First of all, it is important to realist het Tirso de Molina is a priest. His selection for different characters in the plot of this story is aimed at attaining a theological goal towards his readers (De Garcâia and Paun 255). As a Christian, Tirso de Molina is well aware of how sin and evil are major problems that Christians seek to wrestle with. It is the prevalence of evil that keeps Christians away from God. Therefore, Tirso de Molina seeks to convince his readers on the ways in which evil takes root on Christians and how it can be avoided. Tirso de Molina selects Don Juan as the major characters in the plot of this story. Don Juan is equated to the devil and how the devil threatens the stability of the Christian religion (Mandel 65). One of the illusions that Tirso de Molina makes is the fact that the traditional notion that the devil lives in hell is not true.
According to the plot organization selected by Tirso de Molina, the devil dwells among men here on earth. It is the action of the devil that causes men to turn to evil here on earth. Don Juan for example tempts women such as Dona Ana, Isabella, Aminta and Tisbea, to sleep with him. One of the central themes that Tirso de Molina seeks to present in this story is the idea is that evil does not befall us unless we become weak to allow evil to tempt us. In the case of Don Juan, he does not rape any woman or force them to sleep with him. Most of the women that Don Juan sleeps with are tempted to sleep with him. They are attracted to Don Juan immediately they see him due to the mere fact that Don Juan is a charming man from the Spanish noble class. Therefore, one of the key lesson that seeks to pass to his readers is that evil is something that befalls us because we all it. Evil like any other earthly element sometimes seems to be attractive to us. For example, the idea of women making love to Don Juan seems like an appealing idea to Don Juan (Weisstein and Bernhart 77). At the point of attraction to this young man, the women view the pleasures of making love as being more important than maintaining their honor and their chastity. Therefore, man’s behavior to be attracted to earthly pleasures is what keeps him away from the ways of God. Another key way in which religion is evident in Tirso de Molina is the idea that evil does not provide long-term happiness.
For example the sexual pleasures that the women enjoy by being around Don Juan do not last long. Don Juan is quick to leave the women alone once he has fully satisfied his sexual needs and desires. As a priest Tirso de Molina is trying to urge his readers to keep away from evil because it does not provide long-term happiness in the end. It is also evident from the plot of this plot that evil deeds are always punishable. For example Don Juan kills Don Gonzalo after he catches him defiling his daughter. However, Don Juan is of the idea that he would not be punished for his evil deeds. However, Don Gonzalo haunts him after death and ends up killing him. This is a clear indication that Tirso de Molina brings out the idea of after-life with this story. Therefore, symbolism is one of the key ways in which Tirso de Molina is able to bring out the theme of religion in his plot. Tirso de Molina uses Don Juan as a symbol of the devil and his evil actions illustrate the evils ways in which the devil misguides Christians.
Works Cited
De Garcâia, Susan Paun, and Donald Roy Larson. The "Comedia" in English: Translation and Performance. New York: Tamesis, Woodbridge, 2008. Print.
Mandel, Oscar. The Theatre of Don Juan: a collection of plays and views, 1630-1963. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1963. Print.
Weisstein, Ulrich, and Walter Bernhart. Selected Essays on Opera by Ulrich Weisstein. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2006. Print.
