Antonio Coello facts for kids
Antonio Coello (born October 26, 1611, in Madrid; died October 20, 1652, in Madrid) was a Spanish writer who created plays and poems. He was known as a dramatist (playwright) and a poet (someone who writes poems).
Antonio Coello started working for the Duke of Alburquerque. After serving in the army for several years, he received a special honor called the Order of Santiago in 1648. This was like getting a medal for important service.
He was a favorite of King Philip IV. Some people said the king even helped him write plays, but this is not confirmed. However, it is true that Coello worked with other very famous playwrights of his time. These included Calderón, Rojas Zorrilla, Solis, and Velez de Guevara.
One of his best original plays was Los Empenos de seis horas. Experts from the Encyclopædia Britannica said it was a great example of "stagecraft" and "animated dialogue." This means the play was very well put together for the stage, and the conversations between characters were lively and interesting.
This play was so good that some people mistakenly thought it was written by Calderón. Later, an English writer named Samuel Tuke adapted it for the English stage. He called it The Adventures of Five Hours. A famous diarist named Pepys even said it was better than Shakespeare's Othello.
Antonio Coello passed away on October 20, 1652. This was shortly after he was offered an important job in King Philip IV's royal household.
Antonio Coello's Works
Antonio Coello wrote many plays during his career. Here are some of his well-known works:
- El celoso extremeno
- Los dos Fernandos de Austria (written in 1646)
- No Sooner Said than Done (written in 1650)
- La adúltera castigada
- Peor es hurgarlo
- Los empenos de seis horas — This play was later adapted into The Adventures of Five Hours by Samuel Tuke. This adapted version was printed in a collection of old plays by Robert Dodsley.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio Coello para niños
