Approaching the Theater of Antonio Buero Vallejo: Contemporary Literary Analyses from Structuralism to Postmodernism

Universally proclaimed as the most important Spanish playwright of the last half of the twentieth century, Antonio Buero Vallejo was deemed by a Madrid theater critic to be the greatest author of theater since Calderon de la Barca. This book explores ten of Buero's thirty plays, utilizing literary approaches ranging from the traditional to the radical. It breaks new ground by indicating how contemporary analyses can extrapolate vital interpretations in addition to what has been previously observed in Buero's theater. Simultaneously, the study metonymically evokes the depth and breadth of the plays not studied herein, suggesting they hold unexplored treasures for prospective explorers of the playwright's work.

"Eric W. Pennington's book, the latest and one of the best on Buero Vallejo's theater, thoughtfully frames careful analyses with the major theoretical approaches of the last half century. Pennington's knowledge of those theories and his insights into the various artistic influences on Buero's plays are remarkably thorough. Of particular note also is his intelligent, even literary prose---the perfect vehicle for evoking the artistic nuance, historical detail, and human impact of Buero's compelling dramatic achievements." Dr. Robert L. Nicholas, Professor Emeritus of Spanish, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"Desde Estados Unidos nos han llegado agudos analisis y profundas interpretaciones del teatro de Antonio Buero Vallejo. En esa fecunda linea se situa ahora el lucido y penetrante estudio del profesor Pennington, cuya aparicion celebramos ya que contribuye a un conocimiento mas amplio y completo del insignc dramaturgo que nos dejo hace diez anos." Dr. Mariano de Paco, Catedratico de Literatura Espanola, Universidad de Marcia

Eric W. Pennington teaches Spanish, Hispanic literature, and Latin American Studies at Seton Hall University, New Jersey. He received his Ph.D. in Romance languages and literatures from the University of Cincinnati and was awarded two National Endowment for the Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowships for study at Cornell University and Duke University. In addition to numerous articles in professional journals on Spanish peninsular and Latin American literature, he is the author of Imperial Collusion in Hispanic Texts, founder of the Cincinnati Conference on Romance Languages and Literatures, and initiator of the Cincinnati Romance Review.