Gil Vicente, (born c. 1465, Portugal—died 1536/37), Portuguese playwright. His first plays were produced in 1502, and for the next 34 years he acted as court dramatist and poet laureate, staging his plays to celebrate great events and religious occasions. Regarded as the founder of Portuguese drama, he wrote in both Portuguese and Spanish. His 44 extant plays reflect the change and upheaval of his era; they may be divided into religious plays, court plays, pastoral plays, popular farces, and romantic comedy. His works include Exhortation to War (1513), The Forge of Love (1524), and The Pilgrimage of the Aggrieved (1533).
Discover