The Spanish dramatist Jacinto Benavente y Martinez (1866-1954) was the most popular Spanish playwright of the first half of the 20th century. His sophisticated comedies of manners and of social satire signaled the beginning of modern theater in Spain.

Jacinto Benavente was born in Madrid on Aug. 12, 1866, the youngest son of a prominent pediatrician. He grew up in an atmosphere of learning, wealth, and social ease. His father loved the theater, maintained a large library, and practiced among aristocratic families, writers, and actors. A precocious child, Benavente learned several languages by the age of 16 and delighted in visiting the circus and in performing plays for household servants and friends.

In 1882 he enrolled in the University of Madrid to study law but gave up his studies 2 years later when his father died. Benavente lived an easy, comfortable life. He dressed elegantly, attended fashionable parties, and became a part of...