by Tirso de Molina
translated by Roy Campbell
The story of legendary but unscrupulous philanderer and trickster, Don Juan. Translated by distinguished South African poet Roy Campbell from Tirso de Molina’s 17th century play, El burlador de Sevilla, The Trickster of Seville and His Guest of Stone weaves a tale in verse of the rake and notorious seducer of women whose name has become synonymous with the devil.
Don Juan preys on unsuspecting women by pretending to be someone they love and trust. By this use of mistaken identity, he escapes detection and capture for his crimes. Don Juan leaves victim after victim in the wake of his sexual conquests until one turns to her father to defend her honor.
When the father is killed by Don Juan, arrogant and presumptuous Don Juan commits a fundamental error by scoffing at and challenging the father’s statue to return from the dead to take his revenge. The father’s ghost accepts the challenge.
