Summary
"Los intereses creados" (The Bonds of Interest) by Jacinto Benavente is a satirical comedy that argues society is fundamentally governed by self-interest and economic necessity, which override moral or idealistic principles. The play follows two cunning rogues, Leandro and Crispín, who arrive in a fictional city and, through deception and manipulation, create a web of financial and social obligations that ultimately force the city's elite to support their schemes. Benavente uses the commedia dell'arte tradition—with stock characters like the boastful captain, the miserly merchant, and the romantic heroine—to expose how personal gain drives human behavior, even in love and justice. The central thesis is that "created interests" (the bonds of mutual benefit) become the foundation of social order, making hypocrisy and pragmatism more powerful than truth or honor. Readers take away a cynical yet humorous critique of bourgeois society, recognizing that altruism often masks self-serving motives, and that social stability relies on shared illusions and economic ties.
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Key concepts
- Intereses creados* (Created interests) — The network of financial and social obligations that characters deliberately construct to bind others to their cause, revealing how self-interest shapes alliances.
- Commedia dell'arte* influence — Benavente's use of improvised, archetypal characters (e.g., Crispín as the clever servant, Leandro as the young lover) to satirize universal human vices through theatrical convention.
- Pragmatic morality — The play's suggestion that ethical judgments are subordinated to practical outcomes, as characters justify deception when it serves mutual benefit.
- Social contract as illusion — The idea that society's rules are not based on inherent justice but on a fragile agreement to maintain appearances and economic interdependence.
- Crispín's cynicism — The character who articulates the play's worldview, arguing that honesty is a luxury and that success depends on manipulating others' desires and debts.