Theater of the Golden Age

Historical context

The Baroque is a period that stands opposed to the Renaissance by an ever present sense of mistrust,pessimism and disappointment. These are some aspects of this time in the social, cultural, artistic andliterary:

General Aspects

-Political Aspects: Philip II, Philip III, Philip IV, Charles II

•Recklessness and weakness of monarchs and the nation address valid ineffective.

•Corruption

•State Bankruptcy

-Social Aspects

•Demographic decline: war, famine, migration to the periphery and Latin.

•Social structure: privileged nobility but ineffective(Concentrates wealth but not invest in industry.

•The bourgeoisie does not have enough money to create industry.

•General impoverishment and heavy tax increases.

•Contrast to the poverty of the people with the luxury in court.

-Economics Aspects

•Poor contrast  rich

•Reduction of the benefits of the colonies

•Shortage of labor

•Increased begging (rogues, vagabonds, thieves, ...)

Ideology of baroque theatre

The Spanish comedy presents social conflicts of his time: love, honor, filial obedience ...
In the Baroque theater, the individual is linked to social conditions, as summarized in the blood.
In the late Middle Ages, had been frequent tensions between the lord and the village.
In the new comedy (lopesca) relevant figure is the rich farmer who respects the king and the social order, which are virtuous and happy lives.
A large number of works exposed the conflict between honor the peasant (rich and therefore respectable) and members of the class that had hitherto been considered the honor as his privilege.