Life Is a Dream by Pedro Calderón de la Barca. Short summary

5 seconds

Rosamund travels through Poland. Lost at night, she stumbles upon a terrifying tower in which is imprisoned a young man, Sehizmundo, who has seen no people but his jailer, Clotaldo.

1 minute

Not far from the residence of the King of Poland, Lady Rosamunda, disguised in men’s clothes, is lost. In the darkness, the girl sees a tower. In the tower, the young man Sehizmundo, imprisoned there since birth and seen only by his jailer Clotaldo, sits on a chain. Clotaldo sees Rosuara holding the sword he once gave to his beloved.

King Basilio of Poland is approached by the Infanta Estrella and Prince Astolfo of Moscovia, the main pretenders to the throne, for the King has no heir. Basilio tells them in confidence that he has a son. At birth an astrologer predicted that the boy would be trouble for the kingdom, and Basilio has him imprisoned in a tower. Now the king changed his mind and called his son to him.

Sehizmundo became impertinent and violent, and his father sent him back to the tower. The young man was told that he had had a dream. The people revolt and free the heir. Sehizmundo now behaves justly, for fear of waking up in chains again. Rosuara turns out to be Astolf’s bride and Clotaldo’s daughter, and Sehizmundo marries Estrella.

Top 67 One Minute Summaries of Best Books of All Time