Fuente Ovejuna

Lope de Vega's Fuente Ovejuna provides the story of a local Commander who is a tyrant over the townspeople. He rapes the wives of town officials, he seeks to dishonor the Mayor's daughter Laurencia, and he rules for self-interest at the expense of others. Laurencia is in love with the peasant Frondoso. On their wedding day Laurencia is kidnapped by Commander Fernando Gomez de Guzman's forces. Eventually Laurencia incites the townsfolk to storm de Guzman's quarters, where he and his men are murdered. When justice arrives in the form of a judge sent by King Ferdinand, the villagers endure beatings and torture because they unite and refuse to answer who killed the Commander except for saying Fuente Ovejuna. Through the course of the play we are provided with many perspectives on what is just and proper, from the love between a man and a woman to the duties and obligations between a leader and the led.

In Act I we see that Laurencia and Frondoso are in love. However, even though Laurencia believes Frondoso is handsome, strong, hard working, and well-dressed, she refuses to promise him her hand in ma

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Category: Literature - F