28 
Indiana University Studies 
CHAPTER V 
LA VENGADORA DE LAS MUJERES, Lope de Vega 
The next play, in the order suggested, is La vengadora de 
las mujeres, by Lope de Vega, found in the Parte decimaquinta 
of Lope’s works, Madrid, 1621, and also in a tomo comprensivo 
de sus comedias, Brussels, 1649. 81 
Fernandez-Guerra y Orbe 82 says of this play : 
El verdadero xnodelo, et trabajo de Lope que utilizo infinito para su 
cuadro, fue La vengadora de las mujeres. 
Fitzmaurice-Kelly 83 lists it first among those possibly in- 
fluencing Moreto’s play. 
Carolina Michaelis 84 says that the play which is most like 
El desden con el desden is La vengadora de las mujeres. 
Schaeffer gives the real point of contact between the plays. 85 
Narciso Alonso Cortes agrees with Fernandez-Guerra y 
Orbe in calling La vengadora de las mujeres the real model 
for the Moreto play. 86 
La vengadora de las mujeres 87 shows Laura, at the court in 
Bohemia, telling her brother, Arnaldo, that she has made up 
her mind, after much study, to become the champion of her 
sex. He tries to convince her that men were intended to be 
the lords of the universe, but she says to him : 
Yo quiero vengar, si puedo, 
Agravios, de aqul adelante, 
De mujeres, pues lo soy, 
Y que este nombre me llamen . 88 
Julio acts as door-keeper for Laura, who is conducting school 
for Diana and Lucela on the subject of the hateful qualities of 
men. Alejandro and Agusto are announced as having come 
to court Laura. Arnaldo is anxious to have his sister treat 
81 Barrera, pp. 444-450. 
82 op. cit., Discurso preliminar, p. 23. 
83 op. cit., p. 274. 
84 op. cit., pp. 258-259. 
85 op. cit., Vol. II, p. 158. 
86 op. cit., p. 21. 
87 Based on the text of the Biblioteca de autores espanoles, Madrid, 1873, Vol. XLI, 
tomo 3, pp. 507-525. 
88 La vengadora, Act I, scene i, p. 509. 
