Don Juan and the Point of Honor

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In Don Juan and the Point of Honor , James Mandrell undertakes a systematic examination of the many questions surrounding the legendary character. On the one hand, it might be argued that Don Juan threatens society, since he is supposedly an agent of social anarchy. On the other hand, given his intriguing sexual accomplishments, he could be viewed as a positive expression of life itself. James Mandrell shows what is at stake in the asking of such questions and, moreover, what is at stake in representations and considerations of Don Juan. After a discussion of the ways that Don Juan’s seductive powers infiltrate and influence the interpretations of texts of which he is a part, Mandrell continues with close readings of key Spanish literary works ranging from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. All of these works involve interrelated issues as regards Don Juan: the worldly uses and abuses of language; the power of literature to engender and embody other literary texts; seduction and its psychological and social subtexts; and society in relation to Don Juan as well as Don Juan’s role in society. Ultimately, these notions are tied into the concept of honor as it works in literat

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