La Vida es Sueño ( Life is a dream)

One of the spanish literary books I got to read last semester was 'La Vida es sueno' by Calderon de la Barca. It was strangely philosophical and it dealt with illusion and reality but I loved it because of it's absurdity and the fact that it dealt with critical themes. Are we certain we are living or just dreaming?

Today, especially I'm asking myself these questions because my aunt was buried just this afternoon leaving three young children. The last one is just nine and I could see that he was confused and dazed he was just going through the motions. How do you tell a child that mommy would not be coming home again? Why did death take her so early? I guess it is true when they say death does not respect age, status or time. We are just pilgrims passing through this earth. The time we spend here does not count but the impact we leave. When the preacher told the congregation to take a minute of silence and likewise reflect on what would be said at our funeral it struck a nerve. Personally I think am on track but I have a long way to go. What would be said at your funeral?

I am going to share with you the most famous monlogue of 'La vida es sueno' it is said by Segisnundo the protagonist. It sums the whole idea of Calderon's play.

I dream that I am here of these imprisonments charged, and I dreamed that in another state happier I saw myself. What is life? A frenzy. What is life? An illusion, A shadow, a fiction, And the greatest profit is small; For all of life is a dream, And dreams, are nothing but dreams.

Yo sueño que estoy aquí de estas prisiones cargado, y soñé que en otro estado más lisonjero me vi. ¿Qué es la vida? Un frenesí. ¿Qué es la vida? Una ilusión, una sombra, una ficción, y el mayor bien es pequeño: que toda la vida es sueño, y los sueños, sueños son.

Click here for the play's synopsis.