagined, this figure has been attracting attention since 1630 for a multitude of reasons. Perhaps one reason particularly relevant for the twenty-first century is that Don Juan’s story shows the limits of privilege. Going back to Tirso’s El burlador de Sevilla, we see that Don Juan has all the comforts of his time: money, title, charm, prestige, family honor. However, he turns his back on his upbringing, choosing to squander his time with deceptive conquests. In spite of his affluent background, Don Juan does suffer for his crimes. Slowly but surely, his punishment builds, culminating in a personal escort to hell. This phenomena is in direct contrast with the prevailing idea that those of means are able to commit crimes, in varying degrees of severity, and escape with minimal or no punishment. In this paper, we will seek to establish the fascination with Don Juan into the twenty-first century, relating the work to contemporary situations, as we approach the 500th anniversary of its publication.
