«¡España viva!»: Personifications of Spain in Lope de Vega's 'comedias de santos' by Norton, R

“…The frequent deployment of non-human characters is a distinctive feature of Golden-Age hagiographic drama. Non-human characters intervene in every one of the twenty-five comedias by Lope de Vega that can, according to the criteria applied by Robert Morrison [2000:97], legitimately be considered saints plays. …”

A critical edition of Lope de Vega's 'San Nicolás de Tolentino' with an introductory study by Norton, R

“…The <em>'gracioso'</em> character, I argue, is intended to offer a model of Christian piety of a humbler kind: one significant factual departure from the hagiographic tradition places Ruperto at the forefront of the play’s religious purpose. …”