Amongst the great writers of Spain’s “Golden Age”, none proved to be as prolific as Lope Félix de Vega Carpio. Dubbed a “monstruo de la naturaleza” by his contemporary, Miguel de Cervantes, Lope produced some eight hundred plays, as well as volumes of lyric poetry, narrative poems and a range of prose works. According to Ezra Pound, “an attempt to enclose him in any formula is like trying to make one pair of boots fit a centipede” (quoted in Trueblood 1974: 4). Classified as the founder of Spanish national theatre and acclaimed as a genius in his lifetime, Lope’s picture adorned the homes of many members of his adoring public and his name was synonymous with excellence in the popular expression “es de Lope”. Yet the man himself was a complex creature whose…
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Citation: Canning, Elaine. "Lope de Vega". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 August 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4531, accessed 22 November 2024.]
