6
R. Barrett and P. P. Delsanto
1.2 The Awakening of Segismundo
In his theatrical masterpiece “La vida es sueño” (Life is a Dream), Pedro
Calderòn de la Barca portrays the story of an imaginary Poland, where King
Basil imprisons his newly born son, Segismundo, in a tower to avoid his
developing into a cruel tyrant, as predicted by an oracle. However, after the
son has already grown up, the king becomes remorseful, and decides to allow
the youth a chance at court, where he is brought under sedation from a strong
narcotic. When Segismundo wakes up, at first he is overwhelmed and elated
by the novelty of his situation and the unaccustomed luxury. However, he
soon comes to understand that it is his own father and his courtiers who have
deprived him until now of such a bountiful life. He thus becomes enraged
and cruelly vengeful. As a consequence, the king concludes that the predictions made at the time of his son’s birth are coming true, and sends him back
to the tower.
The next morning, when Segismundo wakes up enchained in the tower,
he believes that the events of the previous day were just a dream. However,
he is not completely convinced, since they were so vivid and realistic. After
days of rumination he concludes that the whole of life is a dream, and that
we must detach ourselves from its futility in order to understand its meaning,
and behave accordingly.
When we think about it, we are all in a situation similar to Segismundo.
We are born, grow up and try to settle down in a manner that best accommodates our needs and desires. However, sooner or later, the question arises:
what is the meaning of life? Who are we and why are we located in this world?
Do we serve some purpose, or are we all part of some gigantic, but random
and aimless event, maybe even of some experiment or computer simulation
that has gone awry?
We are miniscule in comparison with the universe surrounding us, and our
existence is fleeting.
Life’s But a Walking Shadow, a Poor Player
That Struts and Frets His Hour Upon the Stage
And Then is Heard No More. [1].
The futility of existence is also captured by the poetry of Shakespeare, as he
continues:
It (Life) is a Tale
Told by an Idiot, Full of Sound and Fury,
Signifying Nothing.
R. Barrett and P. P. Delsanto
1.2 The Awakening of Segismundo
In his theatrical masterpiece “La vida es sueño” (Life is a Dream), Pedro
Calderòn de la Barca portrays the story of an imaginary Poland, where King
Basil imprisons his newly born son, Segismundo, in a tower to avoid his
developing into a cruel tyrant, as predicted by an oracle. However, after the
son has already grown up, the king becomes remorseful, and decides to allow
the youth a chance at court, where he is brought under sedation from a strong
narcotic. When Segismundo wakes up, at first he is overwhelmed and elated
by the novelty of his situation and the unaccustomed luxury. However, he
soon comes to understand that it is his own father and his courtiers who have
deprived him until now of such a bountiful life. He thus becomes enraged
and cruelly vengeful. As a consequence, the king concludes that the predictions made at the time of his son’s birth are coming true, and sends him back
to the tower.
The next morning, when Segismundo wakes up enchained in the tower,
he believes that the events of the previous day were just a dream. However,
he is not completely convinced, since they were so vivid and realistic. After
days of rumination he concludes that the whole of life is a dream, and that
we must detach ourselves from its futility in order to understand its meaning,
and behave accordingly.
When we think about it, we are all in a situation similar to Segismundo.
We are born, grow up and try to settle down in a manner that best accommodates our needs and desires. However, sooner or later, the question arises:
what is the meaning of life? Who are we and why are we located in this world?
Do we serve some purpose, or are we all part of some gigantic, but random
and aimless event, maybe even of some experiment or computer simulation
that has gone awry?
We are miniscule in comparison with the universe surrounding us, and our
existence is fleeting.
Life’s But a Walking Shadow, a Poor Player
That Struts and Frets His Hour Upon the Stage
And Then is Heard No More. [1].
The futility of existence is also captured by the poetry of Shakespeare, as he
continues:
It (Life) is a Tale
Told by an Idiot, Full of Sound and Fury,
Signifying Nothing.