La Dama del Alba is a play written by playwright Alejandro Casona

Alejandro Casona

Alejandro Rodríguez Álvarez, known as Alejandro Casona was a Spanish poet and playwright born in Besullo, Spain, a member of the Generation of '27. Casona received his bachelor's degree in Gijon and later studied at the University of Murcia. After Franco's rise in 1936, he was forced, like many...

. It is a Fantasy Drama in which Death

Death (personification)

The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...

 personified is the main character. It takes place in a small village in the Spanish Principality of Asturias

Asturias

The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...

. The play consists of four acts.

Act I

The Narces family is introduced in this act. It is revealed that the mother mysteriously lost a daughter, Angelica, to the large river in their town four years ago. Angelica was married to a young man named Martin three days before her apparent death. Her body was never found, and thus no proper burial was performed. The memory of her death still dwells in the minds of her family. The play starts on the anniversary of her death. La Peregrina (pilgrim in English) shows up at the door, who is traveling on the Camino de Santiago, or "Way of St. James," as it is translated into English. Since pilgrims are said to bring blessings upon the houses they visit, the family allows her inside. The grandfather recognizes her but doesn't remember from where he knows her. The children play a game with her, and she laughs in a funny way, which scares the children. She says she has never laughed before. She is also surprised by the fact that she had felt her beating heart. Suddenly, the lady becomes fatigued and falls asleep. She tells the children to wake her up before nine, which they fail to do because they go to bed.

Act II

The Grandfather realizes that La Peregrina is Death; he recognizes her from a near-death experience he had years before. He pleads with her to leave his family alone, as they have suffered enough already because of her. The pilgrim had actually come to kill Martin but was unable to, because she was asleep when Martin was supposed to die. Death—who is described in very human terms in the play—explains she is merely fulfilling her mission, and doesn't like having to be present whenever someone dies. Meanwhile, Martin brings back Adela, who had tried to commit suicide in the river. The pilgrim lady admits that she wasn't expecting the young girl's death.

Act III

Adela becomes part of the family, unwittingly beginning to take the role that Angelica had once had, as daughter, lover, and sister. She tries to make the mother happy by wearing Angelica's clothes and trying as much as possible to appear to be Angelica. Martin reveals two secrets: 1) Angelica was not dead; she had run away with a lover. Martin knew this, but allowed the family to believe she was dead so as not to ruin their memory of her. and 2) Although he has been rough and has not spoken very much to Adela, he is really in love with her. Martin also describes the town's dislike of Adela, who they think is trying to take what was rightfully Angelica's, and trying to take away Angelica's husband. He decides that he must leave to protect Adela from the town's anger, but later decides to act against it.

Act IV

Angelica comes back during the festival of San Juan, unknown to her family. She had been miserable and her lover had left her. She wants to resume her previous life, just the way before she left it. La Peregrina tells her that is not possible: she has already been replaced by Adela, and to join her in the river (that is, to commit suicide) as it is her time to die, and in order to preserve her image and prevent any shame from being brought upon the family. When Angelica's body is found, seemingly perfectly preserved after supposedly being dead for years, the mother announces that Angelica is a saint. An appropriate burial is finally held, allowing her family to finally deal with her death. La Peregrina then leaves, commenting on how she envies mortal existence and love.