Resumen
"Los Sueños" (The Dreams) is a brilliant and scathing series of satirical visions by Spanish Baroque author Francisco de Quevedo, first published in the early 17th century.
Volume I consists of allegorical dream sequences in which the narrator, usually a stand-in for Quevedo himself, descends into visions of the afterlife or fantastical scenarios where he meets souls of the damned, corrupt officials, hypocritical clergy, greedy nobles, and others guilty of moral or societal failings.
The most famous parts of Volume I include:
"El Sueño del Juicio Final" (The Dream of the Last Judgment): A vision of Judgment Day where everyone — rich and poor, noble and common — is stripped of their pretenses.
"El Alguacil Endemoniado" (The Demonic Constable): A grotesque tale in which a corrupt official’s body is possessed by a demon who explains how easy it is to take over such a sinful soul.
"Sueño del Infierno" (Dream of Hell): A descent into Hell that mirrors Dante’s Inferno, but in Quevedo's signature sarcastic, biting tone.