A Comparative Analysis of La Dama Boba and El Sí de Las Niñas

Angela Krak

An advantage of studying literary works is having the ability to understand the

potential of authors and their works to transcend time and observe that they still maintain

importance in today’s age. Certain themes of humanity never expire, and others have developed

within their respective eras. It can be difficult to imagine that a work from the Golden Age can

still teach lessons to the modern and innovative society of the 21st century, or that the voices of

the authors are able to continue proclaiming opinions that have been frozen in their texts after

three hundred or four hundred years. It is not possible to experience society as it was, but reading

can offer a window to the realities that existed. The purpose of this work is to investigate,

compare, and contrast the works of La Dama Boba by Lope de Vega and El Sí de Las Niñas by

Leandro Fernández de Moratín. These two plays emerge from different eras and authors, but

share essential themes that serve both to teach and entertain the public: the injustice of arranged

marriages, the role of parents as "protectors", and the act of female pretending.

To begin to understand the historical perspective surrounding a work of art, it is

essential to take into account fundamental knowledge from the time period of the author. La

Dama Boba by Lope de Vega demonstrates the typical characteristics of the Golden Age, a

period that spans two centuries. Spain prospered immensely after its voyages to the New World

during the first part of the Golden Age, the sixteenth century. The city of Seville possessed the

only port to the Americas, and therefore, all the wealth also entered through its city walls. Spain

took advantage of this fortune during the sixteenth century, but by the second half of the Golden

Age, money began to disappear. The seventeenth century was arduous due to money that was

spent as a result of various preparations for wars that Spain eventually lost.
 Lope de Vega, a prominent author, was born in 1562 in Madrid and died in at the age

of sixty-two in 1635. It is helpful to understand that he lived during both centuries and thus,

experienced Spain flourishing and suffering. One aspect that distinguishes Lope de Vega from

other authors of the time is the sheer quantity of works that he wrote. In La Dama Boba, Lope de

Vega emerges to give his beliefs to the public and demonstrate his level of mastery. He speaks

through a maid, Clara, to break the decorum of the work. Lope de Vega had fifteen children

total, married twice, and maintained relationships with several lovers. In fact, La Dama Boba is

dedicated to one of his lovers, represented by Nise’s character. This action implies that Lope de

Vega paid attention to intelligence and well-spoken women, contrary to the norms of the era.

The eighteenth century consisted of the model of Neoclassicism, which is very much

the opposite of Baroque theater. This concept of Neoclassicism signified a return to the age of

the Greeks and the Romans, as a new era of Classicism. This movement spanned the entire

century, and even remained present during the early nineteenth century. The inspiration for the

Neoclassic movement spawned from the French revolution and the novel ideas that traveled to

the Spain regarding the Illustration. For this reason, there are myriad similarities between French

theater and Spanish theater during that era.

Leandro Fernández de Moratín was a renowned writer of the 18th century. He was born

in 1760 and died in 1828. Aspects of Neoclassicism were represented in his life and works

because he greatly admired French culture. For this reason, when Napoleon arrived in Spain

during the French Revolution with motives to establish himself and his army in the country, he

appointed Moratín to be the Minister of Culture. Before working in this role, the author had been

able to travel through Europe through his work as a secretary for a count. After the war, the

Spanish public did not favor Moratín, particularly due to his affinity for French theatre and
customs. The public called him afrancesado, or a traitor who had forgotten his Spanish roots,

and Moratín fled to France where he eventually died.

The title La Dama Boba refers to the characters of Finea and Nise, because it is

assumed initially that Finea is not gifted intellectually and that Nise is. At the same time, a play

on words exists. If the title is read without knowing the content of the text, it seems to be an

oxymoron. A woman cannot be both senseless and smart. Or can she? Lope de Vega wants

readers to ponder this issue, and develops the conflicts that surround this contradiction. In the

end, the audience is left to ponder that things are never as they seem, and that foolishness can

always change. Finea represents naivety until love transforms her life. The central issue pertains

to the process of falling in love, and focuses on the development of the characters if and when

they are successful in finding their better halves.

Conflict arises when a father of two daughters wants to marry them off to honorable

suitors, but the relationship between the four characters are full of confusion. Behind the scenes

of this complex scenario lies a social commentary that deals with the potential each person

innately possesses. In the play, Finea experiences a complete transformation spanning a period of

two months. Lope de Vega comments through the action of the play that women are competent

intellectually, and that feigning or faking stupidity is a way to acquire what they truly desire.

The argument of the La Dama Boba is that each individual holds the ability to enhance

his or her life in a positive way, and that, in some cases, only one catalyst is required. For Finea,

the inspiration was Laurencio. The theme is initially exposed in an inn outside of Madrid, when

Liseo is on his way to meet his fiancée, Finea. A conversation takes place that causes him feel

uneasy, and he discovers that many people affirm that Finea is a fool. Liseo learns that Nise, the

sister of Finea, is well educated, and decides to go to Otavio's house to make a final decision.
After this scene, Finea appears for the first time and fails to make a positive impression on her

supposed future husband. She does not seem to possess much academic intelligence, and suffers

learning the alphabet. The plot develops, and after meeting Finea, Liseo decides that he does not

want to tolerate her nonsense for the rest of his life. To complicate the situation even further,

Liseo ponders marrying Nise, though her dowry is substantially lower than Finea’s. Laurencio is

a gentleman who flirts with Nise during the first act of the play, but due to the generous dowry of

Finea, he decides pursue money instead of intelligence. Laurencio attempts to start a relationship

with Finea, and she returns his affections. Finea begins to change, and proclaims that it is

because of her ardent love for Laurencio.

The complication in the entire play can be explained with this sole description: Liseo

wants to marry Nise, who loves Laurencio, who decides to pursue Finea, who also loves

Laurencio. The conflict between the two sisters arises with them desiring to marry the same man,

yet Finea knows how to pretend. The end of the play offers a compromise, and four couples get

married. Liseo and Nise form a pair, although Nise does not marry for love. Finea and Laurencio

stay together, and two maids marry two butlers. It is a “happy ending” according to the

expectations of the era, but Lope de Vega raises a social commentary pertaining to the roles of

the sexes, the rights of women (or in this case, the lack of these freedoms), and the definitions of

intelligence.

Otavio, the father, is a stereotypical character according to the Golden Age norms. His

objective entails the marriage of his two daughters, and his character is not necessarily attentive

to what occurs in front of his own eyes until the conclusion of the play. Laurencio is another

character that reflects the ideas of the century, especially regarding the role of women. In one

scene, he tells Finea that he would not need her as an assistant in business affairs or any matter
requiring intelligence. Nise is the opposite of those norms, and Lope de Vega demonstrates her

degree of intellect throughout the entire work. For example, the first time the public meets Nise,

she is discussing Greek texts with her maid and explaining the difference between poetry and

prose. Another sign of the respect that men feel towards her is evident in the fact that they

approach her to in order to receive a critiques of their work. These actions indicate that they

value the opinion of this highly educated woman and desire her approval.

In order to provide background information regarding El Sí de Las Niñas, the central

issue correlates directly to the title, and Moratín develops the plot around the injustice of

arranged marriages. El Sí de Las Niñas revolves around the role of obedience that existed in that

era. Girls did not have the ability to select a husband, and many times, as seen in the case of

Doña Irene, the parents would choose a man with money, social status, or other forms of wealth.

Moratín criticizes this abuse of girls and the exploitation of their innocence, and at the

conclusion of the play, intends to teach that they should be in control of their own destinies. In

the first act of the play, it is stated that Don Diego is an older man who desires to marry an

innocent, young girl named Doña Paquita. The irony appears in this primary scene as he explains

his intentions to his own servant, Simón.

At first, Don Diego assumes that Simón realizes that he wants to marry Doña Paquita,

and is startled that he did not react to the sizeable age gap between the two. Later, he understands

that Simón had been picturing a wedding between Doña Paquita and Don Carlos, the nephew of

Don Diego. The development continues after this conversation, and the reader discovers that

Don Carlos and Doña Paquita have maintained a secret relationship. On the other hand, Doña

Irene continues to ruin the future of Doña Paquita by trying to force a marriage and manipulating

her only living daughter. The complication appears when Don Carlos arrives at the same inn, in
search of Doña Paquita. At the conclusion, Don Carlos and Don Diego have an enlightening

conversation, and Don Diego realizes the reason why Doña Paquita did not want to tell him the

truth. He unearths the love letter, and agrees to allow Don Carlos marry Doña Paquita.

The plot thickens the concluding scene of the play because there is only one line of

action, in accordance with the Neoclassical format. For example, Don Diego discovers that Don

Carlos is staying in the same inn, and orders him to leave so that the potentially scandalous

marriage would not be discovered until after the fact. The drama increases when Doña Paquita

learns that her boyfriend left the inn, after promising to try and stop the marriage, and has an

emotional breakdown. Later, Don Carlos returns at dawn to inform her of his real motives and

leaves a love letter. A main idea of the play is freedom of choice. Don Diego desires to know if

Doña Paquita would marry him, but Doña Irene always interrupts, does not let her daughter

speak, or speaks on her behalf. Also, Doña Paquita is afraid to tell the the truth, that she truly is

not in love with Don Diego, due to not wanting to offend her elders. One central theme deals

with the injustice of arranged marriages, specifically that they do not take into account the

feelings of women. El Sí de Las Niñas is considered a comedy, as the character of Doña Irene

offers this aspect to the public. Her complaints, interruptions, and prolix stories serve to

exasperate Don Diego and provoke the laughter of the public.

Since a basis of each work has been established, it is now possible to offer comparisons

of the content. A parallel phenomenon that exists in both La Dama Boba and El Sí de Las Niñas

is the concept of arranged marriages. It can be observed simply by viewing the title of each play

that women are the focus. In both the Golden Age and the eighteenth century, arranged

marriages were commonplace. Lope de Vega utilized his voice as author to offer his perspectives

on this concept, and strives to educate the public that women should have the right to select their
husband. This point of view is also noticeable in Moratín's decisions. At the end of his play, the

character rejects this tradition and declares that women deserve to act on their own intuitions.

Marriage encompasses several meanings and interpretations respective to the time and

culture in which it is practiced. It is impossible to criticize a novel, a play, or a text without

understanding the perspectives existed the past. Marriage is a dynamic concept, and develops

along with the movements and progress of society. Some cultures have more emphasis on this

practice than others, and each country, region, and even family retains their own traditions and

norms. A fundamental element of the arranged marriages in the Golden Age and in the

eighteenth century was the dowry. Each woman had her own dowry, and men received this

amount of money or physical objects such as land or animals upon getting married. The family

of the bride established the price of the dowry, which played a great role in maintaining the

hierarchy of society. Many people who belonged to the lower classes struggled to find the money

to elevate their own statuses. The dowry could indicate the entirety of a woman's life, and was

completely beyond her control. What would happen if a woman did not hold a substantial

dowry? The men would not pay as much attention to her, as is seen in the case of “La Dama

Boba.”

To ensure the social status of their daughters, many parents established a high dowry to

attract rich or noble men. In her work that analyzes the role of eighteenth-century women and the

concept of marriage, María Martínez Soto speaks of the few circumstances of marriage for love.

She states, “Por tanto, los matrimonios por amor prácticamente no existían, el dinero y la clase

social eran los únicos intereses presentes; el objetivo de los matrimonios era tener descendencia,

crear una familia y perpetuar así los apellidos (3).” In La Dama Boba, the substantial dowry of

Finea is what initially attracts Liseo to her. Laurencio also has an interest in one of Otavio's
daughters, but at first he prefers Nise for her intelligence. The two men, Liseo and Laurencio,

meet at an inn located on the outskirts of Madrid. There, Liseo realizes that his fiancée, Finea, is

unintelligent. He almost abandons the trip entirely, but his servant Turin reassures him, saying,

“[c]omo tú no digas <sí>, / ¿quién te puede cautivar?” (Lope de Vega 2001, 176-177). Liseo

decides to continue, but when he meets Finea, his fears are realized and he indicates that he

cannot tolerate life with her. He changes his approach, and aspires to attract Nise for the duration

of the play.

It is undeniable in this case that the dowry hold more power than love. Although

Laurencio initially began to fall in love with Nise for her beauty and intelligence, he says that, at

the same time, he needs to eat. Nise's dowry is not as high as Finea's. In his work that studies the

academic ironies observed in “La Dama Boba,” Robert Horst comments on the interesting

situation of Liseo and Laurencio and makes a comparison to the concept of scarcity. He suggests,

“The fundamental confusion in La Dama Boba is that of the need for sustenance and the

requirement for spiritual increase through love. The play represents an economy of

scarcity. Its characters lack love or money or wit. As they become aware of their

deficiencies, they seek to remedy them, often at cross-purposes. In the end, all achieve

reasonable gratification (6)”.

Liseo already has money; what he lacks is an intelligent woman. The lesser dowry of Nise is not

a deterrent, but for Laurencio, a substantial amount is essential. Each character has his or her

strength and in the end, Otavio achieves his final objective: his two daughters get married.

The dowry also heavily influences the plot of “El Sí de Las Niñas.” Dona Irene is a widow, and

her only living daughter resides in a convent to learn. Don Diego is an elderly man interested in
marrying a pure and innocent woman. Doña Irene takes advantage of the fact that Don Diego is

rich, and her daughter, Doña Paquita, is desirable. It is demonstrated from her attitude that, in

reality, the feelings of her daughter are not of importance. Doña Irene expects her daughter to

marry a mature man because of his wealth, but at the same time, she reasons that his money will

also support her. Doña Paquita does not wish to be with Don Diego because she is in love with

Don Carlos, the nephew of Don Diego. Upon discovering that Don Carlos also has a respectable

financial status, Doña Irene changes her attitude instantaneously and expresses her support for

the couple. Marriages for pure love hardly took place in the Golden Age, and although the

situation was changing little by little in the eighteenth century, they were still a rarity.

Another pertinent issue present in the two plays is the protective role of parents. Otavio

does not have a son, and because of that, it is necessary for his daughters to meet honorable

suitors. Don Diego is not the father of Doña Paquita, but he protects her more than her own

mother. In his studies of marriage and its prevalence in literature, José M. Castán Vásquez

indicates his point of view on the importance of theater as an analysis of society. He comments

that, “El teatro y la vida están inquebrantablemente unidos… de hecho, el teatro ha sido en todo

tiempo un testimonio de la realidad social (125).” These comments serve to add validity to the

literary critiques that are developed surrounding these two plays. Within their characters and

situations lie authentic themes of the eras. And, as is evident here, most parents did not have the

well-being of their daughters in mind. It is not a secret that Doña Irene wishes to speak for her

daughter, and attempts to force the marriage. Who, in this case, has the role of the father?

According to the work by Jesús Peréz-Magallón, he explains that Don Diego maintains a "father-

lover" role, and that he is trapped between his conscience and his unfulfilled dreams. He states,

“Su actitud aparece marcada por la conciencia del posible error que va a cometer, por lo
 que se mueve entre el afán de huir de la soledad, la búsqueda tardía del amor, la

sensibilidad que se preocupa paternalmente por el prójimo y la razón, con su alto

componente de generosidad interesada (Peréz-Magallón 656).”

Don Diego would prefer to marry an innocent and young woman, but at the same time, he does

not want to impose his wishes if Doña Paquita does not feel the same way towards him. He

experiences an internal dispute over both the vacillations of his emotions and his moral

character. Don Diego also exhibits a near-paternal attitude towards Doña Paquita, and one reason

could be the age difference of forty-three years between the two.

This same phenomenon occurs in La Dama Boba because Otavio needs to find two

men to protect his daughters within marriage. In reality, he is more concerned about Finea's

future due to her lack of academic intelligence and limited knowledge of social etiquette. Otavio

feels frustrated because his daughters demonstrate a perfect “claroscuro” at the beginning of the

work. In his article titled, “Para el entendimiento de La dama boba,” Alonso Zamora Vicente

develops the idea of “claroscuro”. He interprets that, “Frente a la luz, la sombra, la tiniebla;

frente a la despejada visión de la cultura y de la vida que Nise despliega, nos abruma ahora la

torpeza, la incapacidad de Finea por hacer luz en su espíritu (Zamora Vicente 2).” Nise is a

representation of light, intelligence, and potential, while Finea remains in the shadows.

Additionally, the author makes a comparison between this work and a painting by Carravaggio,

demonstrating the artistic technique of utilizing contrast highlight the spectrum of light and

darkness. To assure that his two daughters are able to succeed, he makes the effort to arrange

their own marriages. In Otavio’s mind, he is fulfilling the role of the father, but both Nise and

Finea make their own decisions when establishing the relationships.

In La Dama Boba, Otavio is the only father with a role in the play. The mother of Finea and Nise

is never mentioned, and it is unknown if she is alive or not. On the contrary, in El Sí de Las

Niñas, there is an absence of Doña Paquita's father. In both plays, however, at least one parent or

character who assumes the role of a father-figure. In a study that deals with the gender of the

children and the treatment they receive from their parents, it is suggested that there is a

difference between how fathers behave with their daughters than with their sons. The results of

the research indicate that the fathers of daughters sing more to them, and respond more strongly

neurologically to their happy expressions (Mascaro, Hackett, Rilling, Rentscher, Mehl 1). This

data is important when shifting the approach to the plot of the two plays, but it is a fundamental

aspect of El Sí de Las Niñas. The play is a comedy, yet it is characterized by a myriad of tears

and feelings during the discussion scenes between Don Diego, Doña Irene, and Doña Paquita.

Don Diego responds strongly to the emotions of Doña Paquita, due to her lack of happiness

towards him, he realizes that the love is not mutual.

Another aspect regarding the protection of women meant, in those days, limiting the

level of education they could access. In many cases, if women received an education, they would

learn to sew, to take care of the house, or to be a submissive wife. The intelligence that Nise

acquires is exceptional when considering the customs of the era, especially because her subjects

of interest are literature and classical authors. Finea struggles to understand the alphabet and read

simple words. Felipe B. Pedraza Jiménez wrote an article called “A Vueltas con La dama boba,”

which highlights the focus that Lope de Vega had on the subject of childhood. She expresses

that, “En su mundo infantil- contra lo que mantienen arbitrariamente los adultos- nuestra Finea

sabía lo que quería: en esencia, que la dejaran en paz, que no la importunaran (Pedraza Jiménez

948).” Finea behaves like a small child, though she has reached the age of marriage. She does not
want to rupture this feeling of innocence, which appears in her way of speaking, thinking, and

lack of wanting to learn letters. This senselessness signifies that Finea still depends on her father

for assistance and to act on her behalf. Without this obstruction, she begins to decide what she

truly desires without paying attention to her father's commands. Doña Paquita discovers the same

freedom by being removed from the protected lifestyle of the convent. Upon meeting Don

Carlos, and her wishes change. She wants to obey her mother, but at the same time, does not feel

like a child anymore. The protection of parents ceases to have an effect when children discover

their passions, which can emerge due to people or amassing more knowledge. Nise's books set

her free. Laurencio's love allows Finea to transform. The emotions that Doña Paquita

experiences towards Don Carlos no not permit her to fully obey her mother.

The third comparison that undoubtedly appears between the two plays is the act of

feigning by women. Finea is characterized by her abilities to disguise her real intelligence,

especially after the transformation within the play. Doña Paquita expresses she does not know

how to hide her feelings, but she does it in front of the audience. At the end of the play, Don

Diego criticizes this duplicity and laments that, due to society, women have to no choice but to

pretend. He exclaims that,

“Ve aquí los frutos de la educación. Esto es lo que se llama criar bien a una niña:

enseñarla a que desmienta y oculte las pasiones más inocentes con una pérfida

disimulación. Las juzgan honestas luego que las ven instruidas en el arte de callar y

mentir (Moratín 1806, 48).”

In his work, Antonio Calvo Maturana exposes this noticeable reality El sí de las niñas. He

explains that,
 “The debate between sense and sensibility in El sí de las niñas is related to a proper

education. Moratín criticized the traditional education for girls. Although Doña Irene says

that her daughter ‘was raised with no tricks or deceptions,’ the truth is that Francisca has

been educated to hide her feelings (Calvo Maturana 4).”

In the case of Doña Paquita, the lack of education is caused by the environment of the convent,

the behavior of her mother, and the unavailability of academic resources for women.

In the case of Finea, there are advantages to being senseless. Men do not think that she

is intelligent, but her dowry attracts Laurencio. During the month that Nise is sick, Finea alters

both her attitude and behavior. However, judging by the events that ensue, it is observed that

there are advantages to being mindless, or at least feigning stupidity. Otavio, the father,

represents the compliance of society towards traditional attitudes. In his perspective, Finea can

offer more to a husband than Nise because she has no interest in the activities of men. María

Norgués Bruno analyzes the perceptions towards women and the "value" of silence. In her

article, she explains that, “Sin embargo, pese a ello, y como ahora analizaremos, Otavio prefiere,

antes que esposarse con una bachillera, hacerlo sin duda alguna, con la boba (Nogués Bruno 2).”

Nise's own father does not consider her intelligence as an advantage. He believes the opposite,

that she is too well-spoken and intelligent. How could a wise woman survive if men only were

attracted to senselessness? In the aforementioned scientific study, it is stated that, "Parental

behavior is thought to influence the development of empathy and social intelligence (Mascaro,

Hackett, Rilling, Rentscher, Mehl 2)". Otavio's attitude toward Nise could explain why Finea

demonstrates more social intelligence than her sister. Her father supposes that she will enjoy a

better life with a role of taking care of her children and the house. It is possible that he interacted

with her in a different way as a result of her countenance and ability.

 Howard Gardner, a professor at Harvard University, describes his theory on the

existence of several types of intelligence. His "Theory of Multiple Intelligences" establishes

eight categories that each person is capable of developing within his or her life. Everyone has

access to these eight models, but some qualities are realized more in some than in others.

Gardner believes that each person is intelligent in their own way. An article by Aida Blanes

Villatoro teaches what the eight types of intelligence are and provides information on Gardner's

theory. In its summary, it indicates that,

“Hasta el momento, existen ocho inteligencias que el Dr. Howard Gardner ha reconocido

en todos los seres humanos: la lingüística-verbal, la musical, la lógica-matemática, la

espacial, la corporal-cinestética, la intrapersonal, la interpersonal, y la naturalista.

Además, es posible que haya una novena inteligencia, la existencial, que aún está

pendiente de demostrar (Villatoro 1)”.

Finea is not stupid, she simply has another example of intelligence. Nise demonstrates verbal-

linguistic intelligence, indicating that she demonstrates high proficiency regarding all aspects of

the language. She can read, write, speak in an intelligent way, criticize prose, and communicate

well on academic topics. But, what she desperately needs is the ability to vocalize her emotions.

She is aware that she is falling in love with Laurencio, but does not know how to behave in order

to garner his attraction. Finea demonstrates her category of intelligence at the beginning of the

play, but it is not made clear until later in the plot. She does not spend much time focusing on

academic subjects, but clearly demonstrates a more elevated degree of emotional capacity than

Nise. Her area of intellectual strength is her interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. She

understands how to respond to the way she feels, and knows that in order to maintain her
relationship with Laurencio, it is important to maintain a close proximity with him and show him

that she is changing for the better.

These studies by Gardner also suggest that intelligence is not static. A person can learn to

be intelligent, in each category of the eight proposals. A Harvard website mentions this potential

for improved intelligence, combining it with education. The author, Leah Shafer, explains that,

“For educators, the lesson here is that effective teaching embraces this idea that

intelligence is learnable and depends on our attitudes. Teachers can increase intelligence

by creating opportunities for students to find and solve problems — especially problems

which require us to think creatively, carefully, and strategically. They can essentially

teach children how to think better (Shafer)”.

Finea utilizes her new motivations to develop wisdom and achieve her full potential in that

regard. It is apparent that Finea makes great progress in her verbal-linguistic abilities, and

everyone takes note of this change. Nise comments that Finea speaks in a more sophisticated

manner, and observes that she knows how to pretend, something that requires a high degree of

mental calculation.

Finea recognized the need to hide her feelings and feign stupidity in front of Nise and her

father to protect her relationship with Laurencio. She had not experienced anything comparable

in the past, and understands that she is evolving. To achieve what she really desires, she must

continue to hide this new intelligence to avoid marriage to Liseo, her fiancée. Alberto Espina

explains this process of falling in love in his article "The Constitution of the Couple." He

comments that,

“El enamoramiento provoca una intensa activación filológica que se va a reflejar a tres

niveles: emocional, cognitivo, y conductual… A nivel cognitivo aparecen pensamientos

 intrusivos y preocupación por el otro, se le idealiza, se desea conocerle y ser reconocido, se

fantasía continuamente con él, desaparece de su atención todo lo que no tenga que ver con el

ser amado y surge gran incertidumbre respecto a poder conseguir y/o mantener su amor. A

nivel conductual existe un acercamiento para conocerle y hacerse conocer, se le ofrecen

presentes para ganar su amor y se deja de lado lo que no tiene que ver con la persona amada

(Espina 54).”

Finea fully experiences this process during the period that Nise is ill. In addition to this,

Laurencio had already decided to pursue Finea's love. This explanation is the epitome of what

Finea feels, and she tells Clara many times that she is unable to stop thinking about Laurencio,

cannot bear to live without him, etc. Laurencio does not share the same process, because he does

not perceive Finea with mutual respect. He believes that he is superior, and because of this, he

plays with her emotions.

In El sí de las niñas, two of the protagonists also demonstrate an impressive degree of

interpersonal intelligence. Doña Paquita and Don Carlos fell in love while she was in the

convent. When he realized that her mother had removed her to introduce her to a prospective

fiancée, Don Carlos chases after them to win her love. Don Diego is angry to discover that his

nephew is in the same inn, and orders him to leave. Doña Paquita does not know what to think,

and believes that her lover (Don Carlos) fled without fighting for her love. Don Carlos considers

how Doña Paquita is feeling, putting himself in her place. He returns during the night to explain

himself and leaves a letter so that she understands his intentions. Doña Paquita also demonstrates

interpersonal intelligence by she realizing that she needs to maintain a balance in her relationship

with her mother. She knows how to pretend, and does it repeatedly. Ironically, her lover has the

same ability. He told her at first his name was Don Felix, when in fact he is called Don Carlos.
 To contrast between the two plays, one of the most notable differences lies in their

structure. The theater of Lope de Vega lacks the three Aristotelian units of action, time, and

place. There are simultaneous actions that occur, something that never exists in Neoclassical

theater. The unit of time is not respected because a month is skipped while Nise is sick. The

public does not know what happened during this gap. In addition, the action begins at an inn near

Madrid and ends elsewhere. Lope de Vega breaks the decorum in La Dama Boba, and the two

maids are perfect examples. Celia, Nise's maid, can understand when she explains her studies. A

person without much education would typically not be able to partake in such a conversation, nor

would they speak in such an advanced manner. Clara breaks the decorum when she describes the

scene of the cats. It is a complex explanation, full of details, and the public does not anticipate it.

The voice of Lope de Vega appears to indicate to the public that he intends to teach something

through a character. To conclude, the structure of La Dama Boba has three acts, like El Sí de Las

Niñas, but it is comprised of poetry.

On the contrary, in Moratín's work, there is no poetry. Prose is used, and all three

Aristotelian units are absolutely respected. The whole plot takes place in the same inn within ten

hours. Also, there is only one central conflict. It structured in this way so that the public could

easily pay attention and comprehend the moral lesson by the conclusion. In Neoclassical theater,

an educating value is always included. It can attack a societal defect, or teach people to behave

better. The action of El Si de las Niñas takes place in Alcalá de Henares. The decorum is

followed, there are no characters that speak or act outside their social class.

Another discrepancy appears in the conclusion of each play. In El Sí de Las Niñas, Doña

Paquita is not obligated to marry Don Diego. This man realizes that his fiancée really loves his

nephew, Don Carlos, and prefers their ultimate happiness. As a result, each character is content.
Doña Paquita and Don Carlos have plans to get married, Doña Irene can take advantage of Don

Carlos' money because he is a soldier and has has a rich uncle, and Don Diego has solved the

moral conflict he felt internally and will not be isolated in his later years. Everything ends very

well in this play, but this is not so in La Dama Boba. Finea and Laurencio are incredibly happy

together, the maids have boyfriends and plans to get married, and Otavio has fulfilled his

objective. Who is the character who does not find his or her better half at the end? Nise. Nise is

the character that loses the most. In her work that deals with the women of Baroque literature,

María Elena Ojea Fernández exposes the situation of this woman and indicates that,

“Nise, por el contrario, permite que sus sentimientos tomen forma. Se sincera y admite

estar enamorada. Desdeña a Liseo para enseguida tener que readmitirlo. Al final, todo

acaba según lo previsto: Laurencio está radiante con la dote de su esposa y Nise –según

su padre- se conforma (Ojea Fernández 90,91)”.

If Nise had possessed a higher dowry, perhaps her lover would have paid more attention to her.

According to the era, it is a happy ending but Nise's imperfect situation causes the public

consider more profoundly the treatment of women.

To conclude, La Dama Boba and El Sí de Las Niñas discuss similar themes, despite the

fact that their authors lived in different centuries. Félix Lope de Vega and Leandro Fernández de

Moratín used their powers to the fullest; both to entertain the public and to mix their own moral

ideas between the lines. Undoubtedly, these two plays still offer their advice to anyone who

reads them. Though the circumstances have changed as society continues to progress forward,

the stories told by Lope de Vega and Moratín include content that remains relevant today. There

are a plethora of other films and books that deal with competition between two sisters, the

discovery of the self, and the development of intelligence. There are also examples in modern
times of people who do not have the right to choose their husband, who need to fight with

internal demons, and who want a different life than the one their parents force upon them. The

ideas of these authors have not died, nor will they disappear because they represent cyclical and

universal conflicts. Lope de Vega and Moratín fulfilled their objectives of these works in the fact

that they continue to interest the public, and their lessons have not stopped having an impact.
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