Five women, all seduced and abandoned by Don Juan, have assembled at an estate to put him on trial. They have no doubt about the result of the legal proceedings and they have already reached a verdict; prison or forced marriage to his latest conquest, the young Angélique, who is infatuated with him even though he treats her poorly and killed her brother in a duel. In an elegantly dramatic approach the women’s relationships with the seducer are conveyed: One is romantic, another is cynical and a third has round refuge in religion. Each woman believes that she is articulating a clear condemnation of Don Juan’s behaviour when she is really revealing her own deep weakness for him. Don Juan is not presented as the traditional young seducer. He has aged and still makes women swoon. The altering point for Don Juan is the duel with Angélique’s brother, who has declared his love for him, and simulated his own death, knowing that Don Juan would never return his love. Don Juan has learned that sex is not necessarily connected with love, and that his frantic pursuit of physical pleasure must give way to the prevailing force of love. Without hesitation Don Juan chooses marriage.
