Summary of the work

At the wedding of Sancho and Alvina, Sancho's lord Tello was fascinated by Alvina's beauty, and suddenly took over Alvina. Alvina's evil thoughts. He violently blocked the arrival of the priest, forced the wedding to be terminated, and snatched Alvina away in the dark. Faced with the humiliation of robbing his wife, Sancho first came to Tello's castle and begged Tello to return Alvina to him. Tello arbitrarily refused and ordered Sancho to be driven away. Alvina's father Nuno asked him to ride a horse to the city of Leon to find King Alfonso for help. The king wrote a letter to Sancho and sent it to Telio, ordering Telio to return Alvina to Sancho. Tello was so arrogant that he ignored the king's personal letter and drove Sancho out of the Galician territory. Sancho had no choice but to seek help from the king again. The king disguised himself as a judge to investigate the matter, and then went to the castle of Tello to hold a trial. Alvina came with disheveled hair to accuse Tello of bullying her. The king first let Tello marry Alvina to restore Alvina's reputation, and then executed Tello and let Alvina inherit Tello's half. property, and then marry Sancho.

Selected Works

Act Three

……

Bolido, Phileno, Hu Enter Anna and Honore.

Blido Sir, what are your orders?

Nu?o: If you wait for the boys to come back from the mountains,

you will have to wait a long time.

King There are enough people here.

Who are you?

Blido Me? Kind sir,

My name is Bolido,

I am a country boy.

Pelayo If you add the word "ka" to his name,

he will be a Cabredo ram.

King Do you know what Dontelho did to Alvina?

Bolido: On the night of the wedding,

some bad guys came,

broke the door and took the girl away.

King What about you? Who are you?

Lady Juana, I am Juana,

I am her servant,

I used to serve Alvina,

I It seems that she probably lost her reputation and her life.

King Who is that good man?

Sir Pelayo, he is the bagpiper Fileno,

He plays the flute for the witches at night.

He wandered around this country,

One night he was captured,

When he came back, he was beaten like a salmon fillet.

King: Tell me, do you know what happened?

Phileno Sir, I am a musician,

I saw Dontelho ordering the priest not to enter.

The wedding was interrupted by him,

He took Alvina home,

Her father and her relatives met her there .

King: And this peasant woman, who are you?

Pela asked her to be Antona de Cueto,

the daughter of Pedro Miguel de Cueto,

The latter is Nu?o de Cueto's grandfather.

His uncle Martin de Cueto is a local musician.

He is a man of high moral character. person.

He also had two aunts who were witches,

but they passed away many years ago.

He also has a one-eyed nephew,

He was the first to grow radishes in Galicia.

King: Well, let’s end this matter first,

Everyone, let’s rest first,

We will go visit Dontelho in the afternoon.

The count does not need to know more,

to know that Sancho did not lie to you,

because these people are innocent,

That's enough to prove it.

King Please call quietly

A priest and an executioner.

Exit the King and Knights.

Nuno Sancho.

Sancho father-in-law.

Nu?o: I don’t understand the judge’s approach.

The trial has not yet begun.

We have to find the priest and the executioner.

Sancho Nuno, I don’t understand his intention.

Nu?o: Even if he brought a team of troops

it would be difficult to capture him.

At best, there would only be two people following him.

Sancho: Let us give him food first,

We will soon find out whether he can or cannot.

Nu?o: Do ??they eat together?

Sancho: I think the judge dines alone first,

and then the others.

Nu?o: They should be bailiffs and clerks.

Sancho: I guess so too. (Part 2)

Nu?o Juana.

Juana Master.

Nu?o, prepare clean clothes,

kill four hens quickly,

and roast large pieces of meat,

The tender turkey has shed its feathers.

Take it to the fire and roast it.

Fileno, go get the wine.

Hurry down to the old wine cellar.

Pelayo Nu?o, I swear to the sun,

Today I will have a meal with Judge ***.

Nu?o: This guy has no brains. (Part 2)

Pelayo The king has to eat alone,

The only thing that is not good about it.

For this reason,

There are dogs and clowns nearby. (Part 2)

Enter Alvina, she escapes from Dontelho, Feliciana blocks her, she dodges left and right.

Alvina: Help me, O Lord,

For I see that there is no help left in the world.

Teluo I want to kill her!

Feliciana Stop your furious hand!

Tello Feliciana, you will lose my respect for you.

Feliciana: I am respected not as a woman,

but as your sister.

Tello blames the crazy village girl,

She is purely arrogant and arrogant,

She has no respect for her master,

< p> Just because I fell in love with a country boy.

Because she always thinks,

She can resist me,

I must subdue her,

or destroy her . (Part 2)

Enter Celio.

Mrs. Serlio, I know if anyone

makes me worry in vain,

I see Nu?o

entertaining Distinguished guests.

Sancho has returned to the village,

Everyone is extra careful,

A rare visitor has arrived from Castile,

They're so sneaky,

I've never seen anything like it.

Feliciana Serlio, you are not smart enough,

Since you have such doubts,

you can always find a chance to get in,

See what's going on.

Celio: I'm afraid Nu?o will be angry with me when he sees me coming in,

because he doesn't like our people.

Feliciana: I want to tell my brother,

Because this countryman,

has extremely high intelligence and temperament.

Selio, you stay here,

and see who comes. (Part 2)

Serio: If he does such a cruel thing,

his conscience should be intolerable,

he will call God to severely punish him.

Enter the King, the Knights, and Sancho.

King Please come in and do as I command.

Celio (Who is this?)

King Call the door!

Sancho: Sir, this is Dontelho’s servant.

King Ah, sir, listen.

Selio What do you want ***?

King Go and tell Dontelho that

there is someone coming from Castile

to talk to him about something.

Serio: I said to him who are you?

The King is a widower.

Celio: Don’t you have a name?

Just a "little person"? Is this appropriate?

You guys make me feel suspicious.

I'm going to say that the "little man" is waiting at the gate. (Part 2)

Enrique: He went in.

Count I am afraid his answer will be angry.

It is better to tell him who you are.

King: It's not appropriate,

Because it will scare him,

Only I can call you "widow" without using my name.

Enter SERIO.

Celio, I said to my master Dontello,

You call yourself a "little man",

He told you to get out of here,

p>

Because strictly speaking,

Only he can be called a "little man",

He said that according to the law,

There is only God in heaven,

p>

Only kings on earth can call themselves "little men".

King Go and tell him,

I am a judge of the royal family and the court.

Serio (confused)

I'll go,

I'll tell him this name.

King Mark what I have said to you.

Exit SERIO.

Earl: It seems that this squire is a little confused.

Enrique It was this title that confused him.

Sancho Nuno is here,

If you like,

I hope you will allow him to come.

King Come,

Since he has endured the ordeal,

he too should take part.

Sancho Come on, Nuno,

Just watch from the outside.

Enter Nu?o and the villagers.

Nu?o, this ferocious man

I am scared even looking at his house.

Everyone, please be quiet.

Juana Pelayo is talking. Is he crazy?

Pelayo Look, all of you,

How I look like a marble statue!

Nu?o: He only brought two people

How courageous he is!

Enter Feliciana. She stood between Dontelho and the servants.

Feliciana Look what you have done!

Brother, stop, where are you going?

Tello It is said that you are a nobleman,

a judge of Castile.

Are you looking for me?

King Is this strange?

Tello: Very strange, for God’s sake.

Do you know who I am here?

King But how different are the people sent by the king from the king?

Tello It's very different to me.

Where is the scepter you brought?

The King is still in its case,

It will be taken out soon,

You will see what will happen.

A scepter in a sheath,

Oh, that’s wonderful,

You probably don’t know me yet,

< p> If the king hadn't come to arrest him personally,

No one else in the world could do anything to me.

King Villager, I am the king!

Pelayo Blessed by Saint Domingo of Desiros!

Tello Then, Your Majesty,

The Supreme of Castile

Is this what you look like?

Is that you? Did you drive there in person?

I beg you to forgive me.

The king quickly removes his weapons,

Villager, in the name of my crown,

I want you to respect

Letters from the King.

Feliciana My lord, I beseech you,

Do not be so severe.

King: Stop begging.

Get this poor farmer’s wife out!

Tello My lord, she is not yet his wife.

King As long as she is willing to be his wife

That is reason enough!

Isn’t it his loving father

who is complaining and crying to me?

Tello I deserve to die, death is imminent,

I have offended the king and God.

Alvina wore her hair disheveled.

Alvina Alfonso of Castile,

You rule over all Spain.

I was still complaining just now,

As soon as I heard your name,

I ran out of the confinement,

Before me Come and ask for justice,

Ask for mercy from your king.

I am the daughter of Nu?o de Aybar,

whose virtues are well known in this region.

Sancho de Loelas,

He had great affection for me,

As soon as my father knew about it,

He is willing to let us get married.

Sancho worked for Tello de Naira,

went to ask him for permission to marry,

he came to the wedding with his sister ,

Act as the male and female groomsmen respectively.

When he saw me coveting my beauty,

he immediately changed his mind,

postponed the wedding,

he brought weapons People,

all with their faces covered,

came to my door.

He took me to his home,

coaxed me with sweet words,

wanted to break my noble steadfastness.

From his house,

took me to the forest,

a quarter of a country house,

Leagues away,

it was so densely overcast that

not even the sun could penetrate.

No one can hear my sad song,

My hair will bear witness.

Because the grass knows it

In order to defend myself from humiliation,

How hard I fight,

How many strands of hair do I have ,

Teared down into the grass.

My eyes can testify,

How many weak tears,

flowed on the hard rocks,

If I could The stone becomes soft,

I will spend the hours weeping.

Because if you lose your reputation,

there will be no joy and happiness.

But I am very lucky.

I can turn to Best judge,

for you have the power to punish such atrocious evil with justice and mercy

.

I beg you, Alfonso,

let me kiss your feet,

with my humble lips.

Your undefeated record

benefits future generations.

To protect them from the Moors.

If my clumsy tongue

cannot express enough praise for you,

the history of history will carry your name.

The King is sorry that I came too late,

I really wanted to come earlier,

to resolve the injustice of Sancho and Nuno,

But I can do justice,

Cut off Tello's head.

Executioner, come here!

Feliciana Your majesty, king, beg your grace,

Have pity on my brother!

If this reason does not count, the king,

then despises my edict,

my signature and my handwriting,

Isn't this crime enough?

Don Tello, today I want to watch

Your arrogance and arrogance are finally surrendered by me.

Teluo Your invincible majesty,

There is death waiting for me,

Even if there is greater pain!

I admit that I deserve death.

Enrique If I could be in front of you...

Count Your Majesty, please have mercy on me,

I raised you in this land.

Your Majesty Feliciana, for the sake of Count Don Pedro,

He has shown kindness to you,

Please spare her. Spare your life!

The King and Count are worthy of being my father,

But the Count should also understand,

I must also enforce the law impartially,

You No need to intercede with me.

Count: Does kindness lower your status?

If the king loses his sense of justice,

It is unreasonable to tolerate mercy.

The sacred words in the world,

Write down various rewards and punishments.

Anyone who disrespects the king and speaks ill of him behind his back must be a traitor,

Teluo, give your hand to Alvi Na,

you, as her husband, will compensate for the bullying you have done to her,

and then chop off your head,

and she can marry Sancho.

She inherits half of the property from you,

as a dowry,

and you, Feliciana,

will Become the queen's maid,

I will find you a husband based on your noble birth.

Nu?o: I am trembling with joy.

Pelayo The King is great!

Sancho's comedy about the best judge ends here,

This history is recorded there

in the true chronicle of Spain,

p>

Part 4 tells the story.

(Translated by Duan Ruochuan)

Notes:

Cabredo ram means male goat, which means adulterous woman, Pelayo Joking about Boledo's name.

League is an ancient unit of measurement for land and sea. One league is equivalent to 3.18 nautical miles, which is equivalent to about 6,000 feet or 4.8 kilometers.

Appreciation

In 1609, Vega delivered a speech on "The New Art of Contemporary Screenplay" in Madrid, proposing his "new art" in response to the crude folk comedy that was prevalent at that time. Art” proposition. Vega acknowledges the distinction between comedy and tragedy in mainstream dramaturgy, that is, comedy imitates the actions of ordinary people, and tragedy imitates the actions of emperors and great men. Tradition has always favored tragedy over comedy, but Vega believes that both are equally important, and comedy also has its own merits. A lofty status must also pay attention to artistry. Vega attaches great importance to the connection between drama and life, times and people, and requires comedy to criticize current ills, "denounce immoral behavior and harmful customs", and make comedy a "mirror of customs and a living image of truth", thereby realizing the education of drama effect. Therefore, Vega advocated that comedy should be a civilian art, imitating civilian life, condemning sin and vulgarity, praising truth and beauty, being serious but also funny, humorous and full of fun, providing aesthetic education and instruction to the audience. "The Best Judge is the King" fully embodies his artistic ideas.

Vega was born into a declining aristocracy and had a strong anti-feudal democratic spirit and civilian ideas, but he was very partial to the image of an emperor. In terms of drama topics, Vega advocated that emperors and nobles can appear in comedies, using the king as the key to resolving conflicts, which embodies the same lofty ideas of comedy and tragedy. At the same time, it also makes the work coexist solemn and comical, with rich and colorful characters and rich language. Lots of fun. "The Best Judge Is the King" clearly reflects this characteristic. From the second act, the king becomes an indispensable factor in promoting the development of the plot, and by the third act, the king is the resolver of the plot conflict.

"The Best Judge is the King" is a three-act comedy completed by Vega in 1623. The script is mainly based on the Spanish "General Chronicle". Vega is good at arranging dramatic scenes, with plot twists and turns that are fascinating. The play is divided into three acts in chronological order, and the plots between each act are connected to each other. The story is linked one link to another, and the plot develops naturally, but the results are often unexpected. Vega pays attention to the switching of scenes and the blending of tragic and comic elements, thereby enhancing the drama and enjoyment of the script. For example, in the first act, Sancho and Alvina go from marrying in love to Tello snatching the bride, and the plot develops from comedy to tragedy; in the second act, Sancho begs Tello to return the bride but fails to get the king's edict, and the plot develops from tragedy to comedy. . The blend of tragic and comic elements and plot conflict reach their climax in the third act. Because Tello ignored the king's edict and refused to return Alvina, King Alfonso believed that the best judge was the king and decided to go to Galicia to seek justice for Sancho. The king executed Tello, cleared Alvina, and upheld justice.

While exposing the tyranny and arrogance of the feudal lords, Vega created the image of a wise, just and caring King Alfonso. Alfonso loved the people like a son, took care of everything, upheld justice, and protected the peasants from bullying and abuse by the feudal lords. He was the protector and defender of the interests of the peasants. In fact, the play emphasizes the supremacy of the monarch and the unity of the monarch and the people, which typically reflects the people's desire at that time for an ideal king who could break feudal separatism, unify government orders, be considerate of the people, and bring the country to unity and prosperity. Other characters in the play, such as the infatuated and desperate Sancho, the beautiful and loyal Alvina, the upright and self-respecting Nu?o, the humorous and kind-hearted Pelayo, the arrogant and rough Tello, etc. are equally impressive.

Regarding the use of dramatic language, Vega believes that dramatic language should be concise, and attention should be paid to character identity and environmental changes. For example, the scene in the first act where Sancho and Alvina talk to each other has beautiful verses and warm emotions. Such as "But wherever the sun shines, no one will be more beautiful and lovely than Alvina", "I have been fascinated since yesterday, but I gradually found myself again, because I found myself in you" . The dialogue between Nu?o and Pelayo is casual, natural and humorous. In the third act, the king disguised as a judge speaks elegantly and is solemn and majestic, while Alvina's short ballad pleading with the king makes the grief, anger and helpless pain palpable, and the famous quotes are evocative. Such as "No one can hear my sad song, my hair can bear witness", "If the stone can be softened, I will spend the time crying" and so on.

(Yu Xiaofeng)