Life is a Dream

by

Pedro Calderón de la Barca

The Servant Character Analysis

A servant at Basilio’s palace in Warsaw. When Segismundo wakes as the prince of Poland and runs amok, threatening kill everyone and generally acting in an inappropriate way, the servant attempts to calm Segismundo down. Segismundo threatens to throw the servant out a window, and when the servant continues to insist that he calm down, Segismundo throws him from a balcony. Segismundo’s poor and irrational treatment of the servant implies that perhaps Segismundo is an animal, just as the prophecy claims.
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The Servant Character Timeline in Life is a Dream

The timeline below shows where the character The Servant appears in Life is a Dream. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act Two
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Dreams vs. Reality Theme Icon
Morality, Honor, and Vengeance  Theme Icon
Segismundo threatens to kill Clotaldo with his bare hands for lying to him, and a servant steps in to defend Clotaldo. The servant tries to convince Segismundo that Clotaldo was only... (full context)
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
...as Segismundo’s cousin. Segismundo asks if he may kiss Estrella’s hand, which upsets Astolfo. The servant again interjects, explaining to Segismundo that his behavior is too forward. Segismundo grabs the servant... (full context)
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
...exits, King Basilio enters, demanding to know what is going on. Segismundo explains that the servant irritated him, so he threw him from the balcony. Basilio tells Segismundo that he is... (full context)
Fate vs. Free Will Theme Icon
Dreams vs. Reality Theme Icon
Morality, Honor, and Vengeance  Theme Icon
Segismundo tells Rosaura that he threw the servant from the balcony, and she says she understands why it was predicted that Segismundo will... (full context)