PedroCalderondelaBarcawasborninMadrid，January17，1600，ofgoodfamily。HewaseducatedattheJesuitCollegeinMadridandattheUniversityofSalamanca;andadoubtfultraditionsaysthathebegantowriteplaysattheageofthirteen。Hisliteraryactivitywasinterruptedfortenyears，1625—1635，bymilitaryserviceinItalyandtheLowCountries，andagainforayearormoreinCatalonia。In1637
　　hebecameaKnightoftheOrderofSantiago，andin1651heenteredthepriesthood，risingtothedignityofSuperioroftheBrotherhoodofSanPedroinMadrid。HeheldvariousofficesinthecourtofPhilipIV，whorewardedhisserviceswithpensions，andhadhisplaysproducedwithgreatsplendor。HediedMay5，1681。
　　AtthetimewhenCalderonbegantocomposeforthestage，theSpanishdramawasatitsheight。LopedeVega，themostprolificand，withCalderon，thegreatest，ofSpanishdramatists，wasstillalive;andbyhisapplausegaveencouragementtothebeginnerwhosefamewastorivalhisown。ThenationaltypeofdramawhichLopehadestablishedwasmaintainedinitsessentialcharacteristicsbyCalderon，andheproducedabundantspecimensofallitsvarieties。Ofregularplayshehasleftahundredandtwenty;of"AutosSacramentales，"thepeculiarSpanishallegoricaldevelopmentofthemedievalmystery，wehaveseventy—three;besidesaconsiderablenumberoffarces。
　　ThedominantmotivesinCalderon'sdramasarecharacteristicallynational:fervidloyaltytoChurchandKing，andasenseofhonorheightenedalmosttothepointofthefantastic。Thoughhisplaysarelaidinagreatvarietyofscenesandages，thesentimentandthecharactersremainessentiallySpanish;andthisintenselylocalqualityhasprobablylessenedthevogueofCalderoninothercountries。Intheconstructionandconductofhisplotsheshowedgreatskill，yettheingenuityexpendedinthemanagementofthestorydidnotrestrainthefieryemotionandopulentimaginationwhichmarkhisfinestspeechesandgivethemalyricqualitywhichsomecriticsregardashisgreatestdistinction。
　　OfallCalderon'sworks，"LifeisaDream"mayberegardedasthemostuniversalinitstheme。Itseekstoteachalessonthatmaybelearnedfromthephilosophersandreligiousthinkersofmanyages——thattheworldofoursensesisamereshadow，andthattheonlyrealityistobefoundintheinvisibleandeternal。ThestorywhichformsitsbasisisOrientalinorigin，andintheformofthelegendof"BarlaamandJosaphat"wasfamiliarinalltheliteraturesoftheMiddleAges。
　　CombinedwiththisintheplotisthetaleofAbouHassanfromthe"ArabianNights，"themainsituationsinwhichareturnedtofarcicalpurposesintheInductiontotheShakespearean"TamingoftheShrew。"
　　ButwithCalderonthethemeisliftedaltogetheroutoftheatmosphereofcomedy，andisworkedupwithpoeticsentimentandatouchofmysticismintoasymbolicdramaofprofoundanduniversalphilosophicalsignificance。
　　LIFEISADREAM
　　DRAMATISPERSONAE
　　BasilioKingofPoland。
　　SegismundhisSon。
　　AstolfohisNephew。
　　EstrellahisNiece。
　　ClotaldoaGeneralinBasilio'sService。
　　RosauraaMuscoviteLady。
　　FifeherAttendant。
　　Chamberlain，LordsinWaiting，Officers，Soldiers，etc。，inBasilio'sService。
　　TheSceneofthefirstandthirdActsliesonthePolishfrontier:ofthesecondAct，inWarsaw。
　　AsthisversionofCalderon'sdramaisnotforacting，ahigherandwidermountain—scenethanpracticablemaybeimaginedforRosaura'sdescentinthefirstActandthesoldiers'ascentinthelast。Thebadwatchkeptbythesentinelswhoguardedtheirstate—prisoner，togetherwithmuchelse（notall！）thatdefiessobersenseinthiswilddrama，ImustleaveCalderontoanswerfor;whoseaudiencewerenotcriticalofdetailandprobability，solongasagoodstory，withstrong，rapid，andpicturesqueactionandsituation，wassetbeforethem。
　　ACTI
　　SCENEI——Apassofrocks，overwhichastormisrollingaway，andthesunsetting:intheforeground，half—waydown，afortress。
　　（EnterfirstfromthetopmostrockRosaura，asfromhorseback，inman'sattire;and，afterher，Fife。）
　　ROSAURA。
　　There，four—footedFury，blastEngender'dbrute，withoutthewitOfbrute，ormouthtomatchthebitOfman——artsatisfiedatlast？
　　Who，whenthunderroll'daloof，Tow'rdthespheresoffireyourearsPricking，andthegranitekickingIntolightningwithyourhoof，Amongthetempest—shatter'dcragsShatteringyourlucklessriderBackintothetempestpass'd？
　　Therethenlietostarveanddie，OrfindanotherPhaetonMad—mettledasyourself;forI，Wearied，worried，andfor—done，Alonewilldownthemountaintry，Thatknitshisbrowsagainstthesun。
　　FIFE（astohismule）。
　　There，thoumis—begottenthing，Long—ear'dlightning，tail'dtornado，Griffin—hoof—inhurricano，（ImightsweartillIwerealmostHoarsewithroaringAsonante）
　　WhoforsoothbecauseourbettersWouldbegintokickandflingYouforthwithyournoblemindMustprove，andkickmeoffbehind，Tow'rdtheverycentrewhitherGravitywasmostinclined。
　　TherewhereyouhavemadeyourbedInitlie;for，wetordry，Letwhatwillformebetideyou，Burning，blowing，freezing，hailing;
　　Faminewasteyou:devilrideyou:
　　Tempestbasteyoublackandblue:
　　（ToRosaura。）
　　There！IthinkindownrightrailingIcanholdmyownwithyou。
　　ROS。
　　Ah，mygoodFife，whosemerryloyalpipe，Comeweal，comewoe，isneveroutoftuneWhat，youinthesameplighttoo？
　　FIFE。
　　Ay;Andmadam——sir——herebydesire，WhenyouyourownadventuressingAnothertimeinloftyrhyme，Youdon'tforgetthetrustysquireWhowentwithyouDon—quixoting。
　　ROS。
　　Well，mygoodfellow——toleavePegasusWhoscarcecanserveusthanourhorsesworse——
　　TheysaynooneshouldrobanotherofThesinglesatisfactionhehasleftOfsinginghisownsorrows;onesogreat，Sosayssomegreatphilosopher，thattroubleWereworthencount'ringonlyforthesakeOfweepingover——whatperhapsyouknowSomepoetcallsthe'luxuryofwoe。'
　　FIFE。
　　HadIthepoetorphilosopherIntheplaceofherthatkick'dmeofftoride，I'dtesthistheoryuponhishide。
　　Butnobonesbroken，madam——sir，Imean？——
　　ROS。
　　Ascratchherethatahandkerchiefwillheal——
　　Andyou？——
　　FIFE。
　　Ascratchin/quiddity/，orkind:
　　Butnotin'/quo/'——mywoundsareallbehind。
　　But，asyousay，tostopthisstrain，Which，somehow，onceone'sinthevein，Comesclatteringafter——thereagain！——
　　Whatarewetwain——deucetake't！——wetwo，Imean，todo——drench'dthroughandthrough——
　　Oh，Ishallchokeofrhymes，whichIbelieveAreallthatweshallhavetoliveonhere。
　　ROS。
　　What，isourvictualgonetoo？——
　　FIFE。
　　Ay，thatbruteHascarriedallwehadawaywithher，Clothing，andcate，andall。
　　ROS。
　　Andnowthesun，Ouronlyfriendandguide，abouttosinkUnderthestageofearth。
　　FIFE。
　　AndenterNight，WithCapayEspada——and——prayheaven！
　　Withbutherlanthornalso。
　　ROS。
　　Ah，IdoubtTo—night，ifany，withadarkone——orAlmostburntoutafteramonth'sconsumption。
　　Well！wellorill，onhorsebackorafoot，ThisisthegatethatletsmeintoPoland;
　　And，sorrywelcomeasshegivesaguestWhowriteshisownarrivalonherrocksInhisownblood——
　　Yetbetteronherstonythresholddie，ThanliveonunrevengedinMuscovy。