26 pages 52 minutes read

José Zorrilla y Moral

Don Juan Tenorio

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1844

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Themes

Damnation and Salvation

Many of the themes in Don Juan Tenorio are focused on religion. While the first half is a tragedy about two men who bet each other to see who can cause the most damage in a year, and the fallout from the bet, the second half is about Don Juan choosing whether to believe that he can be saved through a bargain Dona Ines made with God, or, alternately, deciding to allow himself to be damned. When Don Juan presents himself to Don Gonzalo and Don Luis, and begs their forgiveness, saying he's a changed man, they refuse him. He says that Don Gonzalo is taking away his salvation in refusing to let Dona Ines marry him. When they still refuse to forgive his actions, Don Juan kills them both. Later, Don Gonzalo appears to urge Don Juan to accept the deal Dona Ines made that would save his soul. Funeral sounds signify his coming doom; death bells play. Skeletons come from nearby tombs to claim him. The ghouls of Hell appear to show Don Juan what awaits him in Hell and, as they come to take him, he finally yields to the bargain.