Corrections in the <i>Tragicomedia</i> provoked by criticisms of the <i>Comedia</i>. The textual construction of the <i>Comedia</i> as inherent to traditional practices and the support of Cisneros

Abstract

This paper examines some of the modifications that were included in the Tragicomedia to silence the critics the Comedia had received. The analysis allows to identify some traces of a preexisting handwritten Comedia de Calisto y Melibea with a happy ending in the humanistic style, that was «ended» (re-elaborated for the printing press) by Rojas, who also gave it a tragic moralizing end. Some elements difficult to understand that are the result of that process are brought into focus. Many of them, despite the clarification attempts of the Tragicomedia, have been the object of controversy, as is the case of the alleged witchcraft, the chronological disparities, and some misunderstandings in the paratexts and authorship. The study leads to establish four phases in the composition that were rearranged one after the other until the known moralizing version in 21 autos that received Cisneros's support to be printed.

Keywords

• celestina
• cisneros
• contexto sociocultural
• paratextos
• refundir
• comedia humanística
• editor literario
• franciscanismo