Juan Ruiz de Alarcon

Juan Ruiz de Alarcon was a Mexican born Spanish playwright, considered to be one of the principle dramatists of early 17^th century Spain. He was born into a wealthy family in Mexico and traveled to Spain in 1600 to study at the University of Salamanca. After two years he graduated and pursued further study at the University of Mexico. He finally settled in Spain in 1611, where he began his hobby of writing plays, which turned into a paying career. (The monitary value was of little worth to Juan Ruiz.)

His career brought forth about 25 plays, most of which were published in two separate volumes in 1628 and 1634. His plays are known for their plot construction, ability to thrill psychologically, and moral/ethical teachings. Most of his comedies of life in Madrid centre on a defect in a person’s character: La verdad sospechosa (“The Suspicious Truth”) is a study of inveterate lying; Las paredes oyen (“The Walls Have Ears”) concerns slander; La prueba de las promesas (“The Proof of the Promises”) is an attack on ingratitude; Mudarse por mejorarse (“To Change Oneself to Improve Oneself”) inveighs against the fickleness of lovers.

It is also important to note Ruiz de Alarcon was a hunchback, which may have influenced his writing. He also received ridicule from his fellow dramatists/competion for it.