Hernani

A detailed Summary of Hernani

An honorable person is someone to be admired and emulated, certainly not castigated. In Victor Hugo's Hernani three of the four central characters are anything but honorable for much of the play. Although Don Carlos, Hernani and Dona Sol have moments where they display admirable traits, this behavior is not consistent on their part. Don Ruy Gomez de Silva on the other hand, repeatedly values his honor and the honor of his ancestors above all else, expecting nothing less from those he deals with.

Much like the character Alceste in Moliere's Misenthrope, you know exactly what you can expect from Don Ruy. No matter what situation he is in, or what the moral fiber of the people he deals with, de Silva does not waiver in his convictions. By comparison, much of what Don Carlos, Hernani and Dona Sol do is for personal gratification.

When reading this play, people have a tendency to judge the characters by today's standards. One must look to the period this play is set in to understand and accept much of what offends today's reader. Dona Sol is a young niece of Don Ruy's and she is also engaged to marry him even though he is many years her senior. There is nothing wrong or unusual about this. Ma

Once he learns of Don Carlos's ulterior motive in abducting Dona Sol, Don Ruy again is honor-bound to avenge the abduction of his fiancee. Hernani states more than once that his life is Don Ruy's to do with as he will. In agreeing to let Hernani assist him in getting Dona Sol back, Don Ruy makes it very clear, and Hernani agrees, that Don Ruy can take his life any time he wants to thereafter. Don Ruy asked, "And, then just as today, you will give yourself up to death?" Hernani responded, "Yes, Duke." Don Ruy has him confirm again by asking, "How do you swear it?" Hernani vowed, "On my father's head." (502). To Don Ruy, a man's word is his bond and he makes it very clear in this conversation with Hernani. I believe he acquiesces in letting Hernani assist him because it is hard for him to comprehend that anyone would dishonor their own ancestors by swearing on their own father's head something they really don't mean to do. It is unfathomable to him that others don't hol!

d honor in the same high regard he does. Don Ruy has shown how he feels about tarnishing his family's name by not keeping his word. "Better that nettles grow where my towers rose, than that a stain should mark the Silva name." (500).

rrying a relative was common and perfectly acceptable in the Renaissance period, the setting for this play. In royal courts, nobility was rarely allowed to marry without the approval of the reigning King or Queen. In fact, should a member of the royal court enter into a marriage not approved or arranged by the throne, they quickly found themselves out of favor with that ruler and banned from the royal court in Spain, England and other monarchies. To be banned from royal court was to be ostracized by everyone of nobility lest that person also suffer the wrath of the monarchy. Having this happen in the 1500's !

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Some common words found in the essay are:
Don Ruy, Dona Sol, Don Ruy's, Don Carlos, Spain England, Carlos Hernani, don ruy, King Queen, dona sol, Ruy Gomez, don carlos, Sol Hernani's, Ruy's Keeping, don ruy's, dona sol don, sol don, sol don ruy, de silva, don carlos hernani, royal court, carlos hernani, hernani dona, father's head, carlos don ruy, hernani dona sol,

Approximate Word count = 1240
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Miscellaneous