Death as dramatic structure: The inclination to die and death threats in Las cadenas del demonio

In Las cadenas del Demonio the evangelization of Armenia Minor by the apostle Bartholomew is depicted. His condition as an apostle and martyr leads Calderón to build a dramatic scaffolding that responds to his moral perfection. In this paper, I propose that, in Las cadenas del Demonio, the approach to death is of particular importance to achieve this task, since it is the basis for a dramatic logic that holds and structures the “comedia”. The inclination to die that some characters manifest and the threats of death that are described in the play are part of the dramatic structure of the “comedia”, they give it coherence and hold, ultimately, the representation of the martyrdom of Bartholomew. That is to say, the saint's torment and the relationship that the characters establish with death inf luence each other.