Lope de Vega

Lope Félix de Vega Carpio (1562–1635) was a Spanish playwright, poet, and novelist of the Spanish Golden Age and a central figure in early modern Spanish theater. Born in Madrid, he became extraordinarily prolific, writing hundreds of plays as well as narrative and lyric poetry. Lope helped shape the “comedia nueva,” a flexible dramatic form that mixed tragic and comic elements and appealed to broad audiences. His works often draw on history, honor, love, and everyday life, combining vivid characterization with rapid, engaging plots. His influence on Spanish drama was immense, and his plays remained widely read and performed long after his death.