Calisto's Dream and the Celestinesque Tradition

Fernando de Rojas's <i>Celestina</i> written in the late fifteenth century opens with an enigmatic conversation between Calisto and Melibea which has puzzled scholars trying to resolve the apparent contradictions in the work as a whole. Ricardo Castells supports the idea that the scene represents Calisto's dream about his beloved Melibea. In this study Castells examines later Celestinesque works as a lens through which we might better understand <i>Celestina</i>. Castells focuses on Calisto's creative use of borrowed text and speech and contends that Melibea demonstrates a surprisingly strong and consistent personality. He argues that Celestina's role is somewhat diminished in Rojas's continuation of the text as a result of this greater independence in Melibea's character.