The Purgatory of St. Patrick

by Felipe Gonzalez Calderon

Part of the series Calderon's Dramas. First fully translated edition by Denis Florence Mac-Carthy in 1847.

Genres: Historical Fiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure how I found this anymore, but sometime in the past I downloaded it to my kindle. If you go to the author’s profile page, you can scroll through his works for many pages and not find it—at least I didn’t. There are 52 pages worth of his works, evidence to me of his popularity especially considering when he lived; I gave up long before reaching the end, suspecting I probably missed it. According to the book’s Introduction, The Purgatory of St. Patrick was very popular at the time it was first written and produced. As with most plays of the times, it was based on an earlier popular work, Vida, Y Purgatorio Del Glorioso San Patricio published in Madrid in 1627 by Juan Pérez de Montalbán.

The play’s author, Pedro Calderón de la Barca y Henao, was a Spanish dramatist who initiated what has been called the second cycle of Spanish Golden Age theatre. He lived in the 1600’s, the century after Shakespeare and presumably knew of and probably read the Bard’s works. Theatre was still in its infancy at that time.

The play tells the story of two men, the good Patrick and the disreputable multi-murderer, seducer and profligate Luis Enius (compared to the Owain Miles* of Ancient English poetry). It is implied that Patrick converts Ireland by means of the famous cave known through the Middle Ages as the “Purgatory of Saint Patrick”.

Luis tries several times and always in vain to reform and live a good life, but sooner or later, his hot temper gets the best of him, and he ends up in a fight, killing someone or being unable to resist a forbidden woman. Eventually all his past misdeeds come together, and he must face his final reckoning. He is given one final chance, to pass through Patrick’s cave, which can only be endured with true faith in God.

Theologically speaking, the play has its faults, but as a work of drama it is superb! In any event, I could not put it down as the writing was so excellent and I learned so much. Highly recommended!

*Owain Miles, also known as Owain or Ywain, is a knight who travels to St. Patrick’s Purgatory. His story is part of medieval English literature and is included in collections like "Owain Miles, and Other Inedited Fragments of Ancient English Poetry".

[Susan Molloy · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖊 What a long, long play! It is a whopping ten acts and filled with adventure, wit, and snappy dialogue. The author really knew how to write a hit play. I enjoyed reading this. It was an education in lengthy stage plays.

📕Published — 1627. In the public domain.

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[Ben · Rating 1 out of 5]

Aside from a fantastic Momento Mori scene, and another spent debating Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, and the soul, this is a pretty terrible play. Speeches go on forever (FOREVER), scenes break and jump somewhat randomly, the plot is jumbled and somewhat incoherent, and I spent most of the play just wishing it would end and put me out of my misery. Calderon de la Barca is indisputably one of the great playwrights of the Spanish Golden Age, but there is a reason this play has generally been forgotten about as one of his works.

[verbava · Rating 2 out of 5]

кальдерон довго запрягає, по дорозі городить цілу гору нелогічностей і неймовірностей (серйозно, допомагати серійному вбивці втекти із в'язниці, не припускаючи навіть, що можеш стати наступною жертвою?), але зрештою доходить до анонсованого в назві п'єси – філософської драми, кажуть, – чистилища, і воно навіть виявляється мальовниче.