“The truth is that this world is false, and those that live in it carry another one in their pocket, which they use to carry this one and not suffer from this one ” — Artuad 

This has been the most influential in my own analysis of “Life is a Dream” becuase it touches on both the ideas of illusions and morality. The quote alludes to something greater than a fleeting illusion: a second universe, layered upon our own, one in which things are better or maybe just different.  The fact that one carries it in their pocket suggests that the other option is readily available, used at his 0r her disposal to cover up the hardships of the preliminary reality. This choice is more moralistic than it seems. To ignore hardship is not to move on, not to resolve the issue at hand. This choice is when one thinks of their self only and not the repercussions on others. King Basilio does this when he brings Segismundo into his words and forces him back out of it again. He is clearly aware of his option to change the reality of Segismundo birthright into simply a dream. By doing so, King Basilio evades the guilt of  banishing his child once again, for he tells himself that Segismundo simply has a bad dream – a common, uncomfortable thing, but nothing to feel guilt over.  This then brings up morality. If you commit a bad thing (sin) should you feel guilt even if it was left (mostly) unnoticed, as it was in this moment for King Basilio? Is he a good King for trying to save his kingdom from his son, or a bad parent for treating his son like an animal? Could there have been a third option, one that cold have preserved his humanity?

Additionally, King Basilio’s choice to banish his son after hearing a prophecy to keep the throne echoes the actions of Macbeth. Written in 1606, Macbeth may have influenced Calderon. Could it be seen as a happier ending to the fate of Macbeth? If so, does it mean that the prophecies, ie. what is written in the stars, is not always true? Macbeth seems to suggest that fate does take over in the end (he turns mad and dies) while calderon diverges completely.