Castro is a Portuguese tragedy play written by Portuguese poet António Ferreira. It is considered the first classical tragedy composed in Portuguese.
Background Castro is the first tragedy play written entirely in Portuguese. It was authored by António Ferreira, a poet and dramatist that's widely regarded as one of the founding figures of Portuguese Renaissance literature.Adamson, J. (1836). Bibliotheca Lusitana: Or Catalogue of Books and Tracts, Relating to the History, Literature, and Poetry, of Portugal: Forming Part of the Library of John Adamson .... United Kingdom: T. and J. Hodgson. Composed around 1556 in Portugal's Coimbra, the play was left unpublished by Ferreira, who later shifted to a legal career in Lisbon. It was later published posthumously after his death.Ferreira, A. (1987). The Tragedy of Ines de Castro. Indonesia: Universidade de Coimbra.
The play was first presented in Ferreira's hometown of Lisbon, Portugal in 1598. It was printed by Pedro Craesbeeck who was a Portuguese printer and bookseller.FERREIRA, A. (1598). Castro. Tragedia do doutor Antonio Ferreira. (n.p.): (n.p.). The tragedy was first translated into English by Thomas Moore Musgrave in London in 1825, marking a significant step in introducing the Portuguese literature to English-speaking audiences.Adamson, J. (1842). Lusitania Illustrata: Notices on the History, Antiquities, Literature ... of Portugal: Selection of Sonnets, with biographical sketches of the authors. United Kingdom: T. and J. Hodgson.
The story of Inez de Castro was often adapted by Portuguese poets. Ferreira's theme for the play is reportedly based on a passage of the latin poem The Lusiadas by Luís de Camões.
Roles The main characters in the play included Inês de Castro with her nurse (ama), Infante Don Pedro with his secretary, King Alphonso with three merciless counselors, and a messenger.Bouterwek, F. (1823). History of Spanish and Portuguese literature, tr. by T. Ross. United Kingdom: (n.p.).
RoleCastro (Inês de Castro)Ama (Caretaker)Choro das mocas de Coimbra (Lament of the Girls of Coimbra)Infante D. Pedro (Peter I of Portugal)Secretario jeu (Secretrary)El Rey D. Afonso IIII (Afonso IV of Portugal)Pêro CoelhoDiogo Lopes Pacheco (son of Lopo Fernandes Pacheco)Messageiro (Messenger)
Synopsis The play centers on the tragic story of Inês de Castro, a noblewoman who was famously executed in the 14th century on orders from King Afonso IV of Portugal, despite her romantic relationship with his son, Pedro.Dreams of Waking: An Anthology of Iberian Lyric Poetry, 1400-1700. (2013). United Kingdom: University of Chicago Press. Act I opens with Inês's lament and Don Pedro's debate over his conflicting loyalties, supported by a chorus singing a hymn to love. The subsequent acts continue this blend of dialogue and chorus until Act IV, where the chorus announces Inês's death, and in Act V, a messenger delivers the news to Don Pedro.Bouterwek, F. (1823). History of Spanish and Portuguese literature, tr. by T. Ross. United Kingdom: (n.p.).
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