15th & 16th Century Spanish Literature: Pre-Renaissance to Renaissance
15th Century: Pre-Renaissance
History and Society
Castile began the 15th century marked by civil wars, dynastic conflicts, and peasant revolts. The Trastámara dynasty eventually led to the union of Castile and Aragon under the Catholic Monarchs, establishing a centralized monarchy. Their reign saw the decline of feudalism, control over the nobility and church, the completion of the Reconquista in 1492, the expulsion of the Jews, and the establishment of the Inquisition.
Tensions arose between different communities. Coexistence between Muslims, Jews, and Christians deteriorated, with a growing climate of anti-Semitism. The expulsion of the Jews led to a rise in conversos and influenced trade and cultural exchange. A wealthy bourgeoisie emerged, emulating the nobility.
Culture
The 15th century saw the influence of humanism, emphasizing rational knowledge and classical learning. The invention of printing facilitated the spread of humanist ideals. Humanism, focusing on human reason, marked the beginning of the Renaissance in Spanish culture. Italian writers like Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio significantly influenced the humanist movement.
New universities, such as Alcalá de Henares, fostered humanist knowledge, producing learned men. Vernacular languages gained prestige alongside classical Latin and Greek. Humanist influence led to translations of religious texts, the emergence of grammars (like Nebrija’s), and interest in folk literature.
Royal courts became cultural centers, with patrons supporting scholars. Knowledge was valued, and the aristocracy embraced new cultural forms, including folk culture. Printing revolutionized book distribution, previously limited to the elite. However, popular genres like romances and chivalry books continued to thrive, reaching a wide audience.
Literature
Literary Tradition and Renewal
15th-century literature blended medieval and humanist elements. Italian humanists—Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio—served as models. Medieval influences included chivalry, allegory, and Provençal lyricism. Humanist influences included the emphasis on fame, Latinate style, and the decline of clerical and minstrel schools.
Learned Poetry: The Songbooks
Songbook poetry explored themes of love, satire, and morality. These collections, like the Cancionero de Baena (court of John II) and the Cancionero de Stúñiga (Neapolitan court of Alfonso V), showcased diverse poetic styles.
Love poetry followed the medieval courtly love tradition. Moral poetry often adopted Dante’s allegorical style, reflecting the humanist interest in Greco-Roman culture. Notable examples include the Marqués de Santillana’s Comedieta de Ponza and Juan de Mena’s Laberinto de Fortuna.
Jorge Manrique: Coplas a la Muerte de su Padre
Jorge Manrique, a nobleman and skilled poet, is best known for his Coplas a la Muerte de su Padre (Verses on the Death of His Father), an elegy exploring the theme of death. The poem reflects both the medieval view of death as a gateway to eternal life and a newer, more serene perspective.
The Coplas, consisting of forty twelve-line stanzas (coplas manriqueñas), are divided into three parts: reflection on life’s transience, nostalgic evocation of the past, and individualization of the poet’s father as a virtuous example. The poem’s simple yet profound style combines medieval and pre-Renaissance sensibilities.
Traditional Poetry: The Ballads (Romances)
Ballads, both traditional (anonymous, orally transmitted) and artistic (written by known authors), gained popularity. Old ballads often dealt with epic themes, while new ballads explored historical or romantic subjects.
Ballads are characterized by their eight-syllable verses, assonance rhyme, fragmentary nature, and dramatic tone. They blend lyrical, epic, and dramatic elements, using simple yet evocative language.
Prose
Prose developed along two main lines: idealistic novels (e.g., sentimental novels and romances of chivalry) and satire (e.g., Alfonso Martínez de Toledo’s Corbacho).
Theater
Theater was less developed, with the continuation of religious drama and the emergence of humanist comedy. La Celestina, a work in dialogue, stands out as a significant example of the latter.
La Celestina by Fernando de Rojas
La Celestina reflects the transitional spirit of the 15th century, capturing the pessimism and individualism of the era. The play combines elements of theater and novel, exploring themes of love, fortune, and death. The characters, driven by passions, meet tragic ends, reflecting a pessimistic worldview.
16th Century: Renaissance
Historical Context
The 16th century is divided into two periods: the reign of Charles I, marked by political and economic prosperity and openness to European trends, and the reign of Philip II, characterized by Counter-Reformation and cultural isolation.
Renaissance Culture
The Renaissance saw the full assimilation of humanism, with figures like Erasmus of Rotterdam and Baldassare Castiglione influencing Spanish culture. The ideal Renaissance individual was a well-rounded intellectual guided by reason.
Aesthetics
Renaissance aesthetics emphasized balance, serenity, and naturalness. Art aimed to reflect an idealized reality, inspired by classical and Platonic ideals.
Lyric Poetry
Forms and Themes
The 16th century saw the arrival of Petrarchan lyricism, transforming Spanish poetry. Garcilaso de la Vega’s work exemplified this new style, influencing later poets. Three main poetic currents coexisted: traditional songbook poetry, ballads, and Italianate poetry.
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501–1536)
Garcilaso, the quintessential Renaissance poet, introduced Petrarchanism to Spain. His work, though brief, renewed poetic forms and themes, emphasizing intimacy and emotional depth. His sonnets and eclogues, particularly Égloga I, are highly regarded for their lyrical beauty and melancholy tone.
Later 16th-Century Lyric
The later 16th century saw the rise of religious and moral themes in lyric poetry, with figures like Fray Luis de León, St. Teresa of Ávila, and John of the Cross. Fernando de Herrera continued the tradition of love lyric and introduced a more elaborate style.
Fray Luis de León (1527–1591)
Fray Luis de León’s poetry blended Renaissance and Christian thought. His odes, often written in liras, explored moral and philosophical themes influenced by classical writers like Horace. His style, though elegant and natural, also displayed a learned quality.
San Juan de la Cruz (1542–1591)
San Juan de la Cruz’s mystical poetry expressed the experience of union with the divine. His symbolic language, drawing from the Bible, love poetry, and nature, conveyed intense emotions and spiritual ecstasy. His major poems, including Dark Night of the Soul and Spiritual Canticle, explore the mystical path.
Sonnet XXIII
This sonnet exemplifies Renaissance themes and forms. It employs the carpe diem theme, describing a lady’s beauty and urging her to seize the moment. The poem’s structure, language, and imagery reflect the influence of Petrarch and Garcilaso.