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King Fernando
Queen Isabel is the disputed heir of Castile and King Fernando’s wife. Known together as “the Catholic Kings,” Isabel and Fernando are depicted as just and merciful rulers. In contrast to the Commander and the Master, who attack Ciudad Real for their own personal gain, the play suggests that Isabel and Fernando defend Castile in order to bring peace and unify Spain. They are merciful in choosing to forgive the Master for his treachery and in forgoing punishment for the villagers of Fuente Ovejuna, knowing the Commander was tyrannical. Their power is thus only justified because they pursue Christian ideals like mercy, justice, and peace in the name of God. In fact, the villagers often praise them for acting based on Christian values. Additionally, Isabel and Fernando are known throughout Spain as a couple who respect each other and suit each other well. Isabel counsels Fernando on his political and military calculations, and Fernando in turn praises Isabel for helping to bring calm in the region. Thus, they parallel Laurencia and Frondoso in that they show how true, harmonious love is built on mutual respect.
Queen Isabel Quotes in Fuente Ovejuna
The Fuente Ovejuna quotes below are all either spoken by Queen Isabel or refer to Queen Isabel. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
Take your sword, so far unstained
By blood, and turn it red as the Cross
Upon your breast. How else can I
Address you as Master of the Cross
If the one is red and not the other?
Let both of them be crimson, and you,
Worthy Girón, crown the immortal temple of
Your famous ancestors.
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Act 2
Quotes
There are new rulers in
Castile who’ll introduce such laws
And orders as will put an end
To all disorder. When they have ceased
To be engaged in war, they would
Do well to rid their villages
And towns of men whose power comes
From wearing crosses. The King alone
Should be allowed to wear the cross.
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Act 3
Quotes
VILLAGERS: Injustice does
Not wait!
COMMANDER: You have to tell me what
Injustices they are. I’ll put them right,
I swear.
VILLAGERS: Fuente Ovejuna! Long
Live King Fernando! Death to all
False Christians and foul traitors!
COMMANDER: Listen!
I am your lord and master.
VILLAGERS: The Catholic Kings
Are our lords and masters!
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Explanation and Analysis:
The people there
Have mercilessly killed their lord
And master: Fernán Gómez murdered by
His faithless subjects, vassals who,
Believing they’d been wronged, rose up
Without good cause. These people called
Him tyrant, and on the strength of that
Committed this foul deed. They broke into
His house, and though he offered, as
An honourable man, to see
To their complaints, not only did
They fail to heed his words but rained
Upon the Cross upon his breast
A thousand cruel blows.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Long life to lovely Isabel
And our King Fernando,
They suit each other very well,
Their love is strong, their love is true;
One day Saint Michael at the gates,
Will welcome them and let then in;
Till then long life to both of them,
And punish tyrants for their sins!
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Explanation and Analysis:
I come to seek
Forgiveness, knowing that I was
Deceived and ill-advised in causing you
Displeasure. I was misled both by
Fernán Gómez and my self-interest.
I humbly beg that you forgive me.
If I am worthy of such favour,
I swear that from this moment on
I am your loyal and obedient servant.
The great campaign you plan against
Granada…I promise you you’ll see
The valour of my sword.
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Explanation and Analysis:
ESTEBAN: Your Majesty, we wish
To be your loyal vassals. You are
Our rightful King, and so we have displayed
Your coat of arms in our town,
We pray you will be merciful,
Accepting our innocence as our defence.
KING: There is no written evidence
As proof of your guilt, and so,
Although this was a serious crime,
You must be pardoned.
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Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Fuente Ovejuna LitChart as a printable PDF.
Queen Isabel Quotes in Fuente Ovejuna
The Fuente Ovejuna quotes below are all either spoken by Queen Isabel or refer to Queen Isabel. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
Take your sword, so far unstained
By blood, and turn it red as the Cross
Upon your breast. How else can I
Address you as Master of the Cross
If the one is red and not the other?
Let both of them be crimson, and you,
Worthy Girón, crown the immortal temple of
Your famous ancestors.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2
Quotes
There are new rulers in
Castile who’ll introduce such laws
And orders as will put an end
To all disorder. When they have ceased
To be engaged in war, they would
Do well to rid their villages
And towns of men whose power comes
From wearing crosses. The King alone
Should be allowed to wear the cross.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3
Quotes
VILLAGERS: Injustice does
Not wait!
COMMANDER: You have to tell me what
Injustices they are. I’ll put them right,
I swear.
VILLAGERS: Fuente Ovejuna! Long
Live King Fernando! Death to all
False Christians and foul traitors!
COMMANDER: Listen!
I am your lord and master.
VILLAGERS: The Catholic Kings
Are our lords and masters!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The people there
Have mercilessly killed their lord
And master: Fernán Gómez murdered by
His faithless subjects, vassals who,
Believing they’d been wronged, rose up
Without good cause. These people called
Him tyrant, and on the strength of that
Committed this foul deed. They broke into
His house, and though he offered, as
An honourable man, to see
To their complaints, not only did
They fail to heed his words but rained
Upon the Cross upon his breast
A thousand cruel blows.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Long life to lovely Isabel
And our King Fernando,
They suit each other very well,
Their love is strong, their love is true;
One day Saint Michael at the gates,
Will welcome them and let then in;
Till then long life to both of them,
And punish tyrants for their sins!
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
I come to seek
Forgiveness, knowing that I was
Deceived and ill-advised in causing you
Displeasure. I was misled both by
Fernán Gómez and my self-interest.
I humbly beg that you forgive me.
If I am worthy of such favour,
I swear that from this moment on
I am your loyal and obedient servant.
The great campaign you plan against
Granada…I promise you you’ll see
The valour of my sword.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
ESTEBAN: Your Majesty, we wish
To be your loyal vassals. You are
Our rightful King, and so we have displayed
Your coat of arms in our town,
We pray you will be merciful,
Accepting our innocence as our defence.
KING: There is no written evidence
As proof of your guilt, and so,
Although this was a serious crime,
You must be pardoned.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
