French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Adde, Versification in Spanish Golden Age Theatre, followed by a Metrical Analysis of Castigo sin venganza
Theatre and Performance
Amélie Adde, Versification in Spanish Golden Age Theatre followed by a Metrical Analysis of Castigo sin venganza
Paris: L'Harmattan, "Critiques littéraires" series, 2013.
216 pp.
EAN 9782343012582
21.00 EUR
Publisher's Description:
Versification in Spanish Golden Age theatre served not only aesthetic and mnemonic functions; it was also a marker of meaning. It functioned like stage directions, providing cues for actors, especially regarding physical expression. This work seeks to examine the functions and semantic effects of metrical forms: first for the poet, then for directors and actors, and finally for the audience and readership.
Amélie Adde is an Associate Professor at the University of La Réunion and a member of the Center for Research in Literature and History of the Indian Ocean (CRLHOI). She works primarily on Spanish Golden Age literature.
During the Spanish Golden Age, playwrights rejected classical unities and developed a highly flexible dramatic form known as the comedia nueva. A defining feature of this genre was polymetry, the use of diverse metrical structures within a single play to signal changes in mood, social status, or dramatic action. Amélie Adde’s study situates these metrical choices not merely as decorative poetic devices, but as essential tools for dramatic expression. By examining how verse patterns function as implicit stage directions, the book highlights the deep connection between poetic form and theatrical performance.
This work is particularly valuable for scholars of early modern European theatre, as well as directors and actors seeking to stage these classical texts. By offering a detailed metrical analysis of Lope de Vega’s tragedy El castigo sin venganza, Adde demonstrates how understanding verse structure can guide physical expression and character interpretation on stage. Readers will find answers to how historical audiences received these metrical cues and how modern productions can use them to unlock the text's original dramatic power.