Study Questions

ACT III

1.  To whom does Celestina give credit for her success with Melibea?

2. Why won’t Celestina tell Sempronio about her success with Melibea? How does Sempronio take this?

3. How does Celestina relate to Calisto her conversation with Melibea? What does the girdle symbolize?

4. With what does Calisto reward Celestina for her efforts?

5. What is the attitude of Sempronio and Parmeno during the conversatio between Calisto and Celestina?

6. What do we learn about Claudina, Parmeno’s mother? About Celestina?

7. How does Celestina finally succeed in wining over Parmeno to her and Sempronio’s side?

8. How does Celestina convince Areusa to accept Parmeno as her lover? What does this reveal about the old bawd?

9. What change in attitude toward Sempronio do you notice in Parmeno after his night with Areusa?

10. How do you interpret the banquet scene in Celestina’s house?  What does their conversation reveal about the relationship between the noble and lower classes? What other themes are discussed?

ACT IV

1. What conflict does Melibea experience?

2. What is Melibea’s “disease”? What are its symptoms?  What remedy does Celestina  offer her?

3. What reward does Calisto give Celestina for her good news about Meibea?  How do the servants react?

4. The first meeting between Calisto and Melibea. To what do we owe the change in heart of Melibea? How do Sempronio and Parmeno behave at the sound of someone approaching?

5. What strategies does Sempronio use to gain his part of the chain? How does Celestina respond? How does she defend herself?

6. How is she killed?

7. What happens to Sempronio and Parmena? Who informs Calisto? How does Calisto react? What does this reveal about his loyalty to his servants? How does he excuse the death of Celestina?  

8. Meeting between Melibea and Calisto.  What is Melibea’s “greatest jewel”?  What does it mean for Melibea?  What is meant by Calisto’s “impudent hands”?

ACT V  

1. How do Elisa and Areusa react to the deaths of Celestina, Sempronio and Parmeno? What plan of revenge does Areusa contrive?  How does Areusa deceive Sosia?  What information does she get out of him? Who is Centurio? What is he like? What differences do you note between the two prostitutes?  

2. Upon Calisto’s arrival, why does Lucrecia attempt to embrace him?  

3. How does Calisto die? Why does he call for confession?  How does Melibea react?

4. According to Melibea, what is her role in the tragic events?

5. Why does she commit suicide?

6. To whom is Pleberio’s lament directed? How is each described?

7. Interpret Pleberio’s last words "why hast thou left me comfortless and all alone in this vale of tears (in hac lachrymarum valle)”?. What is his attitude toward the world/life? How can this be applied to the overall theme of the work?

8. Given the work as a whole, who is guilty? who is innocent?