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Indiana University Studies 
CHAPTER XVI 
LA DAMA BOBA, Lope de Vega 
La dama boba, by Lope de Vega, is listed in the Peregrino 
en su patria of 1618 and is contained in the ninth Parte of 
Lope’s works. The autographed manuscript, dated April 28, 
1613, was in the collection of the Duque de Osuna 153 and passed 
into the possession of the Biblioteca Nacional when the Span- 
ish government acquired the Osuna library. 
This play is mentioned by Alonso Cortes among those which 
he rejects as having anything in common with El desden con 
el desden. 154 
The first act of La dama boba 155 finds Liseo with his lackey, 
Turin, on the way to Madrid to Finea, to whom he is engaged 
by family arrangement with her father, Octavio, and her 
uncle. A student from Madrid tells him in the inn that Finea 
is simple-minded but has a large dowry promised her by her 
uncle. Nise, Finea’s sister, is beautiful and erudite and has 
a following of young men who write poetry with her, among 
these Laurencio, Duardo, and Feniso, who seem to be in love 
with her. She prefers Laurencio, but he is attracted by the 
dowry of Finea and makes up his mind to win her. His serv- 
ant, Pedro, turns his attention to Clara, Finea’s maid. Octavio 
does his best to instruct Finea in the way to make a good im- 
pression on Liseo, but her imbecility is worse than ever after 
his arrival and he, attracted to Nise, renounces Finea. 
The second act represents the state of affairs after the lapse 
of a month, Liseo still not married to Finea. Nise has been 
ill and Duardo, Feniso, and Laurencio come to see her. She 
sends the former two to gather flowers while she scores 
Laurencio for turning his attentions from her to her sister. 
Liseo appears, and thinking that Laurencio is courting Nise, 
challenges him to a duel that afternoon. Turin, overhearing 
this plan, tells it to Octavio, and the two rush to the scene of 
action in time to see Liseo and Laurencio swearing friend- 
ship, after the latter has made it clear that Finea is the one he 
153 Barrera, op. eit., pp. 429, 434, 442. 
154 op. cit., p. 21. 
155 Based on the text of R. Schevill, The dramatic art of Lope de Vega, together with 
La dama boba, Berkeley, 1918. 
