Light and Dark

Calisto impetuously gives Celestina a sizable gold chain as a thank you for arranging a secret meeting between Melibea and him. Celestina sees the gold chain as a reward and a token of all of her hard work. It is basically a symbol for her of all her gains made from trickery and deceit. For her, this is her big pay-off, she says, “I have blunted more of my tools serving him than you ever have. I’ve used up more of my stock You should bear in mind that this all cost me…I’ve worked hard at this…What’s my trade and livelihood is you part time hobby” (141). Throughout the novel Celestina strings along Sempronio and Parmeno is her plot to extract money from lovesick Calisto, and when she finally gets paid, she foolishly believes she can keep all of the money to herself. The novel hints that the gold chain represents other things to Sempronio and Parmeno, even though they insist; it is just about the money. Celestina believes the chain represents their relationships with Areusa and Elicia, and their frustration really stems from their desire to see other women, but they cannot because the chain binds them together. For Calisto, the chain also represents his love for Melibea, and although he tries to rid himself of the chain that imprisons his body and soul, by giving the chain to Celestina, it only causes him to love his semi-faithful servants. Calisto’s speech is best summed up by Tristan’s comment after the soliloquy, “…he’s said because of what happened to his lads and full of pleasure because of what he shared with Melibea. The two extremes are bound to affect a lean fellow like him” (157). On a surface reading of Calisto’s speech, one would assume that to be the cause of Calisto’s anguish, but it is probably due to the letdown Calisto felt after he gained the object of his desire: sex with Melibea. The symbolism in Calisto’s and Melibea’s deaths is Calisto dies an a vain attempt to bridge their love, the ladder representing the bridge and the wall is the barrier, similar to the mirror in Lacan’s mirror stage or the pool of water in the Myth of Narcissus. The insurmountable barrier when the beloved and the lover, they even fulfillment of that desire cannot fully reach or surmount. While attempting to overcome this boundary, Calisto falls and breaks his neck. Melibea, after realizing there is no way for her to every truly be with her love, opts instead to jump off of a tower, because she cannot bear to be without the hope of love. A continued troupe throughout the novel is the imagery of fire and darkness. Melibea and Calisto both say their hearts burn with fire for each other, their love is light to their eyes, and radiant. It is ironic that their first meeting, after they both profess their undying love for each other, they meet in total darkness at midnight. As soon as it begins to lighten, villagers come with torches and pitchforks. Not to mention the more obvious symbol of separation: the gate that keeps them apart. Rojas employs the use of dramatic irony to reveal the falsity of Melibea and Calisto’s love for each other.