National Network for Equitable Library Service

La Celestina , actually called Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea or Comedia de Calisto y Melibea, in English Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea and the old prostitute Celestina), is a work composed entirely in dialogue published by Fernando de Rojas in 1499. Rojas, a descendant of converted Jews, practiced law and, later in life, served as an alderman of Talavera de la Reina, an important commercial center near Toledo. The book is considered to be one of the greatest works of Spanish literature, and traditionally marks the end of medieval literature and the beginning of the literary renaissance in Spain. Although usually considered a novel, it is written as a continuous concatenation of dialogues leading to interpretations of the work as a play. Indeed, directors have attempted to represent the Celestina on stage several times, although the length and complexity of the dialogues makes it practically impossible to represent as a film.