The masterwork of Spain's preeminent dramatist--now in a new verse
translation
Life Is a Dream is a work many hold to be the supreme example of
Spanish Golden Age drama. Imbued with highly poetic language and
humanist ideals, it is an allegory that considers contending themes of
free will and predestination, illusion and reality, played out against
the backdrop of court intrigue and the restoration of personal honor.
In the mountainous barrens of Poland, the rightful heir to the kingdom
has been imprisoned since birth in an attempt by his father to thwart
fate. Meanwhile, a noblewoman arrives to seek revenge against the man
who deceived and forsook her love for the prospect of becoming king of
Poland. Richly symbolic and metaphorical, Life Is a Dream explores the
deepest mysteries of human experience.
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up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.