The characters, although well drawn, are not strong. Manrique is a selfish and ambitious man, who well deserves his fate. Nuño is unscrupulous and weak, but the weakest character of all is that of Leonor, who, knowing her duty, has neither strength nor will to accomplish it. Azucena is really the most interesting character in the play. From her first sad notes of "Bramando está el pueblo indómito" to her last despairing cry of "Ya estás vengada" we do not for a minute lose sight of the mortal conflict in her soul between the vengeance which she has sworn her mother and her love for Manrique.
The verse form of the drama is worthy of note. In general, scenes in which subordinates or common people appear are in prose, while those between nobles are in verse. When the action is of ordinary pitch, this verse is very simple; but when the action reaches a high pitch, the verse form becomes complicated. Examples of this are to be seen in Act III, Scene V, and Act IV, Scenes V and VI.
El Trovador was given operatic form by the great Italian composer Giuseppi Verdi, and under its Italian title, Il Trovatore, is well known throughout the world.
As great difference exists in the usage of the Spanish punctuation marks at the present day, it has been thought advisable in this edition to adopt in some cases what might be called mixed punctuation, that is, when there is a question which is also an exclamation, attention is called to the fact by the use of the interrogation point before and the exclamation point after the phrase or sentence.
The editor wishes to extend his thanks to Professor J. D. M Ford and Professor C. H. Grandgent of Harvard, Professor A. Le Duc and Mr. F. D. Schnacke of the University of Kansas, and Professor C. P. Wagner of the University of Michigan, who have rendered valuable assistance in the preparation of this edition.
H. H. V.
Ann Arbor, Sept. 14, 1907.
EL TROVADOR
DRAMA CABALLERESCO EN CINCO JORNADAS EN PROSA Y VERSO