Gender and the monstrous in El burlador

de Sevilla

Author: Elizabeth Rhodes

Persistent link: http://hdl.handle.net/2345/bc-ir:106848

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Boston College University Libraries.

Published in MLN, vol. 117, no. 2, pp. 267-285, March 2002

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 Gender and the Monstrous
in El burlador de Sevilla

Elizabeth Rhodes

I n his 1611 Tesoro de la lengua castellana o espanola, Sebastian de

C o v a r r u b i a s defines " m o n s t r u o " as " c u a l q u i e r p a r t o c o n t r a la r e g l a y
o r d e n n a t u r a l " ( 7 6 1 ) . Covarrubias's d e f i n i t i o n reveals his c u l t u r e ' s
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f the p r e s u m a b l y f e m i n i n e source o f t h e m o n s t r o u s
f o r any b i o l o g y i n w h i c h females give b i r t h . T h e relative d i s o r d e r
associated w i t h W o m a n i n d i r e c t l y m a n i f e s t i n this d i c t i o n a r y e n t r y is
d i r e c t l y a p p a r e n t i n d o c u m e n t s s u c h as seventeenth-century p r e s c r i p -
tive l i t e r a t u r e a n d pragmdticas against m a l e e f f e m i n a t e behavior. 1

Such references p r o v i d e a m p l e evidence o f h o w g e n d e r c o n s t i t u t e d

o n e o f t h e m o s t r i g i d categories o f "la r e g l a y o r d e n n a t u r a l " t h r o u g h
w h i c h b a r o q u e Spanish society p r o p o s e d t o sustain a n d reproduce
itself. T h e y o u n g , v i r i l e , a n d vicious p r o t a g o n i s t o f El burlador de Sevilla
challenges d o m i n a n t precepts o f n a t u r a l o r d e r by e x e c u t i n g a dualis-
tic p e r f o r m a n c e c o m p r i s e d o f b o t h Female a n d M a l e a t t r i b u t e s .
L o s i n g t h e c h a l l e n g e costs h i m his life, at t h e same t i m e i t g u a r a n t e e s
his c h a r a c t e r a p r o m i n e n t place i n w e s t e r n c u l t u r a l history. Specifi-
cally, D o n J u a n p e r f o r m s negative c u l t u r a l assignations o f W o m a n
w h i l e e x e c u t i n g the positive features o f M a n , w i t h t h e result t h a t t h e

1
F o l l o w i n g e s t a b l i s h e d p r a c t i c e , I use W o m a n ( F e m a l e , F e m i n i n e ) a n d M a n ( M a l e ,
Masculine) to refer to the cultural constructs o f g e n d e r e d behaviors, i n contrast to
w o m e n a n d m e n , i n d i v i d u a l s w h o m a y o r m a y n o t c o n f o r m t o t h o s e c o n s t r u c t s . Butler
makes refined distinctions between anatomical sex, gender identity, a n d gender
p e r f o r m a n c e , as d o e s V a n c e . S i m i l a r l y , I use O r d e r i n r e f e r e n c e to the hegemonic
construct o f socio-political correctness.

MLN117 ( 2 0 0 2 ) : 2 6 7 - 2 8 5 © 2 0 0 2 b y T h e J o h n s H o p k i n s U n i v e r s i t y Press
268 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

f e m i n i n e traits o f his character assure his d a m n a t i o n a n d his mascu-

l i n e p r o p e r t i e s r e n d e r h i m h e r o i c f o r posterity.
I n stark i m i t a t i o n o f b i o l o g i c a l categories, g e n d e r i n seventeenth-
c e n t u r y Spain was d e f i n e d as e i t h e r masculine o r f e m i n i n e . Covarrubias
defines generosaying, " C o m u n m e n t e e n castellano se t o m a , [...] p o r el
sexo, c o m o g e n e r o m a s c u l i n o o f e m e n i n o " ( 5 8 6 ) . - T h i s clean d u a l i s m
a c k n o w l e d g e d , nonetheless, a nuanced understanding o f gender
p e r f o r m a n c e i n early m o d e r n texts suggests two f u r t h e r consider-
ations. First, characters d e f i n e d as Varonil, m e a n i n g those w h o per-
f o r m the a t t r i b u t e s p e r t i n e n t to t h e c u l t u r a l c o n s t r u c t o f M a l e , were
u n d e r s t o o d to be s u p e r i o r i n k i n d a n d degree n o t o n l y to w h a t is
Female, b u t any q u e s t i o n a b l e a d m i x t u r e o f the two i n w h i c h b e h a v i o r
p r e s c r i b e d f o r o n e g e n d e r was e m b r a c e d by the other. T h e associa-
tions between Varonil, power, a n d c o n t r o l , f o u n d e d u p o n the essential
e q u a t i o n o f M a l e is O r d e r , are o b v i o u s i n Covarrubias's d e f i n i t i o n o f
t h e w o r d vardn: "Vale h o m b r e de j u i c i o , razon y discurso, y de b u e n a
conciencia" (952).
T h e contrast to this j u d g e m e n t , reason, a n d m o r a l r e c t i t u d e is
mujer, whose i n f e r i o r a t t r i b u t e s serve as a f o i l to t h e dominant
construct. Covarrubias cites St. M a x i m u s as saying o f w o m e n , a m o n g
o t h e r things, "en la fabrica de u n e n g a n o , grandes artifices" ( 7 6 7 ) .
H e goes o n to r e m i n d his reader o f W o m a n ' s essential instability a n d
superficiality, r e c u r r i n g to an e m b l e m a t i c reference: "Jeroglifico de la
m u j e r l o es la nao c o m b a t i d a d e l levante o n o r t e , e n t r e soberbias olas
acosada" (767). Similarly, Hernando de Soto's 1599 Emblemas
moralizadas offers the o l e a n d e r as a m e t a p h o r f o r " E l e n g a n o en la
mujer," i n an e m b l e m whose t e x t elaborates o n the i m a g e o f a p l a n t
whose sight is as c o m p e l l i n g as its c o n s u m p t i o n is deadly (see figure
1). De Soto's o n l y o t h e r e m b l e m a b o u t w o m e n likewise addresses
t h e i r deceptive n a t u r e , a d m o n i s h i n g , " A b r a cada u n o los ojos d e l
e n t e n d i m i e n t o , y advierta, que se h a de perder, si las d i e r e c r e d i t o "
(60-62).
Woman is thus semantically o p p o s e d t o M a n as a figure of
instability, deceit, a n d i r r a t i o n a l i t y , a n d is m i m e t i c a l l y i n f e r i o r w h e n

- H e i s e , c i t i n g L a q u e u r a n d G r e e n b l a t t , reviews e a r l y m o d e r n c a t e g o r i e s o f sex,
w h i c h w e r e n o t g r o u n d e d i n a n a t o m i c a l d i s t i n c t i o n s , versus t h o s e o f g e n d e r , c o n s i d -
e r e d a p r o d u c t o f socialization ( 3 7 0 - 7 1 ) . T h e p e r c e i v e d sameness o f f e m a l e a n d m a l e
a n a t o m y , d e r i v e d f r o m a one-sex m o d e l w h i c h f a c i l i t a t e d t h e d e f i n i t i o n o f f e m a l e s as
i n c o m p l e t e l y d e v e l o p e d m a l e s , d o e s n o t b e a r d i r e c t l y o n t h e a r g u m e n t at h a n d b u t
u n d e r p i n s t h e n o t i o n o f g e n d e r ; see T u a n a , " T h e M i s b e g o t t e n M a n " ( 1 8 - 5 2 ) .
 M L N

MORALIZADAS. 88
jMerctricumfallacia.
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1>e U Adelfay deju rofa

Es el tngAtio were/blt>
JQu$ a U Vijld es aptcible^
Veto dlguftoyenevofa.
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Sicnde
F i g . 1. H e r n a n d o d e S o t o . Emblemas moralizadas. M a d r i d : Herederos de Juan I n
d e L e q u e r i c a , 1599, 88.
270 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

c o n s t r u e d i n negative terms, as is most o f t e n the case. As M i r s k y puts

i t : " [ A ] 11 m a s c u l i n i t i e s share two c e n t r a l c o m p o n e n t s : the negatively
d e f i n i n g characteristic o f b e i n g not f e m i n i n e , o r l i k e w o m e n ; a n d t h e
positively d e f i n i n g characteristic o f h a v i n g m o r e p o w e r (social, physi-
cal, cosmic, a n d so f o r t h ) t h a n t h a t w h i c h is f e m i n i n e , o r w o m e n "
( 3 1 ) . T w o c u l t u r a l icons p a i n t t h e m i m e t i c a l l y s u p e r i o r n a t u r e o f
M a l e over Female i n stark colors, b o t h tropes o f o x y m o r o n : the mujer
varonil, the w o m a n w h o gains s o m e t h i n g — a c c o r d i n g to p a t r i a r c h a l
measures—by p e r f o r m i n g the Masculine, a n d the mujer csquiva, the
o n e w h o a t t e m p t s to reject the d o m i n a n t sexual e c o n o m y a n d is
usually r a p e d o r m a r r i e d f o r h e r efforts. T h e very presence o f t h e
adjectives vaivu/l AU(\ esquiva makes clear that the n o r m a t i v e mujerv/iU
be n e i t h e r o n e n o r t h e other, because the f o r m e r r i g h t l y a d o r n s t h e
semantic c o l u m n o f M a l e a n d the latter marks pointless resistance to
the d o m i n a n c e o f t h e same.
Secondly, i n s t r u c t u r a l terms, the comedia follows a poetics t h a t
offers b u t a restricted space i n w h i c h male a n d female characters can
suspend " n a t u r a l o r d e r " a n d t e m p o r a r i l y i m p i n g e u p o n the c u l t u r a l
assignments o f t h e i r generic other, a d r a m a t i c o p e n i n g i n w h i c h
w o m e n can act l i k e m e n a n d m e n l i k e w o m e n w i t h o u t p e r m a n e n t l y
c a l l i n g i n t o q u e s t i o n t h e i r "real" gender. I n f l u e n c e d by A r i s t o t e l i a n
poetics as i t was, the comedia gravitates t o w a r d r e s o l u t i o n , o r d e r , a n d
e n d i n g at its close. Cross-dressing, l i k e cross-behaving, was p e r m i s -
sible at the b e g i n n i n g o f the play, a n d c o u l d intensify even i n t o t h e
last m o m e n t . B u t by t h e final scene's c o n c l u s i o n , the " r i g h t " i n d i v i d u -
als s h o u l d be w e a r i n g the pants a n d t h e r e s t i t u t i o n o f o r d e r sealed
w i t h a heterosexual m a r r i a g e o r t w o , to assuage any d o u b t s a b o u t t h e
proper order o f things.
So deeply i n g r a i n e d was the m a r r i a g e e n d i n g i n t o d r a m a t i c n o r m s
f o r c o u r t s h i p plots t h a t i t d e t e r m i n e d t u r n s o f events w h i c h are i n
some ways unsatisfying/' I n La vida es sueno, Segismundo's p a r i n g w i t h
Estrella i n spite o f his a t t r a c t i o n to Rosaura e x e m p l i f i e s a s e n t i m e n -
tally unsatisfying c o n c l u s i o n , o n e i n w h i c h the d o m i n i o n o f p o l i t i c a l
a n d p u b l i c exigencies over p e r s o n a l desire constitutes h e r o i c behav-
ior. T h e d e m a n d f o r a clean r e s o l u t i o n thus seems to frustrate t h e

' W a r d r o p p e r ( 1 9 6 7 ) m a k e s t h e v e r y u s e f u l d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n t h e necessary
o u t c o m e o f plays w h o s e p r o t a g o n i s t s are m a r r i e d a n d t h o s e w h o s e m a i n c h a r a c t e r s a r e
s i n g l e . I n t h e f o r m e r , w h e n a n i n d i v i d u a l ' s h o n o r is s t a i n e d i n fact o r i n p e r c e p t i o n , t h e
play ends tragically; i n the latter, tragedy can be a v o i d e d d u e to the absence o f e t e r n a l l y
b i n d i n g vows.
 M L N 271

p l o t ' s i n t e r n a l e m o t i o n a l charge, so as t o assure a f o r m a l closure

whose r i g h t o r d e r d e m a n d s t h a t the taker o f Rosaura's v i r g i n i t y
s o m e h o w be b r o u g h t to m a r r y her. O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , A n a C a r o
subverted t h e same d e t e r m i n i s m o f r e s o l u t i o n to great effect at t h e
e n d o f Valor, agravio y mujer. I n t h e f i n a l scene o f h e r m e t a - t h e a t r i c a l
play, the p l a y w r i g h t left t h e m a t e r i a l pants o n h e r m o r a l l y defective
D o n J u a n b u t e n d o w e d h e r h e r o i n e L e o n o r w i t h the s y m b o l i c pants,
l e a v i n g D o n J u a n socially castrated a n d l i t e r a l l y o n his knees b e f o r e
his b e t r o t h e d m u t t e r i n g , "Te a d o r a r e " ( 2 7 2 5 ) . T h i s is t o say t h a t
4

m o d i f i c a t i o n s o f a character's g e n d e r m u s t be resolved by a r e t u r n t o
"normalcy," o r the e n t i r e poetics of r e s o l u t i o n r e n d e r e d i r o n i c , by t h e
t i m e the c u r t a i n falls. I n c u r s i o n s i n t o t h e g e n e r i c o t h e r t h a t are n o t
i r o n i c are resolved by the e r r a n t character's r e t u r n to p r o p e r c l o t h i n g
a n d / o r behavior, o r p u n i s h m e n t . I n El burlador, D o n J u a n ' s u n c o r -
r e c t e d p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e F e m i n i n e results i n his f i n a l condemna-
t i o n , i n accordance w i t h the g e n d e r r e c t i t u d e i m p l i c i t i n d r a m a t i c
closure.
W i t h i n t h e a l l o t t e d t e x t u a l o p e n i n g s available f o r p l a y i n g w i t h
O r d e r , dramatists h a d at t h e i r d i s p o s i t i o n a w i d e r a n g e o f d r a m a t i c
cues whose p u r p o s e was t o suspend, e x p a n d , o r a l t e r a character's
g e n d e r a f f i l i a t i o n , the m o s t typical b e i n g a c h a n g e i n c o s t u m e . M o r e
subtle possibilities also p r o v i d e d access to t h e g e n d e r o f t h e other,
such as codes o f speech a n d gesture ( w o m e n swearing, m e n swoon-
i n g ) , social a n d m a t e r i a l possessions (a w o m a n b e a r i n g a s w o r d , a
m a n h o l d i n g a distaff), a n d spatial l o c a t i o n s ( w o m e n d o m i n a t i n g
e x t e r i o r o r b o r d e r spaces, m e n enclosed i n d o m e s t i c i n t e r i o r s ) . D o n
J u a n ' s g e n d e r p e r f o r m a n c e is a h i g h l y s o p h i s t i c a t e d b l e n d o f negative
traits associated w i t h W o m a n (such as instability, i r r a t i o n a l i t y , a n d
sexual excess) a n d the positive characteristics o f M a n ( f o r e x a m p l e ,
courage, ingenio, a n d v i r i l i t y ) .
T h e burlador 's i n c u r s i o n s i n t o t h e F e m i n i n e are s t a r t l i n g , n o t o n l y
because he appears o n t h e surface to be t h e a r c h e t y p i c a l M a l e , b u t

4
D o n J u a n ' s final w o r d s c l e a r l y s i t u a t e h i m b e n e a t h t h e e m p o w e r e d L e o n o r . W h i l e a
p u r e l y s y m b o l i c p o s i t i o n i n g o f m e n b e l o w w o m e n was p r e s c r i b e d d u r i n g c o u r t s h i p ,
those p o s i t i o n s w e r e e x p e c t e d to be exactly i n v e r t e d u p o n e x e c u t i o n o f a m a t r i m o n i a l
a g r e e m e n t . I n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l p l o t , f e m a l e e x e r c i s e o f p o w e r , s i m i l a r l y , was a p p r o p r i a t e
o n l y w h e n a m a n was n o t p e r f o r m i n g his M a l e f u n c t i o n s , a n d is a c c e p t a b l e b e h a v i o r f o r
a w o m a n t r y i n g to w i n back a w a n d e r i n g m a n . I n the e n d , however, e x e m p l a r ) ' female
characters were expected to revert to their n o r m a t i v e position, silent a n d obedient,
o n c e t h e i r m a r r i a g e s h a v e b e e n a r r a n g e d , as d o e s C a l d e r o n ' s b o l d R o s a u r a i n t h e final
s c e n e o f La vida es sueno.
272 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

because i n w h a t g e n d e r e x c h a n g e does o c c u r o n the early m o d e r n

Spanish stage, t h e p r e d o m i n a n c e o f w o m e n accessing the features o f
the Varonil is s t r i k i n g ( L e v i n e , A r j o n a ) . L o p e ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e
pleasure the public derived from cross-dressed w o m e n , p r o b a b l y
s h o w i n g some leg, is famous: "Las damas n o desdigan de su n o m b r e /
Y, si m u d a r e n trage, sea de m o d o / Q u e p u e d a p e r d o n a r s e , p o r q u e
suele / E l disfraz v a r o n i l agradar m u c h o " (lines 2 8 0 - 8 3 ) . Tellingly,
L o p e says n o t h i n g a b o u t the appeal o f males dressing o r b e h a v i n g as
females. Dramatic gender b e n d i n g almost always entails w o m e n
a c t i n g a n d / o r dressing l i k e m e n , r a t h e r t h a n vice versa, because i t
falls i n t o t h e category o f transvestism described by Fuchs as "less a
c h a l l e n g e to the p a t r i a r c h a l o r d e r t h a n a catalyst f o r the r e - o r d e r i n g
o f t h e p a t r i a r c h a l w o r l d w h e n s o m e t h i n g has g o n e amiss" ( 2 2 ) .
Debate over the l e g i t i m a c y o f w o m e n a c t i n g l i k e m e n is a n c i e n t : t o
S i m o n Peter's r e m a r k t h a t " w o m e n are n o t w o r t h y o f the L i f e , " Jesus
r e p o r t e d l y r e t o r t e d , "Every w o m a n w h o makes h e r s e l f male w i l l e n t e r
the K i n g d o m o f H e a v e n " (Gospel o f T h o m a s 5 7 ) . However, rarely are
m e n represented as g a i n i n g a n y t h i n g b u t d e g r a d a t i o n by p e r f o r m i n g
the F e m i n i n e .
C e r t a i n l y early m o d e r n Spanish society h a d l i t t l e t o l e r a n c e f o r m e n
a c t i n g like w o m e n , manifest i n the fact that, as Heise says, "Spanish
c u l t u r e rejects transvestite boys [ t o play female roles] whereas E n g l i s h
society prefers t h e m over w o m e n " ( 3 6 0 ) . Heise suggests t h a t Spanish
obsession with s o d o m y e x p l a i n s w h y Spanish theatrical practice
settled f o r w o m e n o n stage r a t h e r t h a n boys dressing as ladies. T o t h a t
a r g u m e n t , I believe, m i g h t be a d d e d the Spanish p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h
the d a m a g i n g effects o n character t h a t were w i e l d e d by anyone's
p e r f o r m a n c e o f the F e m i n i n e as a n acceptable means to resolve a
p l o t . T h e q u e s t i o n , t h e n , was n o t o n l y w h e t h e r w o m e n s h o u l d be
p e r m i t t e d to act o n stage b u t also w h e t h e r m e n s h o u l d be dressing u p
a n d a c t i n g like w o m e n .
T h e e n t i r e spectacle o f the comedia itself was b l a m e d w i t h weaken-
i n g the v i r i l i t y o f the Spanish m a l e , i n w h a t Heise calls a n "almost
hysterical p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h the e f f e m i n i z i n g influence o f the
theater" ( 3 6 9 ) . She cites pragmdticas a n d p r e s c r i p t i v e treatises t h a t
l o u d l y p r o n o u n c e , o n o n e h a n d , a fear o f m e n b e c o m i n g l i k e w o m e n
a n d , o n the other, an assurance t h a t this generic t r a n s f o r m a t i o n h a d
already c o m e a b o u t d u e t o the p e r n i c i o u s , effeminate effects o f t h e
comedia. F o r e x a m p l e , i n his 1589 Tratado de la tribulacion, the Jesuit
P e d r o de R i v a d e n e i r a frets to t h e Empress D o n a M a r i a t h a t i n the
theater, " n o s o l a m e n t e se estragan las costumbres y se a r r u i n a n las
 M L N 273

republicas [...] p e r o hacese la gente ociosa, regalada, a f e m i n a d a y

m u j e r i l [...] n o es b u e n a r e c r e a c i o n la q u e es danosa a las buenas
costumbres y d e s t r u i d o r a d e l v i g o r y esfuerzo varonil." Broadly
deprecating a n y t h i n g Mujeril as i n f e r i o r , he continues, insisting,
"Destas representaciones y comedias se sigue o t r o g r a v i s i m o d a f i o
[...] se hace la g e n t e de Espaha m u e l l e y a f e m i n a d a e i n h a b i l para las
cosas d e l trabajo y g u e r r a [...] y hace m u j e r i l e s y flojos los corazones
de nuestros espaholes p a r a que n o sigan la g u e r r a 6 sean i n u t i l e s p a r a
los trabajos y e j e c u c i o n dellos" ( C o t a r e l o i M o r i 522—23).
Rivadeneira's ideas were c o p i e d a n d a m p l i f i e d by G a r c i a de Loaisa
y G i r o n , whose Consulta o Parecer sobre la prohibition de las comedias, co-
w r i t t e n w i t h Fray D i e g o de Yepes a n d Fray Gaspar de C o r d o b a , m o v e d
P h i l i p I I to close the playhouses i n 1598. T h e r e i n t h e d e t r i m e n t a l
effects o f theater, d e s c r i b e d as f u n d a m e n t a l l y Female, are m a d e even
m o r e e x p l i c i t : " A l i i se estragan las buenas costumbres, r e c i b e d a h o la
v i r t u d , f o m e n t a n s e los vicios, c r e c e n y a u m e n t a n s e las maldades [ . . . ]
Destas representaciones y comedias se sigue o t r o g r a v i s i m o d a h o , y es
q u e la gente se da al o c i o , deleite y r e g a l o y se d i v i e r t e de la m i l i c i a ,
y c o n los bailes deshonestos q u e cada d i a i n v e n t a n estos f a r a n d u l e r o s
y c o n las fiestas, banquetes y c o m i d a s se hace la gente de Espaha
m u e l l e y a f e m i n a d a e i n h a b i l para las cosas d e l trabajo y g u e r r a "
( C o t a r e l o i M o r i 3 9 3 ) . T h e conservative w i n g m a n u f a c t u r e d a cause-
and-effect r e l a t i o n s h i p between t h e a t e r - g o i n g a n d w o m a n i s h behav-
ior, s i g n a l i n g a p a r t i c u l a r l y s t r o n g c u l t u r a l c u r r e n t against effeminacy
i n m e n . F o l l o w i n g this l i n e o f a r g u m e n t , males accessing t h e F e m i -
n i n e b e l i t t l e d t h e c o n s t r u c t o f M a n , m a k i n g such a p e r f o r m a n c e a
degrading trope o f representation t h a t served t o p u l l t h e entire
M a s c u l i n e m i m e t i c edifice d o w n w a r d . T h i s is surely w h y Sor J u a n a
and Maria de Zayas used it. 5
I n t h e c o n t e x t o f this perceived
d e g r a d a t i o n o f Masculinity, D o n Juan's p e r f o r m a n c e o f the F e m i n i n e
a p p o r t i o n s a n u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f his flaws, his d a m n a t i o n f o r t h e m ,
a n d the play's i n t e r n a l logic.
T h e l e g e n d a r y p r o t a g o n i s t o f El burlador de Sevilla is g e n e r a l l y
considered to c o n s t i t u t e o n t o l o g i c a l categories o f irregularity, o r
monstrosity, o f a m a s c u l i n e n a t u r e . I n this c o n t e x t , D o n J u a n ' s burlas
are i n f r a c t i o n s based o n trespass, h y p e r b o l i c p e r f o r m a n c e s o f m a l e
b e h a v i o r such as d a r e a n d c u n n i n g : he repeatedly breaches n o r m s o f
sexual c o n d u c t a n d violates royal space, disregards the debt o f

5
Zayas i n t h e " D e s e n g a n o s e x t o " o f h e r Desenganos amoroso; ( 2 9 3 - 3 3 6 ) , S o r J u a n a i n
" L o s e m p e h o s d e u n a casa" (Obras 6 2 7 - 7 0 4 ) .
.'7-1 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

h o s p i t a l i t y a n d the n a t u r e o f class o b l i g a t i o n s , a n d t u r n s his back o n

laws o f m a l e hierarchy and r e l a t i o n s h i p s o f k i n . These are a l l
transgressions, effected via his m o v e m e n t t h r o u g h the bodies o f
w o m e n to arrive at his real target, w h i c h is social stability. H i s f i n a l
a n d t e r r i b l e descent to h e l l appears to stage t h e c o n d e m n a t i o n o f
these transgressions.
As has been p o i n t e d o u t , however, the cleansing r i t u a l i n w h i c h El
burlador appears to c u l m i n a t e is relative at best, f o r D o n Juan's crimes
against society are m e r e l y exaggerated e n a c t m e n t s o f the p e r v e r s i o n
p r a c t i c e d by the very i n d i v i d u a l s w h o suffer his burlas ( W a r d r o p p e r
1973). Royal a n d f a m i l i a l a u t h o r i t i e s w i n k repeatedly at his excesses,
a n d w o m e n ' s f a i l u r e to g u a r d the fortresses o f t h e i r v i r g i n i t y invites
his trespass o f t h e i r bodies. As Fox says o f Isabela, f o r e x a m p l e , "She
has been so a n x i o u s to m a r r y t h a t she has m a d e a b a r g a i n w i t h t h e
faux O c t a v i o , a c c e d i n g to the s e d u c t i o n i n exchange f o r a p r o m i s e o f
m a r r i a g e " ( 4 0 ) . T h u s , a l t h o u g h D o n Juan's v i o l a t i o n s are e x t r e m e l y
p o w e r f u l a n d t h r e a t e n i n g , a n d a l t h o u g h they o p e n the portals o f h e l l
itself, they are by n o means o r i g i n a l , r a t h e r are m e r e l y a g g r a n d i z e d
paraphrases o f his v i c t i m s ' o w n , i f lesser, m o r a l s h o r t c o m i n g s . I n d e e d ,
i n two o f his burlas (Isabela, A n a ) he m e r e l y usurps t h e place o f m e n
already e x p e c t e d by t h e i r lovers, e x e c u t i n g a c h a n g e i n p e r s o n n e l
w i t h o u t a l t e r i n g t h e basic, t e c h n i c a l l y i m m o r a l act itself. ' 1

T o the e x t e n t t h a t D o n J u a n f u n c t i o n s as a m e r e r e f l e c t i o n o f
others, he is p r o f o u n d l y F e m i n i n e . As Z e i t l i n p o i n t s o u t , "functionally
w o m e n are never a n e n d i n themselves, a n d n o t h i n g changes f o r
t h e m once they have lived o u t t h e i r d r a m a o n stage. T h e y play t h e
roles o f catalysts, agents, i n s t r u m e n t s , blockers, spoiler, destroyers,
a n d sometimes helpers o r saviors f o r the male characters" ( 6 9 ) . D o n
J u a n , l i k e t h e t r a d i t i o n a l female t h e a t r i c a l character, shows a r e m a r k -
able lack o f i m a g i n a t i o n a n d is m o r e reactive t h a n active. I n p u e r i l e
fashion, he plows t h r o u g h the b l o c k towers b u i l t by his f a m i l y a n d
friends, casually a n d thoughtlessly k n o c k i n g t h e m d o w n w i t h o u t ever
b u i l d i n g his o w n . Such lack o f p e r s o n a l identity and individual
i n i t i a t i v e signals social i m p o t e n c e . I t is a feature o f W o m a n .
T h e reactive n a t u r e o f the burlador's t h r e a t t o O r d e r suggests t h a t
g e n d e r may be key to r e s o l v i n g t h e play's otherwise v e x i n g p l o t .
Gender analysis offers a n alternative to t h e m a t r i x o f sin and

' A l l a t s o n , s u p p o r t i n g Hesse, e x p l a i n s t h i s p r a c t i c e o b s e r v i n g , " f o r D o n J u a n , t h e

i d e a o f t h e burUt—deceitful p r o m i s e , s e d u c t i o n , f l i g h t — i s as i m p o r t a n t as t h e d e e d "
(263).
 M L N 275

c o n d e m n a t i o n generally i n v o k e d to analyze El burlador, a m a t r i x

w h i c h is unsatisfactory f o r its i n a b i l i t y t o address t h e very m o n s t r o s i t y
the play engenders: i f the e n t i r e c o m m u n i t y is c o r r u p t , w h y does o n l y
D o n Juan go to h e l l , l e a v i n g the d e g e n e r a t e status q u o unaltered?
G i v e n the p r e d o m i n a n c e o f p l o t s d r i v e n by m o t i f s o f j u s t i c e i n t h e
early m o d e r n p e r i o d ( L a n g e r ) a n d i n t h e Spanish comedia i n p a r t i c u -
lar ( R e i c h e n b e r g e r ) , i t w o u l d be u n u s u a l to e n c o u n t e r a d r a m a t i c
t e x t t h a t ends i n a r o t u n d c o n d e m n a t i o n w i t h o u t some p a r c e l i n g o u t
o f p u n i s h m e n t to t h e guilty. I f i n d e e d , as P e n d z i k suggests, " T h e
system is n o t r e p a i r e d , either by D o n J u a n ' s d e a t h o r by the
marriages" ( 1 7 9 ) , t h e n p e r h a p s the p o i n t is n o t t h e system at a l l ,
rather something about D o n Juan himself.
M a n d r e l l ' s c u n n i n g thesis, e c h o e d by P e n d z i k , t h a t D o n J u a n
seduces the p a t r i a r c h y i n t o n o r m a l i z i n g its o w n s h o r t c o m i n g s , is o n e
possible e x p l a n a t i o n . M a n d r e l l a n d A r i a s find sacrificial ethics at
w o r k i n the play, w h i c h stage D o n J u a n as a scapegoat a n d so a v i c t i m .
T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , q u i t e useful f o r e x p l a i n i n g the m y t h o l o g y o f D o n
Juan t h a t d e v e l o p e d subsequent to El burlador, has two i n c o n v e -
niences w h e n a p p l i e d to t h e o r i g i n a l p l o t . O n e is t h a t i t r e n d e r s
i n n o c e n t a c h a r a c t e r w h o m the d r a m a t i s t has t a k e n pains to affiliate
with evil. T h e other is t h a t i t n u l l i f i e s the seventeenth-century
association between unrepented erroneous behavior and eternal
c o n d e m n a t i o n , since t h e scapegoat is n o t o n l y i n n o c e n t b u t salvific,
as was C h r i s t . D o n J u a n , u n l i k e the scapegoat, is c o n d e m n e d i n n o
u n c e r t a i n terms. As he draws t h e y o u n g m a n i n t o i n f e r n a l flames,
D o n G o n z a l o u n e q u i v o c a l l y i d e n t i f i e s h i m s e l f as t h e a g e n t o f d i v i n e
j u s t i c e : "Esta es j u s t i c i a de D i o s " ( 2 8 6 2 ) . As G o d ' s o w n h a n d , the
statue draws D o n J u a n i n t o d e a t h w i t h o u t confession, i m p e r v i o u s t o
t h e y o u t h ' s cries t h a t he is b u r n i n g (2836, 2847, 2 8 5 7 ) . W e r e D o n
Juan a scapegoat, some t r a n s c e n d e n t v i r t u e w o u l d accrue f r o m his
d e a t h , b u t t h e p l o t r o u n d l y denies h i m any such grace.
T h e play's t i t l e , El burlador de Sevilla, suggests a n o t h e r answer, f o r i t
signals t h e c e n t r a l i t y o f t h e burla i n t h e play. I t is n o t c a l l e d Elpecador
de Sevilla, f o r the essential deviance o f t h e d r a m a is n o t s i n . T h e
p r o t a g o n i s t a n d o t h e r characters alike sin j o y f u l l y , b u t those trans-
gressions are n o t t h e focus o f the a c t i o n , w h i c h instead is D o n J u a n ' s
shifty a n d u n s e t t l i n g behavior. N o t s u r p r i s i n g l y , i n t h e seventeenth-
c e n t u r y l e x i c o n t h e r e is a n i n t r i g u i n g semantic k i n s h i p b e t w e e n t h e
burlador a n d the mujer. " E l b u r l a d o r , " says Covarrubias, is "el e n g a n a d o r
m e n t i r o s o , f e m e n t i d o , p e r j u d i c i a l , el q u e tiene p o c o v a l o r y asiento"
( 2 1 6 ) . T h e burlador, t h e n , invokes n o t o n l y a d i c h o t o m y w i t h Varon,
276 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

b u t a s i m i l e w i t h Mujer, manifest i n the s y m b o l i c affinity between that

" p o c o valor y asiento" a n d the u n c o n t r o l l e d ship b l o w i n g i n the w i n d
w h i c h Covarrubias cites as the e m b l e m o f W o m a n . These semantic
clues r e i n f o r c e t h e suspicion t h a t t h e r e is s o m e t h i n g p r o f o u n d l y
Feminine about D o n Juan.
T h e burlador s transgression is g e n e r a l l y c o n s i d e r e d to be a sin o f a
p a t r i a r c h a l m a n against the patriarchy, whose interests i n c l u d e re-
s t r i c t i n g the p e r f o r m a n c e o f W o m a n to w o m e n as a means o f
sustaining O r d e r . Fox, a m p l i f y i n g M a n d r e l l ' s thesis, finds t h a t he is
" b o t h the fall guy a n d t h e agent o f p a t r i a r c h y " ( 4 2 ) . Certainly, i f D o n
J u a n is the agent o f the patriarchy, t h e n o n e can rest assured that
somewhere i n his character there lies an i n d i c t m e n t o f W o m a n . W i t h
this i n m i n d , the play's a p p a r e n t p a r a d o x dissipates w h e n n u a n c e d
w i t h its o r i g i n a l audience's u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f g e n d e r categories.
I n the early m o d e r n p e r i o d , the verb burlarw&s used specifically to
describe g e n d e r d e v i a t i o n as w e l l as a m a n t a k i n g sexual advantage o f
a w o m a n . E l e n o / E l e n a de Cespedes, whose case has b e e n s t u d i e d by
Israel B u r s h a t i n , was an individual endowed with what experts
around 1568 i d e n t i f i e d as m a l e a n d female genitalia. S / h e was
c o n d e m n e d by the I n q u i s i t i o n n o t f o r b i o l o g i c a l a b e r r a n c e b u t f o r
bigomy, because she h a d b e e n o n c e m a r r i e d to a m a n a n d t h e n , u p o n
d e c i d i n g to be a m a n , m a r r i e d a w o m a n . B u r s h a t i n recalls, " M e d i c a l
experts i n Eleno's t r a i l expressed c o n c e r n f o r c e r t a i n burladoras
'female tricksters' f r o m T o l e d o . E l e n o was o n e o f those burladoras
w h o fashioned artificios ' d i l d o e s ' f o r themselves o u t o f sheepskin"
( 4 5 0 ) . T h e e p i g r a p h o n h i s / h e r I n q u i s i t o r i a l dossier displays t h e
d o m i n a n t society's response to a r t i c u l a t i o n s such as D o n Juan's "Tan
l a r g o m e l o fiais" a n d states, " Q u i e n tal haze que asi l o pague"
( B u r s h a t i n 4 2 3 ) , exactly t h e w o r d s used t o c o n d e m n el burlador (2846,
2 9 5 0 ) . Similarly, i n M a r i a de Zayas's "Desengaho" t e l l i n g o f Esteban's
dressing as a w o m a n to g a i n access to t h e y o u n g L a u r e l a , Zayas uses
burla to describe his d e e d (309, 3 2 0 ) . Burlar, t h e n , c o u l d r e f e r
specifically to the p e r f o r m a n c e o f a g e n d e r i n defiance o f one's
b i o l o g i c a l identify, o r a refusal to l i m i t o n e s e l f to the p e r f o r m a n c e o f
the M a l e o r the Female. I n this sense, D o n J u a n is a c o n s u m m a t e
burlador.
I n the life-saving a n d life-giving m o m e n t s o f the text, D o n J u a n
p e r f o r m s t h e M a l e . H i s e n a c t m e n t o f a r c h e t y p a l masculinity, e v i d e n t
i n his p r o p e r submission to a u t h o r i t y at key m o m e n t s , his persistent
valor, a n d his sexual prowess, w i n the a d m i r a t i o n o f o t h e r characters,
e m p o w e r h i m , a n d thus enable his progressive scaling o f social
 M L N 277

offense. D o n Juan's u n c l e catches h i m in flagrante delicto i n s i d e t h e

royal space, after his e r r a n t n e p h e w has m a d e m a n i f e s t t h e K i n g ' s
i n a b i l i t y to secure his o w n d o m a i n . T h e t r i c k s t e r has m a d e royal
impotence painfully apparent n o t o n l y by b e d d i n g t h e Duquesa
Isabela t h e r e i n , b u t by b r i n g i n g to l i g h t the fact t h a t she was actually
e x p e c t i n g a n o t h e r m a n to manifest the same K i n g ' s lack o f c o n t r o l .
However, even i n this first scene o f a p p a r e n t sexual c o n q u e s t , w h e n
D o n J u a n appears to be m o s t M a l e , his p e r f o r m a n c e is d e c i d e d l y
Female as w e l l . H e executes the F e m i n i n e t h r o u g h his p e c u l i a r a n d
exaggerated i m p e r f e c t i o n s : he appears as a m a n w i t h n o i d e n t i t y ,
affiliated w i t h darkness, bodiliness, the satanic, a n d the unstable, a n d
defines h i m s e l f as " u n h o m b r e sin n o m b r e " ( 1 5 ) . H i s lack o f
i n d i v i d u a l i d e n t i t y suggests reflective versus creative energy, instabil-
ity, a n d weakness, a l l negative Female attributes. T h e profound
instability o f his g e n d e r p e r f o r m a n c e allows h i m to d r a w the defects
o u t o f the Duquesa, his u n c l e , a n d the K i n g a l l i n o n e scene, by
repeatedly p e r f o r m i n g the F e m i n i n e ( s e d u c t i o n ) t h e n the M a s c u l i n e
( p e n e t r a t i o n ) . H e penetrates t h e palace, Octavio's i d e n t i t y , and
finally the same man's lover. H e seduces n o t so m u c h Isabela ( w h o
claims n o t to have k n o w n w h o he was) as his o w n u n c l e , a n d t h r o u g h
h i m , the K i n g o f Naples a n d the b a r o q u e c o n s t r u c t o f O r d e r .
H a v i n g c o m m i t t e d the p r i n c i p l e d e e d a n d s t a n d i n g face to face
with his surrogate father, D o n J u a n astutely s u r r e n d e r s himself.
R e c o g n i z i n g t h a t by v i r t u e o f his age, he occupies an i n f e r i o r p o s i t i o n
i n t h e m a l e h i e r a r c h y he has just f l a u n t e d , h e dives d o w n w a r d b e f o r e
t h e a l p h a m a l e to save his o w n life. R e m i n d i n g his u n c l e " m o z o soy y
m o z o fuiste" ( 6 2 ) , he t h e n invokes t h e p o p u l a r r e f r a i n "Yerros de
amor, d i g n o s son de p e r d o n a r , " by i m p l o r i n g , "tenga d i s c u l p a m i
a m o r " ( 6 4 ) . D e m o n s t r a t i n g r e m a r k a b l e sagacity, he tells t h e s i m p l e
t r u t h ("yo e n g a n e y goce a Isabela," 6 7 ) , t h e r e b y a c t i n g l i k e a M a n by
p r o v i n g h i m s e l f responsible a n d w i l l i n g to pay f o r his misdeeds. H e
also r e m i n d s his u n c l e o f t h e i r b l o o d ties, r e c a l l i n g " m i sangre es,
sefior, la vuestra" ( 9 9 ) , thus p r o t e c t i v e l y a f f i x i n g h i m s e l f to t h e b o d y
p o l i t i c o f t h e d o m i n a n t g r o u p . D o n J u a n seduces his u n c l e a n d M a l e
o r d e r by p l a y i n g o n its susceptibility to m a l e virility, aggression,
attractiveness, y o u t h , a n d a d h e r e n c e to the pack's i n t e r n a l h i e r a r c h y .
"Esa h u m i l d a d m e h a v e n c i d o , " says D o n P e d r o ( 1 0 4 ) , w h o t h e n abets
his nephew's escape.
As the p l o t progresses, D o n J u a n refines his p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e
i d e a l M a n : he is e l o q u e n t , i n t e l l i g e n t , his boldness incites a d m i r a t i o n
i n a l l , a n d his sexual e n g i n e is t h e envy o f t h e p a t r i a r c h y a n d
278 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

m a t r i a r c h y alike, c e r t a i n l y outside the text i f n o t overtly w i t h i n i t .

Various characters a d o r n D o n J u a n w i t h epithets t h a t signal h i m as a
m e m b e r o f t h e m a l e e l i t e : D o n Pedro describes his escape f r o m t h e
palace as "gallarda presteza" a n d t h e n " h e r o i c a presteza" (130, 144).
Tisbea, o b s e r v i n g D o n J u a n risk his life to save C a t a l i n o n , calls h i m
" m a n c e b o excelente / g a l l a r d o , n o b l e y galan" ( 5 8 0 - 8 1 ) . Even the
d e a d C o m e n d a d o r remarks to D o n J u a n "valiente estas" (2791) as he
prepares t h e y o u t h ' s c o n d e m n a t i o n .
Weaving in a n d out o f the Male. D o n Juan cements male alliances
at the same t i m e he breaks t h e m . I n the c o m p a n y o f his supposed
friends, the D u q u e O c t a v i o a n d t h e M a r q u e s de la M o t a , D o n J u a n
p e r f o r m s the requisite virtues t h a t i n f o r m t h e c u l t u r a l c o n s t r u c t o f
the Varon, f o r he is dangerously c o m p e l l i n g a n d p o t e n t i n every sense
o f the w o r d . W h e n i n t h e i r company, b o t h he a n d they i g n o r e his
v i o l a t i o n o f t h e i r p r o p e r t y ( t h e i r w o m e n ) a n d he proceeds to relate
to t h e m as any o t h e r acquaintance, l e a v i n g C a t a l i n o n a n d later his
astonished father to a r t i c u l a t e t h e e r r o r i n n o u n c e r t a i n terms: "({En
el Palacio Real / t r a i c i o n , y c o n u n amigo?" exclaims t h e dismayed
T e n o r i o ( 1 4 3 0 - 3 1 ) . T o cover u p t h e i r o w n affront, b o t h O c t a v i o a n d
the Marques de la M o t a are o b l i g e d to go a l o n g w i t h t h e pretense.
T h e y thereby p r o v i d e D o n J u a n w i t h t h e space to display his p e r t i -
nence to the M a l e d o m a i n , as he j o k i n g l y plans a n i g h t o n the t o w n
w i t h the Marques, a n d apologizes to O c t a v i o f o r h a v i n g left Naples
w i t h o u t t a k i n g leave o f h i m ( 1 1 4 4 - 8 9 ) .
As l o n g as w o m e n ' s bodies m e d i a t e D o n Juan's transgressions
against the M a l e , he is able to escape p u n i s h m e n t a n d c o n t i n u e w i t h
his c h a i n o f burlas, w h i c h intensify i n severity as they progress. T h e r e
is thus an e x p l i c i t alliance between d y s f u n c t i o n a l males w h o p r e t e n d
to p o w e r a n d D o n Juan's ability to p e n e t r a t e t h e w o m e n b e l o n g i n g to
those m e n . W h e r e v e r D o n J u a n can exercise his f e m i n i z e d virility,
t h e r e is a m a n i m p e r f e c t l y p e r f o r m i n g the M a l e , w h e t h e r t h e K i n g o f
Naples, his u n c l e D o n Pedro, the M a r q u e s , Tisbea's f r u s t r a t e d suitors,
A m i n t a ' s father o r h e r h u s b a n d . As s o o n as D o n J u a n is f o r c e d to
c o n f r o n t a f u n c t i o n a l male, o n e w h o defends his m o s t i m p o r t a n t
possession—his h o n o r — n o t o n l y to the d e a t h b u t b e y o n d the grave,
he is u n d o n e .
D o n Juan's u n d o i n g is b r o u g h t a b o u t by D o n Gonzalo's ability to
manifest w h a t the o t h e r characters c o u l d n o t because o f t h e i r f a i l u r e
to p e r f o r m the Varonil a n d their consequent alliance w i t h the
instability a n d weakness associated w i t h Mujeril. T h e Comendador
thrusts the trickster i n t o his p r o p e r , i n f e r i o r p o s i t i o n , first by serving
 M L N 279

as t h e i n n o c e n t sacrifice t o D o n Juan's i m p e r f e c t i o n , t h e n by u n v e i l -
i n g the y o u t h ' s p r o f o u n d a l l i a n c e w i t h t h e F e m i n i n e , a n a l l i a n c e t h a t
takes h i m straight to h e l l . As Ter H o r s t has said i n a n o t h e r c o n t e x t ,
" I n t h e course o f El burlador de Sevilla D o n J u a n T e n o r i o grows t o
g i g a n t i c p r o p o r t i o n s , a n d t h a t is w h y he m u s t be e l i m i n a t e d . H e has
become too powerful" ( 2 6 3 ) . T h e s i g n i f i c a n t e x t e n t to w h i c h his
p o w e r results f r o m his p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e F e m i n i n e makes his
e l i m i n a t i o n even m o r e u r g e n t .
D o n Juan's e x e c u t i o n o f the a r c h e t y p a l F e m i n i n e is w h a t earns h i m
c o n d e m n a t i o n a n d marks h i m as t r u l y m o n s t r o u s : his association w i t h
t h e d i a b o l i c a l , his p e r p e t u a l excess, his v o r a c i o u s a n d u n c o n t r o l l a b l e
sexual appetite, his verbal deceits, his lack o f his o w n i d e n t i t y , his
inconstancy, a n d his i r r a t i o n a l i t y . 7
H i s a f f i l i a t i o n w i t h evil i n d e l i b l y
m a r k s h i m as female, since, as Sears observes, "where m e n are
u n d e r s t o o d as susceptible to evil, w o m e n are c o n c e i v e d as ahvays already
evil" (52). 8
U n l i k e o t h e r comedia p r o t a g o n i s t s , such as Calderon's
p r o t a g o n i s t s o f La devocion de la cruz, D o n J u a n does n o t struggle w i t h
evil, r a t h e r is evil. H e has n o p r e t e n s i o n s to goodness a n d suffers n o
i n t e r n a l struggle w i t h g u i l t . O t h e r characters repeatedly relate h i m t o
Satan, m o s t o f t e n t h r o u g h references t o a snake: D o n P e d r o r e p o r t s
t h a t he lay o n t h e g r o u n d " c o m o enroscada c u l e b r a " (140), an
association r e p e a t e d by Tisbea, w h o says o f D o n J u a n "Vfbora fue"
( 2 2 3 1 ) ; w i t h O c t a v i o , D o n P e d r o is m o r e d i r e c t , c l a i m i n g o f his
nephew, "pienso q u e e l d e m o n i o en el t o m o f o r m a h u m a n a " ( 3 0 0 -
0 1 ) ; A r m i n t a ' s h u s b a n d B a t r i c i o c o m m e n t s u p o n seeing the i n t r u d e r
at his w e d d i n g f o r t h e first t i m e , " I m a g i n o / q u e el d e m o n i o le e n v i o "
( 1 7 4 0 - 4 1 ) ; finally t h e servant C a t a l i n o n , w h o knows D o n J u a n best,
cries o u t to A r m i n t a , " j D e s d i c h a d o t u , q u e has d a d o / e n m a n o s de
L u c i f e r ! " ( 1 7 9 2 - 9 3 ) . T o t h e e x t e n t t h a t D o n J u a n is u n d e r s t o o d as
evil's n a t u r a l agent, he is u n d e r s t o o d as Female.
T h e burlador 's sexual excess, w h i c h constitutes his e n t i r e s i g n i f y i n g
field, is his m o s t t e l l i n g p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e F e m i n i n e . D o n J u a n ' s
insatiable desire f o r w o m e n is obviously n o t t h e essence o f his burlas,
w h i c h deal w i t h effronteries m u c h m o r e i m p o r t a n t t o seventeenth-
c e n t u r y Spain t h a n m e r e w o m e n ' s bodies. B u t t h a t u n c o n t r o l l e d
a p p e t i t e is u n d e n i a b l y t h e t o o l he wields to t o p p l e t h e e d i f i c e o f
O r d e r . U n h a r n e s s e d sexual voracity is M a l e sexual prowess t a k e n t o

7
See " A r i s t o t l e : W o m a n as a N a t u r a l M o n s t r o s i t y " i n T u a n a 18-21.
8
N o d d i n g s a n d Pagels d o c u m e n t t h e l o n g - s t a n d i n g a s s o c i a t i o n b e t w e e n W o m a n a n d
evil.
2X0 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

i r r a t i o n a l e x t r e m e s a n d p e r f o r m e d by s o m e o n e o t h e r t h a n a func-
t i o n a l m a n . D o n J u a n signifies exclusively by v i r t u e o f his exercise o f
i r r a t i o n a l c a r n a l a p p e t i t e a n d t h e r e b y falls d a n g e r o u s l y o u t o f his
proper signifying code—Male—and i n t o t h e Female, where his
d e g r a d a t i o n a n d c o n d e m n a t i o n are assured.
I n o r d i n a t e sexual desire was u n d e r s t o o d to be a fundamental
feature o f W o m a n since t h e t i m e o f A r i s t o t l e a n d before, a n d its
h i s t o r y has b e e n s t u d i e d m e t i c u l o u s l y by historians o f sexuality a n d
gender ( T u a n a , N o d d i n g s ) . T w o lesser-known sources attest t o t h e
u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f W o m a n as a sexual monster, an understanding
w h i c h i n f o r m s m a n y early m o d e r n Spanish texts. I n t h e Compendio de
la humana salud, first translated i n t o Castilian i n 1494 a n d e x t r e m e l y
i n f l u e n t i a l o n m e d i c a l i d e o l o g y i n the f o l l o w i n g centuries, a u t h o r
J o h a n n e s de K e t h a m responds t o the q u e s t i o n o f w h y w o m e n , a n d
mares, desire i n t e r c o u r s e w i t h males even after they have c o n c e i v e d ,
r e c a l l i n g : "Responde G a l e n o : e n las mujeres, porque cuando se
d i s p o n e n para ayuntarse, n o solamente las mueve la i n c l i n a t i o n y
naturaleza de engendrar, sino t a m b i e n el d e s o r d e n a d o deleite d e l
acto l i b i d i n o s o , y, a c o r d a n d o s e de el despues d e l a y u n t a m i e n t o ,
desean volver al m i s m o deleite, p o r el r e c u e r d o q u e t i e n e n " ( 1 2 1 ; i n
mares the same excess is a t t r i b u t e d to t h e i r d i s o r d e r l y e a t i n g habits
a n d excessive d i g e s t i o n ) .
Similarly, i n 1572 D r . Francisco N u n e z de C o r i a p u b l i s h e d a b o o k
a b o u t "el b u e n manjar," Aviso de sanidad que trata de todos los generos de
alimentos y del regimiento de la sanidad, comprobado por los mas insignes y
graves doctores. T o w a r d the e n d o f his b o o k , the g o o d d o c t o r i n c l u d e d
a c h a p t e r e n t i t l e d , "Tratado d e l uso de las mujeres y c o m o sea dafioso
y c o m o provechoso, y q u e cosas se hayan de h a c e r para la t e n t a c i o n
de la c a m e y d e l suefio y banos" (ff. 2 8 9 r - 3 2 0 v ) . Dr. N u n e z specifically
describes the perils o f t o o f r e q u e n t i n t e r c o u r s e , a b e h a v i o r c o n d e m -
nable precisely because i t is w o m a n l y , saying: " p o r q u e m u c h o s no
saben en cuantos d i s c r i m i n e s y p e l i g r o s caigan los q u e a r i e n d a suelta
se d a n a esta d e l e c t a c i o n , l o cual e n t e n d e r a n si d e l t o d o leyeren este
m i tratado [...] que n o de su v e h e m e n t e d e l e c t a c i o n , a u n q u e sea de
m u y h e r m o s a mujer, la cual por aventura es insaciable, como las demds
mujeres, las cuales naturalmente son de apetito insaciable, pues c o m o dice
S a l o m o n e n el t r e i n t a y nueve de sus p r o v e r b i o s , tres cosas son q u e
n u n c a se h a r t a n , la boca d e l i n f i e r n o , la vulva, el fuego. E l c u a l
p a r e c e r fue de Aristoteles en el 4 de sus p r o b l e m a s e n e l p r o b l e m a
s

26, especialmente son de a p e t i t o insaciable [ . . . ] " (ff. 2 9 0 r - v ; m y

emphasis).
 M L N 281

F o r his sexual prowess, m e a n i n g the ease w i t h w h i c h he c o m p e l s

w o m e n i n t o b e d w i t h h i m a n d his ability to p e r f o r m t h e r e q u i s i t e act
t h e r e i n , D o n J u a n is a d m i r a b l e i n terms o f t h e c u l t u r a l c o n s t r u c t o f
M a l e . However, D o n J u a n is a character w h o exists solely i n t e r m s o f
a b o d i l y f u n c t i o n deeply associated w i t h evil a n d c u l t u r a l l y a s c r i b e d t o
W o m a n . U n l i k e the typical m a l e character, he has v i r t u a l l y n o o t h e r
facet t o his p e r s o n a l i t y o t h e r t h a n his sexually c h a r g e d burlas: he has
n o e d u c a t i o n , p o l i t i c a l o r m i l i t a r y career o r aspirations, n o t h i n g i n
his life to offset w h a t he is d o i n g w i t h his c o d p i e c e . H e is b o d i l y excess
i n c a r n a t e . H i s character exists exclusively i n t e r m s o f " l o v e " a n d
c o u p l i n g alone, n e i t h e r a h e r o i c n o r even a n a n t i - h e r o i c activity f o r a
Masculine protagonist, a n d n o t surprisingly the only signifying field
o f m o s t female characters o f t h e G o l d e n A g e . As a m a n whose
i m m e d i a t e a m b i t i o n s a n d abilities go n o f u r t h e r t h a n t h e b e d r o o m ,
whose b e i n g is c i r c u m s c r i b e d by the objective o f " g e t t i n g a m a t e " at
any cost, a n d thus as a character w h o fails to signify b e y o n d t h e social
p a r a m e t e r s o f sexuality a n d its consequences, D o n J u a n is W o m a n .
T h e burlador?, i r r a t i o n a l i t y a n d inconsistency are also subtly m a r k e d
as Female i n t h e play's o w n d i a l o g u e . T h e K i n g o f Naples l a m e n t s t h e
act between Isabela a n d D o n J u a n t h a t t r a n s p i r e d i n his palace,
c r y i n g , "jAy, p o b r e h o n o r ! Si eres a l m a / d e l h o m b r e , ^ p o r q u e te
d e j a n / e n la m u j e r i n c o n s t a n t e , / si es la m i s m a ligereza?" ( 1 5 3 - 5 6 ) .
D o n Juan's o w n inconstancia and ligereza serve to m a r k h i m as
d a n g e r o u s l y F e m i n i n e , p a r t i c u l a r l y since a r o c k - l i k e consistency f o r
t h e e x e m p l a r y m a l e was increasingly e x t o l l e d i n t h e seventeenth
c e n t u r y . D i e g o de Saavedra Fajardo, t h e m o s t r e a d p o l i t i c a l t h e o r i s t
o f early m o d e r n Spain, p u b l i s h e d his Empresas politicas i n 1640 a n d by
1700 the b o o k h a d b e e n r e p r i n t e d 74 times. T h e Empresas leave n o
d o u b t as to t h e virtues o f t h e c o n s t a n t m a n : " S i e m p r e e l m i s m o " states
Empresa 33, whose prose t e x t reads, " s i g n i f i c a n d o la fortaleza y
g e n e r o s a constancia q u e e n todos t i e m p o s h a de conservar el
p r i n c i p e [...] E l q u e se m u d a c o n la f o r t u n a , confiesa n o h a b e r l a
merecido" (217). T h e cultural construct o f the unwavering Male a n d
the inconstant W o m a n directly informs the encounter between D o n
J u a n a n d the statute o f his v i c t i m , a n e n c o u n t e r p r o v o k e d by t h e
u n f o r g i v a b l e m u r d e r o f Ana's father.
T h e burladors i r r a t i o n a l i t y a n d inconsistency c u l m i n a t e s i n t h e
scene i n w h i c h he kills t h e n o b l e D o n G o n z a l o . T h e c o n f r o n t a t i o n
occurs exactly at t h e text's center, i n scene five o f A c t I I , m a r k i n g t h e
m o m e n t w h e n the story begins anew a n d moves t o w a r d t h e c o n d e m -
n a t i o n o f the p r o t a g o n i s t . I n this scene, D o n J u a n , a m a n p e r f o r m i n g
282 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

the Feminine, confronts the unpolluted Man embodied in the

C o m e n d a d o r , whose i n t e g r i t y t h e burlador w i l l a p p a r e n t l y destroy by
k i l l i n g h i m . T h e scene itself a n d its p l a c e m e n t e c h o the o p e n i n g o f
the play i n w h i c h D o n J u a n p e r f o r m e d his first burla w i t h t o t a l success
because the male figures a r o u n d h i m c o l l u d e w i t h his offensive
i n c u r s i o n s against the M a s c u l i n e r a t h e r t h a n p u n i s h h i m .
Dismissing his d a u g h t e r as "tan liviana" ( 1 5 7 0 ) , t h e Comendador
rushes b e y o n d h e r to c o n f r o n t h e r p a r t n e r i n the Mujeril to d e f e n d
his o w n h o n o r , a n d w i t h i t , the i n v i o l a b l e social c o n s t r u c t o f M a l e .
W i t h his d y i n g b r e a t h , D o n G o n z a l o i d e n t i f i e s D o n J u a n as o n e w h o
is n o t M a l e a n d so n o t valiant, r a t i o n a l , o r constant: "Es t r a i d o r , y el
que es t r a i d o r / es t r a i d o r p o r q u e es c o b a r d e " (1591—92). R e n d e r e d
i n A c t H I as a statue, as piedra, D o n G o n z a l o signifies the stable a n d
m o n u m e n t a l r i g i d i t y o f t h e f u n c t i o n a l M a l e , w h o sacrifices his life f o r
his h o n o r a n d defends h i m s e l f at any cost f r o m lesser creatures o f
i g n o b l e n a t u r e , such as w o m e n a n d m e n w h o act l i k e t h e m . As God's
o w n agent i n the final scenes, h e is resuscitated i n stone r a t h e r t h a n
as a d i s e m b o d i e d voice o r a misty vision to leave n o d o u b t a b o u t his
fixed and e n d u r i n g nature.
Don Gonzalo refuses c o m p l i c i t y w i t h D o n Juan and draws a
performance o f the Male o u t o f h i m , thereby reinstating the norma-
tive b o u n d a r i e s between the Vardn a n d the Mujer. L i k e the unstable
character he is, D o n J u a n does i n d e e d p e r f o r m the M a l e u p o n
sensing the potency o f his enemy's o w n masculinity, w h i c h he reflects
i m m e d i a t e l y . As the m o m e n t w h e n his u n t i m e l y j u d g m e n t draws
n i g h , D o n Juan's courage is manifest t h r o u g h contrast w i t h the
cowardice o f the lesser males a r o u n d h i m , t h e r e b y c o n s t r u c t i n g an
alliance w i t h the t r u l y n o b l e M a l e t h a t previously he d i d n o t have.
T h e servants t r e m b l e , j o k e , a n d soil t h e i r pants i n t e r r o r , b u t D o n
J u a n stands firm a n d fearless, clearly m o r e l i k e the h e r o i c m a n he
k i l l e d t h a n the cowards a r o u n d h i m .
By i m i t a t i n g the C o m e n d a d o r , D o n J u a n manufactures a specifi-
cally M a l e i d e n t i t y f o r h i m s e l f a n d i n f a l l i b l y p e r f o r m s M a s c u l i n i t y as
his p a r t i n g act. I n the o v e r p o w e r i n g presence o f D o n G o n z a l o , D o n
J u a n proves h i m s e l f f u n c t i o n a l i n a m a l e / m a l e r e l a t i o n s h i p u n c o n -
t a m i n a t e d by the p r o x i m i t y o f w o m e n a n d becomes h e r o i c . F o r t h e
o n l y t i m e i n the play, he is devout, c h a r i t a b l e , h o n o r a b l e , honest, a n d
e t h i c a l , i n a scene w h i c h was c r u c i a l to the c r e a t i o n o f D o n J u a n as a
seductive m y t h o f the irresistible m a n . U n l i k e his first e n c o u n t e r w i t h
a male a u t h o r i t y figure seeking to c o r r e c t h i m , the i n c i d e n t i n w h i c h
the C o m e n d a d o r metes o u t j u s t i c e does n o t p e r m i t t h e burlador's
 M L N 283

submission because D o n G o n z a l o is u n y i e l d i n g i n his h i g h m i m e t i c

p e r f o r m a n c e , a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y d e m a n d s t h e h e r o i c f r o m D o n Juan.
T h e h e r o i c m a l e , w h e n faced w i t h i r r e f u t a b l e evidence o f his o w n
defects, dies, t h e r e b y r e c o n c i l i n g his h e r o i s m a n d his i m p e r f e c t i o n .
C o n f r o n t e d with the dead Comendador, D o n J u a n looks h i m i n the
eye a n d makes the o n l y p r o m i s e i n t h e e n t i r e play t h a t he keeps, t h e
p r o m i s e t h a t kills h i m : " m i p a l a b r a te d o y / de h a c e r t o d o l o q u e
ordenes" ( 2 4 8 8 - 8 9 ) . H a v i n g exacted his p r o m i s e f r o m the d o o m e d
m a n , D o n G o n z a l o reaches o u t to D o n J u a n , saying n o t o n c e b u t
twice " D a m e esa m a n o , n o temas" (2499, 2 8 3 1 ) . I n so d o i n g , t h e
f u n c t i o n a l male c o m p l e t e l y feminizes D o n J u a n by f o r c i n g h i m i n t o
t h e p o s i t i o n o f W o m a n , as the burlador h a n d s h i m s e l f over t o a m a n i n
t h e same p e r f o r m a t i v e exchange t h a t he h i m s e l f h a d p r o m i s e d m a n y
w o m e n b e f o r e . T h e statue rectifies a l l o f D o n J u a n ' s b r o k e n vows by
9

" m a r r y i n g h i m " to an a c c o u n t i n g f o r his m o r a l egregiousness, f o r

h a v i n g behaved l i k e a w o m a n , by t r e a t i n g h i m l i k e o n e . T h e m a t r i m o -
n i a l p r o m i s e t h a t was m e a n t to save w o m e n f r o m disgrace a n d f a i l u r e
d a m n s D o n J u a n : i n a c c e p t i n g a man's h a n d , he overtly b e c o m e s
W o m a n a n d the d o o r s o f h e l l creak o p e n . T h e C o m e n d a d o r re-
a p p r o p r i a t e s a l l o f D o n J u a n ' s burlas i n t h e n a m e o f the Varonil as he
exacts the w o m a n ' s p r o m i s e f r o m t h e trickster. T h e r e b y , he calls D o n
Juan's a p p r o p r i a t i o n o f Femininity t o a severe a c c o u n t i n g and
j u s t i f i e s his r i d d i n g the w o r l d o f t h e m a n w h o a p p r o p r i a t e s t o o m a n y
negative signifiers o f the Female.
T h r o u g h the play's e n d i n g , D o n J u a n assures his place i n h e l l as
w e l l as his place i n history. T h e e n d u r i n g a p p e a l o f t h e D o n J u a n
f i g u r e suffices to p r o v e M a n d r e l l ' s thesis t h a t the burlador has s e d u c e d
w e s t e r n c u l t u r e , a n d clearly t h e m y t h o l o g y o f D o n J u a n is f o u n d e d o n
his p e r f o r m a n c e o f the Varonil. T h a t character's first d r a m a t i c incar-
n a t i o n is t h r e a t e n i n g a n d m o n s t r o u s , however, i n his e x e c u t i o n o f t h e
Mujeril. Analysis o f g e n d e r p e r f o r m a n c e reveals the u n d e r l y i n g o r d e r
sustained by D o n J u a n ' s c o n d e m n a t i o n : lax m o r a l b e h a v i o r w i t h i n t h e
b o u n d a r i e s o f one's o w n g e n d e r is l a m e n t a b l e b u t u n r e m a r k a b l e , a n d
t h u s t h e o t h e r characters w h o are as m o r a l l y d e c r e p i t as D o n J u a n d o
n o t m e r i t e t e r n a l c o n d e m n a t i o n . W h e n m e n a c q u i r e traits ascribed
to t h e categorically F e m i n i n e , however, t h e m o n s t e r is e n g e n d e r e d

9
V a r e y p u t s i t d i f f e r e n t l y : " H a s i d o b u r l a d o a traves d e u n a m a n o , u n r e c u e r d o d e l a
m a n e r a e n q u e e l h a b i a e n g a r i a d o a t a n t a s m u j e r e s d e s p u e s d e p e d i r l e s la m a n o e n
m a t r i m o n i o " ( 1 5 4 ) . A l l a i n c o n s i d e r s t h e C o m e n d a d o r ' s g e s t u r e a burla i n itself,
a p p r o p r i a t e f o r t h e burlador.
284 E L I Z A B E T H RHODES

a n d m u s t be r e m o v e d . D o n J u a n becomes a famous burlador f o r a c t i n g

l i k e a M a n . H e goes to h e l l f o r a c t i n g like a W o m a n .

Boston Collegi

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