ABSTRACT
Infidelity is probably one of the most recurrent themes in literature. A mutual contract is violated, often on the basis of unfulfilled desires and frustrations, which leaves at least one of the former partners suffering. Besides being an act of intimate betrayal, infidelity is also understood as a political offense, since it infringes upon fundamental social and ethical agreements. Although it is a constant in art, the presentations of it can be illuminating pointers to understand specific socio-cultural and political contexts. Betrayal is a prominent subject matter in Cuban theater of the 1980s and 1990s. These dramas bring the theme of infidelity, and different reactions to it, to center stage. They examine it critically and invite their audiences to meditate on the significance of the breaking of intimate contracts in times of political and economic instability.
