Comprehensive Study Guide for La Celestina (IES Maese Rodrigo Edition)

Textual History and Early Editions of La Celestina

In its first origin, the work commonly known as La Celestina did not bear this title, nor did the text coincide in its entirety with the versions transmitted later. The author, Fernando de Rojas, explains in his Prologue that the work originally consisted of 16 acts titled Comedia de Calisto y Melibea, which was subsequently expanded to 21 acts and retitled Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea.

Several early editions are identified as crucial to the text's development. The 1499 Burgos edition is widely considered the princeps (first) edition, though some philologists debate this. It bears the title Comedia de Calisto y Melibea and contains only 16 acts (Acts I to XIV, plus Acts XX and XXI of later editions). It lacks the author's preamble, acrostic verses, prologue, and final octavas. The 1500 Toledo edition includes the title Comedia de Calisto y Melibea, the Preamble, the acrostic verses, the general argument, and arguments for each of the 16 acts, followed by six octavas from the corrector. The 1501 Seville edition largely reproduces the Toledo version with minor variations.

The 1507 Zaragoza edition introduces the title Comedia o Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, containing the Preamble, acrostics, Prologue, and 21 acts with their arguments. It concludes with nine octavas: three declaring the author's purpose and six from the corrector. Finally, the 1514 Valencia edition, published by Juan Joffre, is the fundamental reference for many scholars. It bears the title Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea and includes the Preamble, acrostics, Prologue, 21 acts, and ten final octavas (three from the author and seven from the corrector).

Editorial Criteria of the IES Maese Rodrigo Edition

This 2012 school edition by the Department of Castilian Language and Literature of IES Maese Rodrigo in Carmona is designed primarily for Bachillerato students (ages 16–20). The editors chose not to simplify or "soften" the language or scenes, as the work is considered too complex to tolerate such reductions. While modernizing spelling and lexicon for accessibility, the edition preserves medieval grammatical constructions including enclitic pronouns (leílo), imperatives with anteposition (me da instead of dame), and obligation constructions using a postposed verb haber (matarme han).

The editors drew from critical editions by Alberto del Río and Julio Cejador. The Del Río version updates orthography while maintaining medieval morphology, providing most of the footnotes used. The Cejador edition, found in the Biblioteca Virtual Cervantes, updates scripts but not orthography and serves as a high-quality reference for textual variants. Footnotes are kept to a minimum to encourage personal reflection and interpretation, except in the "Tratado de Centurio" (the interpolations added after 1507), where more extensive explanations highlight how these additions enrich the global unity of the work.

The Preamble: El Autor a un su Amigo

Fernando de Rojas addresses an unnamed friend, a young man whom he perceived to be suffering under the "fire of love." Rojas claims to have found the first act of the work while in Salamanca. This first act was of anonymous authorship, though some attributed it to Juan de Mena or Rodrigo Cota. Rojas was so impressed by the work's subtle artifice, clear metal, and elegant style—never before seen or heard in the Castilian tongue—that he read it three or four times. He perceived in it not only a principal fiction but also profound springs of philosophy and advice against flatterers, bad servants, and false sorceresses.

Because the original author hid his name for fear of detractors and "nocibles lenguas" (noxious tongues), Rojas initially did the same in the 1499 edition. As a jurist, he felt the work was outside his professional faculty and wished to frame it as a recreation from his principal studies. He claims to have finished the work in fifteen days during a vacation while his partners and associates were away in their own lands. He concludes the preamble by noting that the ancient author's work was without division until the start of the second act.

Acrostic Verses and the Purpose of the Work

The acrostic verses in the work, when the first letter of each line is joined, reveal the name of Fernando de Rojas and his place of birth: "El bachjller Fernando de Rojas acabo la comedia de Calysto y Meljbea y fve nacido en la puebla de Montalvan." The verses serve as an apology for the author's potential error in writing such a work. He compares himself to an ant that gains wings only to its own destruction, a metaphor for literary ambition. Under the guise of a lascivious story, Rojas claims to hide a "bitter pill" of health, intended to help lovers escape the captivity of love and warning them against trusting alcahuetas (procuresses).

He mentions Salamanca as the place where he saw the work. He finished the work to imitate a prudent person and to warn people mixed in the "vices of love." He appeals to Roman gods as symbols of intention: Apollo (arts/medicine), Diana (virginity/night), or Cupid (desire). Rojas highlights that the work contains "two thousand sentences" in a joyful lining. He admonishes those in love to load their horse of reason, turn the reins to avoid perdition, and visit the temple of God, urging them to treat the tragic end of the characters as a mirror for their own lives.

Prólogo: The Philosophy of Strife and the Title Change

The prologue begins with a citation from Heraclitus: "Omnia secundum litem fiunt" (All things are created in a manner of contention or battle). This sentiment is corroborated by Petrarch, who stated that nature generated nothing without strife. Rojas illustrates this across all levels of existence: the stars encounter each other in the firmament, the adverse elements fight (thunders, lightning, earthquakes), and the seasons contend with one another.

In the animal kingdom, conflict is constant: lions pursue wolves, wolves pursue goats, and dogs pursue hares. Even the powerful elephant fears the mouse. The basilisk kills with its sight and scatters others with its hiss. The viper experiences a lethal procreation where the female kills the male during conception and the offspring burst through the mother's side. In the sea, the small fish Echeneis (rémora) can halt a large ship (carraca) despite the force of the winds. Among birds, most live by prey, such as falcons and eagles. The fabulous bird Rocho, from the Indian Sea, is said to be large enough to lift a ship into the clouds, letting its inhabitants fall to their deaths.

Among humans, this strife manifests as wars, envy, and the continuous renewal of buildings and fashions. Rojas applies this principle to the reception of his work. Readers disagreed on its length, its clarity, and even its title. Some called it a comedy because it began with pleasure; others argued it was a tragedy because of its sad end. Rojas settled the dispute by splitting the difference and calling it a tragicomedia. He explains that he was pressured to extend the process of the lovers' delight, leading him to add the extra acts despite his own faculty and main studies.

Argumento General and Character Inventory

The overall plot concerns Calisto, a young man of noble lineage, clear wit, and gentle disposition, who falls in love with Melibea. Melibea is a generous young woman of high and serene blood, the sole heir of Pleberio and Alisa. Calisto, overcome by disordered appetite, employs the services of Celestina, a cunning and wicked woman. Celestina corrupts two of Calisto's servants, Pármeno and Sempronio, tempting their loyalty with greed and pleasure. Through Celestina's intervention, Melibea's chaste purpose is overcome, leading the lovers and their subordinates to a bitter and disastrous end.

The characters include:

• CALISTO: The enamored youth.
• MELIBEA: Daughter of Pleberio.
• PLEBERIO: Father of Melibea.
• ALISA: Mother of Melibea.
• CELESTINA: The procuress (alcahueta).
• PÁRMENO, SEMPRONIO, TRISTÁN, and SOSIA: Servants of Calisto.
• CRITO: A visitor/client.
• LUCRECIA: Servant of Pleberio.
• ELICIA and AREÚSA: Prostitutes associated with Celestina.
• CENTURIO: A ruffian (rufián).

Act I: The Initial Encounter and the Involvement of Celestina

Calisto enters a garden following his hawk and finds Melibea. He speaks to her in terms of divine glorification, stating that seeing her body is a reward greater than any service to God. Melibea initially plays along but quickly rebukes him for his "loco atrevimiento" (crazy audacity), ordering him away. Calisto returns home in a state of deep melancholy and despair, ordering his servant Sempronio to close the windows and leave him in darkness. Sempronio, fearing for his master's sanity and life, eventually offers a remedy: he recommends the services of Celestina, a "vieja barbuda" (bearded old woman) who is well-versed in sorcery and has "reconstructed" over five thousand virgins.

While Sempronio goes to fetch Celestina, Calisto talks to his other servant, Pármeno. Pármeno, who served Celestina as a child, warns Calisto of her true nature. He lists her six trades: laundress, perfumer, maker of cosmetics, restorer of virginities, procuress, and sorceress. He describes her laboratory filled with alambics, balsams, and gruesome ingredients like hanged man's rope, donkey brains, and child placentas. Celestina arrives at Calisto's house and, despite Pármeno's protests, Calisto celebrates her arrival as his "resurrection." Celestina begins to subvert Pármeno's loyalty by reminding him of his mother, Claudina, who was her close friend and equal in the trade, and by promising him the love of Areúsa.

Acts II - VI: Negotiation and the First Visit to Melibea

Calisto rewards Celestina with one hundred gold coins, a gesture Sempronio encourages while Pármeno mutters that the house will have to fast to pay for such wastefulness. Pármeno continues to warn Calisto that trusting the secret to an outsider makes him a captive. In Act III, Sempronio and Celestina discuss their plans to profit from Calisto’s obsession. Celestina performs a complex conjure, calling upon Pluto (Plutón), the lord of the infernal depth, to entangle Melibea though a yarn (hilado) treated with serpent oil so that she may fall in love with Calisto.

In Act IV, Celestina visits Pleberio's house. She finds Lucrecia and eventually Alisa. Alisa is called away to visit her sick sister, leaving Melibea alone with Celestina. Celestina uses the pretext of selling her yarn to speak with Melibea. She mentions a young man, Calisto, who is suffering. Melibea erupts in anger at the mention of his name, but Celestina cleverly defuses the situation by claiming Calisto only needs a prayer (oración) for a toothache and Melibea's girdle/cord (cordón) which has touched holy relics. Melibea, moved by pity and the "health" of a fellow Christian, provides the cord and promises the prayer. In Act VI, Celestina returns to Calisto, showing him the cord, which Calisto treats with excessive, fetishistic devotion.

Acts VII - XI: The Corruption of the Servants and Melibea’s Confession

Celestina fulfills her promise to Pármeno in Act VII by taking him to Areúsa’s house. Through Manipulation and flattery, she convinces Areúsa to sleep with Pármeno, thereby solidifying Pármeno's alliance with her and Sempronio. By Act VIII, the two servants are reconciled and plan to exploit Calisto further. In Act IX, the servants have a dinner with Elicia and Areúsa at Celestina's house. The meal is interrupted by a debate over Melibea’s beauty, which the prostitutes dismiss as a product of expensive clothes rather than natural grace. Lucrecia arrives to summon Celestina back to Melibea's house.

In Act X, Melibea is found in deep distress, suffering from a "pain in the heart." She confesses to Celestina that she is burning with love for Calisto. Celestina describes love as a "sweet fire" and a "delectable illness." A secret meeting at Melibea's garden gate is arranged for midnight. In Act XI, Celestina brings the news to Calisto. Overjoyed, Calisto gives Celestina a gold chain. Sempronio and Pármeno watch with growing greed, noting that the chain is of significant weight and value.

Acts XII - XIII: The Midnight Meeting and the First Deaths

Calisto and Melibea speak through the gate at midnight. While they exchange vows of love and arrange a garden visit for the following night, the servants wait outside in fear. They are prepared to flee at the first sign of the watch (alguaciles). When Calisto returns home, Sempronio and Pármeno go to Celestina's house to demand their share of the gold chain. Celestina, overcome by greed, denies their claim, stating she lost the chain or that it was her reward for the danger she faced alone. A violent argument ensues, and Sempronio kills Celestina. As they try to escape the arriving watch, the servants jump from a window. They are injured and subsequently captured and executed by beheading in the public square. In Act XIII, Calisto's new servants, Tristán and Sosia, inform him of the deaths. Calisto laments the loss of his reputation and his servants but ultimately decides to continue his pursuit of Melibea.

Acts XIV - XVIII: The Tratado de Centurio

Act XIV describes Calisto's first successful entry into Melibea's garden using a ladder. They consummate their love. Calisto returns home and reflects on the duality of his situation—his immense joy with Melibea versus the disgrace of his servants' deaths. In Act XV, Elicia and Areúsa mourn Celestina and the servants. They plan revenge against Calisto and Melibea. They decide to use Centurio, a boastful ruffian, to attack Calisto.

In Act XVI, Melibea’s parents, Pleberio and Alisa, discuss her marriage, believing her to be a virgin. Melibea, listening nearby, expresses her rejection of marriage, citing historical and mythological precedents of forbidden love, such as Semiramis, Mirra, and Pasiphae. In Act XVII, Sosia, while grooming horse, is approached and seduced by Areúsa, who tricks him into revealing the time and location of Calisto's next visit to the garden. Act XVIII shows Elicia and Areúsa commissioning Centurio to carry out the murder. Centurio, a coward at heart, promises a violent end but secretly plans to merely send some associates to make a noise and scare the lovers.

Acts XIX - XXI: The Final Tragedy and Pleberio’s Lament

In Act XIX, Calisto returns to Melibea's garden. While they are enjoying each other's company, a noise is heard outside—Centurio’s associates creating an alarm. Calisto, despite Melibea's pleas, rushes to defend his servants. In his haste to descend the ladder, he misses a step, falls, and dies instantly. Melibea is inconsolable. In Act XX, she climbs Pleberio's tower. She confesses everything to her father—her relationship with Calisto, the role of Celestina, and the death of her lover. She then jumps to her death before his eyes.

Act XXI contains the "Planto" or lament of Pleberio. He addresses Alisa, showing her their daughter's broken body. He rails against the world, which he describes as a "labyrinth of errors," a "river of tears," and a "sea of miseries." He curses the variable fortune that took his only heir rather than his property. Finally, he curses love itself, which he identifies as a cruel, deceptive force that kills those who follow it. He enumerates the historical victims of love—including Macías, Paris, Helen, and Sappho—and concludes that he is left alone and dying in this "valley of tears."

Proaza’s Postscript and the Conclusion of the Author

The work ends with verses from the author, Fernando de Rojas, applying the moral lesson: to flee the "dance" of these lovers and love God instead. He urges the reader not to be offended by the lascivious parts, as they are the "bait" for the honest work. Alonso de Proaza, the corrector, adds verses praising the work over the comedies of Plautus and Naevius and the style of Athens. He explains how to read the work aloud—with different voices for anger, joy, and passion. He also reveals the secret of the acrostic verses at the beginning of the book and specifies that the work was first completed in Salamanca. A final colophon records its publication in Valencia by Juan Joffre on February 21, 1514.