The plays of Ruiz de Alarc?n, a significant dramatist in the Spanish Golden Age, show in many of their plots a preoccupation with deception, which Whicker believes reflects Alarc?n's fundamental concern about truth-telling in literature. His study of Alarc?n's comedias stresses the seriousness and moral orthodoxy of the playwright and his concern with how simulation and dissimulation can be viewed both positively and negatively in theatre as well as in life. In support of his argument for the seriousness of Alarc?n's theatre - his challenge to his audience to think hard and clear about his play, particularly over the issue of illusion, deception and dissimulation - Whicker focuses on the moral arguments perceived in Alarc?n's theatre, and their reference to serious literary-moral issues current in the Golden Age; he tests the relevance of his argument against contemporary circumstances, the ethics of privanza in particular. JULES WHICKER lectures in the department of Hispanic studies, University of Birmingham. El teatro de Ruiz de Alarc?n, dramatugo important?simo del Siglo de Oro, demuestra en la elaboraci?n de la trama una preocupaci?n por el enga?o y, en esta monograf?a, Whicker sostiene que esta misma preocupaci?n refleja el inter?s fundamental que ten?a Alarc?n en la idea de la expresi?n de la 'verdad' en la literatura. Su estudio de las comedias de Alarc?n subraya la seriedad y la ortodoxia moral del dramaturgo y su preocupaci?n por la manera en que la simulaci?n y la disimulaci?n pueden verse tanto positiva como negativamente en el mundo del teatro y en el gran teatro del Mundo. Whicker se enfoca en los argumentos morales expresados en el teatro de Alarc?n, y espec?ficamente en la manera en que estos argumentos aluden al debate contempor?neo en el Siglo de Oro sobre la ?tica, la verdad y la literatura. Analiza rigurosamente la relevancia de estas ideas con respecto a la ?tica de la privanza en particular.