The Story of Joseph in Spanish Golden Age Drama

This book includes critical studies and English translations of six different dramatic versions of the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers written during the century and a half from about 1535 to 1685 - that is, from the earliest attempts at full-length drama to the end of the classical period, which is usually dated around the year of Calderon de la Barca's death in 1681. Three of the plays are full-length dramas, while the rest belong to the peculiarly Spanish genre of one-act religious plays known as autos sacramentales. Comparison of these six variations on a theme enhances our understanding of the gradual evolution of both the auto and the comedia (full-length) genres during the Golden Age. In addition to the biblical story, Spanish playwrights drew upon a rich tradition of retellings of the Joseph story written during the Middle Ages by Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Spaniards. Each of these ethnic and religious groups developed new interpretations of the story dictated by the historical circumstances of a particular time and place, yet each was influenced by the versions created by the others. Ultimately, this grudging collaboration produced a uniquely "multicultural" version of the story.