Fuenteovejuna by Lope de Vega
An early 17th century play in which a sexually assaulted woman incites the men of her town to stage a violent revolution against the ruling tyrant (and sexual assaulter), then, dissatisfied with her work, rallies up the women to join in battle?
I am conflicted by my deep love for this play I, sadly, only just now read. Because I was an idiot who didn't read any Lope de Vega (does it help that I was once in a Calderón play?). But I will not apologize for that love. And I realize that in this country we hardly ever do anything from the Spanish Golden Age, but is it totally out of the realm of possibility? Anyone?
Also, can we give enough credit to Lope de Vega for getting something that people who make blockbusters these days are absolutely incapable of doing: granting a violent female character agency and complexity and never making her the damsel in distress? She gets captured, and she's all set for someone to make a daring rescue, and then she shows up at the town meeting (having freed herself) and starts the revolution that saves her husband from being hanged. If you're going to write about a woman who kicks ass, Hollywood screenwriters, that is a way to do it and not undermine her in the third act.
I hope this play plays as great as it reads. Anyone want to put on a show?
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