The Sexual Relations of the Three Cousins in “La Celestina

Abstract

This research presents three sections in which the participation of the three cousins Lucrecia, Elicia and Areúsa in the version of the Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea is analyzed with regard to aspects of their sexualities. On the one hand, in the Tragicomedy the slow sexual awakening of Lucrecia, Melibea's maid, is highlighted through what she hears and sees during the sexual encounters of her mistress and Calisto. Secondly, Elicia's sexuality, her emotional instability and her jealous love for Sempronio, whom she calls “husband”, are addressed. Finally, the study focuses on the sexuality of Areúsa, a woman well known and desired by all men, in love with Pármeno, who reveals her desire to be Calisto's lover and asserts her sexuality in the acts in which she is the main character. The three cousins with their own personality and their own sexual development demonstrate the creative art and originality of the authors of the work.