This seventeenth-century allegorical masterpiece by one of Spain's greatest dramatists incorporates the author's superb theatrical instincts, philosophical flair, and extraordinary imagination to probe the mysteries of human destiny. Exploring the conflict between free will and predestination, Calderon's most famous play tells of Segismundo, a Polish prince, imprisoned at birth by his father, the King, to thwart the predictions of astrologers. The dual-language edition features an excellent new literal translation on pages facing the original Spanish text and also includes the translator's informative introduction and notes.

In recent years, the English-language theatre has rediscovered Calderon and a number of highly successful productions have been staged. These translations by Gwynne Edwards capture the ferocious spirit of his work in sharp and speakable translation

The three plays included here represent Calderon's most celebrated work, in which he explores the extent of man's freedom in a hierarchical society often bound by anachronistic codes of conduct. The plays are The Surgeon of Honour, described by Michael Billington as 'one of the most disquieting plays in all world drama ... a dark masterpiece', Life is a Dream, Calderon's most famous play, and Three Judgements in One, less well-known but one of his finest works.

"Calderon excels all modern dramatists with the exception of Shakespeare, whom he resembles in the depth of thought and subtlety of his writings" (Shelley)

Originally published in 1925 as part of the Cambridge Plain Texts series, this volume contains the full text of Calderon's La cena de Baltasar. The play is presented in Spanish with a short editorial introduction in English. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Calderon and Spanish literature.

First published in 1957 as part of the Cambridge Plain Texts series, this volume is the second edition of a 1938 original. The book contains the original Spanish text of El principe constante, together with a short editorial introduction in English. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the writings of Calderon and Spanish literature.