The play "Ollantay" was written during the colonial period in Peru, a time of great cultural and social change. The Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire in the 16th century had a profound impact on the indigenous population, leading to the suppression of traditional practices and the imposition of European customs and values. Despite these challenges, the play "Ollantay" emerged as a powerful expression of indigenous resistance and cultural resilience.
Other scholars, such as the German philologist Ernst Middendorf, argued that the linguistic and metrical structure of Ollantay is clearly Spanish. The division into three acts, the use of octosyllabic verse, the presence of a comedic "gracioso" character (Piqui Chaqui), and the structure of the plot closely resemble the comedies of the Spanish Golden Age. This suggests that, at most, there was an ancient Inca legend (or "saga") that was adapted and rewritten in the 18th century by a Spanish-speaking author. ollantay libro pdf