The plays of Ruiz de AlarcA3n, a significant dramatist in the Spanish Golden Age, show in many of their plots a preoccupation with deception, which Whicker believes reflects AlarcA3n's fundamental concern about truth-telling in literature. His study of AlarcA3n'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 AlarcA3n'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 AlarcA3n'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 AlarcA3n, dramatugo importantA-simo del Siglo de Oro, demuestra en la elaboraciA3n de la trama una preocupaciA3n por el engaAo y, en esta monografA-a, Whicker sostiene que esta misma preocupaciA3n refleja el interA(c)s fundamental que tenA-a AlarcA3n en la idea de la expresiA3n de la 'verdad' en la literatura. Su estudio de las comedias de AlarcA3n subraya la seriedad y la ortodoxia moral del dramaturgo y su preocupaciA3n por la manera en que la simulaciA3n y la disimulaciA3n 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 AlarcA3n, y especA-ficamente en la manera en que estos argumentos aluden al debate contemporAneo en el Siglo de Oro sobre la A(c)tica, la verdad y la literatura. Analiza rigurosamente la relevancia de estas ideas con respecto a la A(c)tica de la privanza en particular.