Harlan: Moreto’s “El desden” 
27 
vanity equals hers, and, in this respect, he and Carlos have 
nothing in common. On this point, Schaeffer says : 
Das brutal siegesbewusste Auftreten Ricardo’s in der letzten Scene 
contrastirt sehr unvortheilhaft mit dem zartfiihlenden Benehmen des 
Carlos am Schlusse des Moreto’schen El desden con el desden™ 
Julio, as the servant of Ricardo, simply does what he is told 
and can in no sense be considered as influencing Moreto in 
the character of Polilla. 
Celia, in Lope’s play, and Cintia in Moreto’s are very much 
alike, and play the part, found in many plays, of being willing 
in the end to accept at the suggestion of the leading lady of the 
play any of the men available. 
The “point in common” mentioned by Schaeffer 80 and al- 
luded to above is that apparent indifference to its charms im- 
pels human nature to overcome that indifference at any cost 
and then take sweet revenge. This is exactly the case with 
Diana and Estela, but the assertion is further made that they 
are both caught in their own net. This is true with Diana, 
but not the case with Estela, as has been argued above. 
Moreto may have been influenced by this play in the scene 
where Carlos finds Diana’s singing, if not bad, not worth 
listening to. This, with the idea that Estela and Diana have, 
in the beginning, of avenging wounded vanity, seems to be ail 
that the two plays have in common. 
79 op. cit., Vol. I, p. 127. 
80 op. cit., Vol. II, p. 159. 
