Gil Vicente is probably one of the greatest playwright of Portuguese History. He lived in the 15th century, just before Renaissance hit Portugal. As such, Catholic Church was extremely powerful.
The play is an alegory to the rite of going to the after-life, whether Heaven or Hell. A series of characters representing the social classes of the time (nobility, clergy, bankers, workers, judges, among others) arrive to a dock, representing the Purgatory, and are judged by the Angel and the Devil. They are all punished for their sins, except for a fool, whose humility allows him to go to Heaven, and four brave Knights.
Gil Vicente uses the humour on the play to scrutinize the actual sins of the society of the time. What is amazing on the play is how it relates to the present times, how it can be transposed with flawless perfection. It is a very pleasant story to read and even to dramatize.
Tomé and Leonor
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