The text of Amado y aborrecido, published by Vera Tassis in the Novena parte of Calderón’s Comedias (1691), shows clear signs of deriving from a late and already rather corrupt testimony: the one included in the unauthorized Quinta parte (1677). However, it offers a longer and more coherent text, and its variants seem to reveal the hand of the author. In this paper, two alternative hypotheses are proposed in order to explain these facts. Perhaps the composer of the 1691 text worked from a copy of the Quinta parte accompanied by a list of corrections taken from a more reliable testimony. Or, perhaps, Vera Tassis used the text of a new palace performance of the play, based on the Quinta parte but revised and corrected by Calderón himself. The conclusions may well be relevant for the textual criticism of other plays by the same author.
Abstract
The text of Amado y aborrecido, published by Vera Tassis in the Novena parte of Calderón’s Comedias (1691), shows clear signs of deriving from a late and already rather corrupt testimony: the one included in the unauthorized Quinta parte (1677). However, it offers a longer and [...]
The most recent textual studies of Calderon’s plays indicate that Juan de Vera Tassis, the early editor of the partes, had access to authorised witnesses, now missing, that explain the substantial changes present in his editions. The case of Amado y aborrecido reveals that his modus operandi has to undoubtedly have been as follows: he made use of, at least, two basic texts: the Quinta parte and a superior unknown witness with Calderon’s genuine readings. Vera’s edition of 1691 contains a scene of more than fifty lines not included in any other witness. Nevertheless, these lines had already appeared in the text of the 1667 revival of the play that had taken place in Vienna. In this way, Vera’s edition becomes truly valuable as it has readings by Calderon that would not otherwise have survived.
Abstract
The most recent textual studies of Calderon’s plays indicate that Juan de Vera Tassis, the early editor of the partes, had access to authorised witnesses, now missing, that explain the substantial changes present in his editions. The case of Amado y aborrecido reveals that [...]