Power and Christianity Theme Analysis

While the primary plot of Fuente Ovejuna focuses on the villagers’ rebellion against the Commander, a secondary subplot focuses on national political conflict across Spain. The Master of Calatrava, prompted by the Commander, attacks the key stronghold of Ciudad Real in the name of King Alonso of Portugal. Meanwhile, Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband King Fernando of Aragon (known together throughout Spain as “the Catholic Kings”) work to recapture that city for Castile. Though they both work to conquer the same city, these two sets of political figures have dissimilar motives: while the Master and the Commander are rash and work in their own self-interest, the Catholic Kings are aptly referred to as merciful and just “saviors.” Ultimately, Isabel and Fernando triumph, while the Commander is killed, and the Master humbly asks the Catholic Kings for forgiveness for his treachery. This contrast suggests that the pursuit and holding of power is only justified if it is rooted in Christian values like justice, mercy, and peace—rather than self-interest, glory, or vengeance.

The play immediately establishes that King Fernando and Queen Isabel are just and merciful rulers, aligning their right to power with their Christian values. When the Master and the Commander conquer Ciudad Real, two aldermen from the city travel to King Fernando and Queen Isabel’s court. The men call Fernando the “Most Catholic King Fernando / Whom Heaven has sent from Aragon / To be our help and savior in Castile.” In this way, the aldermen emphasize that King Fernando’s rule derives from a divine right because his actions are informed by Christian values. The aldermen go on to say that they want help in retaking the city so that they can continue to be the King’s subjects, suggesting that his Christian values even cause the people to want to be ruled by the King. This suggests that his power in Spain and his desire to take Ciudad Real are justified because of those values. The citizens of Fuente Ovejuna also recognize the Catholic Kings’ virtue, as they note that the “heavens have chosen [the King] to become / The ruler of Castile” and that the Catholic Kings will soon “bring peace / To all Castile.” Like the people in Ciudad Real, the villagers in Fuente Ovejuna recognize that the Catholic Kings act in the interest of Christian values like peace and mercy, and therefore they are justified in maintaining and pursuing their kingdom.

In contrast to King Fernando and Queen Isabel, the Master and the Commander are driven by self-interest and glory, and those motivations are portrayed as being at odds with Christian values. At the play’s outset, the Commander convinces the Master to conquer Ciudad Real, noting that the Master should prove himself as “worthy” of his position. The fact that the Commander is most interested in gaining glory on the campaign—treacherously betraying the just and merciful Catholic Kings to do so—shows that the Commander only has self-interest, and his power is not rooted in Christian values. In a rousing speech, the Commander says that the Master should live up to his family’s past deeds and turn his sword “red as the Cross / Upon [his] breast.” The mention of the Cross is particularly notable, because it is the emblem of the military Order. But it highlights how the Master’s motivations—bloodthirstiness and glory—are actually at odds with the Christian values of peace and mercy. The play again emphasizes the Master’s lack of Christian mercy when he discovers that the villagers in Fuente Ovejuna killed the Commander: he declares that he will take 500 men and “raze / [The town] to the ground.” Later, King Fernando criticizes this impulse and takes the power of punishment out of the Master’s hands. This again suggests that the Master’s vengeful and rash instincts, which are not rooted in Christian values, make him unfit to hold power over the town.

The final fates of the play’s political leaders reinforce that holding power is only justified if those leaders act with Christian values. When the villagers in Fuente Ovejuna rebel against and kill the Commander for his abuse, they shout “Long live King Fernando! Death to all / False Christians and foul traitors!” In this way, the villagers underscore that the Commander’s false Christianity and treachery makes him an illegitimate leader, which is what justifies their decision to murder him. The Master, meanwhile, humbly begs the King and Queen for forgiveness, noting, “I was misled both by [the Commander] and my self-interest.” The King accepts his penitence, reinforcing the King and Queen’s mercy while also illustrating that the Master is worthy of his position only when he is being humble and pursuing peace, rather than pursuing self-interest. Lastly, the King and Queen establish peace in Ciudad Real and also pardon the citizens of Fuente Ovejuna for their deeds. In the play’s final scene, Frondoso thanks the King for being “the wisest ruler” and the villagers express how glad they are to be the King’s vassals. As such, the play demonstrates that only the pursuit of peace, justice, and mercy justifies rule.

Some historical context illustrates why Christian values were so important in Spanish rule. In 711 C.E., Muslim Moors occupied much of the Iberian Peninsula in southern Spain. By the late 1400s, when the play takes place, the Muslims were largely expelled by Christian Kingdoms in Spain and were concentrated in Grenada (a southern region in Spain). In the play, the citizens look to their rulers to protect them from “the Moorish infidel.” Thus, Christianity is so integral to the play’s model rulers because of the real threat the Spaniards perceived at that time from forces who opposed Christianity.