Pedro Calderón de la Barca was a dramatist of the Spanish Golden Age, which occurred in the 1600's. Calderon was educated in a Jesuit college with plans to become a priest, but instead he studied law. Over two decades he wrote 70 secular plays for the commercial theatre. Life is a Dream is a three act play considered to be the best work by Calderon. It has been translated into English more than a dozen times in recent times. A polish prince is imprisoned by his father, because a prophecy says that the boy would one day endanger the kingdom. The translator has produced an excellent English translation keeping the poetic quality of the Spanish language in tact.