User:Mondragonj103/sandbox

Proposal for Don Juan
In analyzing the Wikipedia article for Don Juan, one can note that its greatest flaw is that not enough information is given on who this character was and what exactly makes him legendary. Instead the article focuses much more in listing other authors who have used this legend within their works. There is only a short section in which a brief summary on the play itself, and one sentence describing his lifestyle, is provided. All of which would need some revision and additional information from reliable and cited sources.

In revising this article I am seeking to provide a simple description of Don Juan, but also an intellectual analysis of this legendary character based on the original play. I plan on doing this by first changing the layout of the page and adding more sections to better organize it. Then I would need to elaborate and add information that the article is lacking, while providing sources for these statements.

One of the two sections I would like to add to the article would be on themes, while the second would talk about Don Juan in other works. The section on themes will require analysis done by different reputable critics, with similarities among the prevailing themes. Then I would include an explanation as to how each premise affects the way in which Don Juan is viewed. The second section would serve the purpose of better organizing the information that is already in the article. There are some details that seem out of place, and instead of completely eliminating someone’s input, I believe creating a separate section would solve the issue.

The lead section of the article needs to be brief and give an overview of its purpose. It currently has too much detailed information on different written plays and performances, which makes it confusing.

A separate section is necessary for:
"Among the best-known works about this character are Molière's play Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre (1665), Byron's epic poem Don Juan (1821), José de Espronceda's poem El estudiante de Salamanca (1840), and José Zorrilla's play Don Juan Tenorio (1844). Along with Don Juan Tenorio (still performed every November 2nd throughout the Spanish-speaking world), Don Giovanni, an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, is arguably the best-known version. First performed in Prague in 1787, it inspired works by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Alexander Pushkin, Søren Kierkegaard, George Bernard Shaw, and Albert Camus."

The original play was written by the Spanish dramatist, Tirso de Molina, as he was commonly referred to. The article however, should also mention that his real name was Gabriel Tellez.

Crucial information that I would like to verify with my sources and contribute to the article, includes:
 * The original play was written during the Golden Age, and the beliefs and ideals during this era affected the way it was interpreted by the public. As the story got translated and passed through generations, the interpretations and ending of the play itself was changed to accommodate the time period.

Gabriel Téllez cleverly wrote this play, “El Burlador de Sevilla,” in 1630 in order to teach his generation a life-changing lesson. He saw that everyone was throwing his or her life away, living and sinning as they pleased, because they figured that in the end, as long as they repented before they died, they would receive the grace to enter heaven. Through his play, however, he shows that even Don Juan who is identified as the very own devil, “the man without a name” and shape-shifter who parties like Bacchus, has to eventually pay for his sins. Gabriel Téllez reminds us all that we must pay for everything we do, and that in the end, death is what makes us all equal. Religion: Spiritual salvation
 * “Tan largo me lo fiáis” is the aphorism that Don Juan lives by. It is his way of saying that he is still young and has a lot to live for, trusting he has plenty of time to repent for his sins.
 * Important Themes:

It discusses the theological question of the Act of Contrition, through which those who regretted their sins before death, would automatically receive salvation. Others, however, believed that some sins were unforgivable and that a simple Act of Contrition would not save them from damnation for all the harm they had caused. Tirso de Molina’s theological perspective is quite apparent through the message he conveys with the dreadful ending of his play.

“Carpe diem” is a Latin aphorism that is commonly translated to “seize the day.” It is similar to Don Juan’s famous words, “Tan largo me lo fiás” by which he indicates that he is young and death is still distant, which therefore leaves him plenty of time to repent. These are both the complete opposite of what the author tries to portray. Tirso de Molina attempts to remind us that “You reap what you sow” and “Memento Mori” which translates to “remember you will die.”

The importance of Honor: Masculine honor and Feminine Integrity If a woman was not to remain chaste until marriage, her whole family’s honor would be devalued. (Pg. 263) (v169-172) Isabela isn’t allowed to speak, as a woman her words seem to be of no importance or value to the rest of the men. (v867- 870) When Don Gonzalo accepts an offer for his daughter to marry Don Juan a sort of reward or recompense, without her say in the situation. (v.1865) “Al fin es mujer,” implies that one couldn’t expect anything better from a woman and shows how they were always being blamed.

Libertine

Façade vs Reality- What matters the most is not what truly happens but what people expect or assume that happens. (Example: The fact that Don Juan entered the bedroom of a married woman already dishonors her, even if nothing happened.

Diabolism- Don Juan is identified as the devil for his ability to manipulate his language and take other identities, as the devil is known for taking other forms.

Annotated Bibliography
The above information from “Important Themes” was covered in the following source:

Téllez, Gabriel, and Rodríguez, Rodney. “El burlador de Sevilla.” Momentos cumbres de las literaturas hispánicas. Ed. Hemmer, Bob. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2004. 262-318. Print. (In Spanish)

Some of the information from above will also be endorsed by this second source:

Waxman, Samuel M. “The Don Juan Legend in Literature.” The Journal of American Folklore 21.81 (1908): 184-204. Web.

This journal gives an elaborate explanation of why Tirso de Molina is in fact credited to be the first author to write a play on the Don Juan legend. He not only proves that Tirso is the original author, but also provides evidence against the false assumption that it was based on a true story. This source is also where I got my first point of crucial information I want to add, from. The journal explains that as the work was translated it was done incorrectly and was misinterpreted as time went on. Consequently the original purpose of the play was sometimes lost or manipulated to fit with the current time era and social understandings.

Under the importance of honor, we find feminine integrity to be a crucial element, to the point where women in the play are de-valorized. In the following source we find information on how these low views of the women society affect Don Juan’s opinions and are sources to his behavior. The journal explains how he begins to view women as a number he could add to his list and not see who they actually were. The quantity was more important to him as opposed to the quality or social statuses of the women. He even disguised himself and used other identities in order to seduce women as he pleased.

Galic, Florin. "La relación de Don Juan con las mujeres." Journal of Research in Gender Studies. 4.2 (2014): 731. Print. (Partially in Spanish)

Lead Section
Don Juan (Spanish), Don Giovanni (Italian) is a legendary, fictional libertine. The first written version of the Don Juan legend was written by the Spanish dramatist, Gabriel Tellez, commonly known as, Tirso de Molina. His play, El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest), was set in the fourteenth century and published in Spain around 1630. "Don Juan" is used synonymously for "womanizer", especially in Spanish slang, and often in reference to hypersexuality.

Purpose
The original play was written during the Golden Age, and the beliefs and ideals during this era affected the way it was interpreted by the public. As the story got translated and passed through generations, the interpretations and ending of the play itself was changed to accommodate the time period.

Gabriel Téllez cleverly wrote this play, “El Burlador de Sevilla,” in 1630 in order to teach his generation a life-changing lesson. He saw that everyone was throwing his or her life away, living and sinning as they pleased, because they figured that in the end, as long as they repented before they died, they would receive the grace to enter heaven. Through his play, however, he shows that even Don Juan who is identified as the very own devil, “the man without a name” and shape-shifter who parties like Bacchus, has to eventually pay for his sins. Gabriel Téllez reminds us all that we must pay for everything we do, and that in the end, death is what makes us all equal.

Don Juan in other works
Among the best-known works about this character are Molière's play Dom Juan ou le Festin de pierre (1665), Byron's epic poem Don Juan (1821), José de Espronceda's poem El estudiante de Salamanca (1840), and José Zorrilla's play Don Juan Tenorio (1844). Along with Don Juan Tenorio (still performed every November 2nd throughout the Spanish-speaking world), Don Giovanni, an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte, is arguably the best-known version. First performed in Prague in 1787, it inspired works by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Alexander Pushkin, Søren Kierkegaard, George Bernard Shaw, and Albert Camus.