In this comedy of honor, Ana Caro criticizes the customs of her era and the position of women in the social order while ridiculing through parody the erotic myth of Don Juan.
The protagonist, Leonor, seeks to recover her lost honor against Don Juan who made a false promise of marriage while seducing her. To revenge herself, Leonor dresses in male attire (a common technique in Spanish Golden Age Theatre), calls herself Leonardo, and pretends to be a rival suitor for her hand. Don Juan has already moved to seduce the Duchess Estela, who in turn falls in love with “Leonardo.”
After a series of deceits and much ado, Leonor denounces Don Juan and regains her honor by forcing him into marriage with her. Although a typical finale for a 17th century Spanish play, the unconventional aspect is that a woman has solved her own misfortune without the help of a man.
