This Norton Critical Edition includes: ⁊ Five major early modern plays of the Spanish Empire-The Siege of Numantia, Fuenteovejuna, The Dog in the Manger, Life Is a Dream, and The Trials of a Noble House-when Spain produced one of the most vibrant and dramatic canons in the history of theater. ⁊ An Introduction, a Note on the Translation, and explanatory footnotes by G. J. Racz and Barbara Fuchs. ⁊ Background materials centering on the comedia; on class, gender, and the performance of identity; and on stages, actors, and audiences. ⁊ Fourteen judiciously chosen critical essays both on Golden Age Spanish drama generally and on the individual plays. ⁊ A Selected Bibliography.