16th-Century Spanish Literature: Renaissance & Mysticism
16th-Century Spanish Literature
Historical Background
Politically, Charles I continued strengthening the royal power established by the Catholic Monarchs. Socially, trade shifted from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Religiously and culturally, two phases emerged: first, under Charles I, Renaissance humanism expanded; second, under Philip II, a conservative Counter-Reformation movement took hold.
Renaissance Culture
Renaissance culture reflects the assimilation of humanism, which places humanity at the center of the universe. This era admired Greco-Roman culture and emphasized rational thinking, as seen in the works of Erasmus of Rotterdam and Baldassare Castiglione.
Renaissance Aesthetics
Renaissance aesthetics favored classical design, valuing balance, serenity, and naturalness. Renaissance art had an aesthetic purpose, aiming for beauty.
Renaissance Language and Literature
Renaissance language emphasized elegance and naturalness. Literature admired Greco-Roman culture, explored aesthetics and Platonism, and imitated Greek and Latin writers.
Renaissance Lyric Poetry
Several poetic trends existed in the 16th century, but the defining characteristic was the emergence of Petrarchism, notably through Garcilaso de la Vega. Petrarch’s influence brought a renewed intimacy to poetry.
- Songs: Continuation of 15th-century traditions.
- Traditional Poetry: Ballads and song lyrics.
- Italianate Poetry: Modeled after Petrarch, representing cultured Renaissance lyricism, with Garcilaso as the most relevant poet.
Form: The hendecasyllable replaced the octosyllable, with cultured stanzas like the sonnet, terza rima, lira, and silva.
Themes: Love, nature, and mythology.
- Love: Petrarch’s concept of platonic love ennobles the lover, who strives for perfection through the beloved. The lyric often features unrequited love, expressing sadness and other emotions.
- Nature: Symbolizes perfection and the simple life. Poetry presents nature as an ideal place (locus amoenus), especially in Eclogues, where shepherds discuss love in idyllic settings.
- Mythology: Reflects the admiration for Greco-Roman culture, whose characters were familiar to educated individuals.
Garcilaso de la Vega
Garcilaso de la Vega, the most representative poet of the Renaissance spirit, introduced Petrarchism, influencing later poetry. He embodied the ideal courtier.
Life
A nobleman descended from the Marquis de Santillana, Garcilaso served as a soldier-poet under Charles V. At the wedding of Isabella of Portugal, he met Isabel Freyre, who inspired many of his love poems. He was banished to an island in the Danube and later to Naples, where he connected with Italian poets. He died at 36.
Work
His life and works were brief, comprising around 40 sonnets and three Eclogues.
- Eclogue I: The most valued, featuring shepherds (Salicio and Nemoroso) expressing their grievances. Salicio laments Galatea’s disdain, while Nemoroso mourns Elisa. Garcilaso sings of his own beloved.
- Eclogue II: Tells the story of two unfortunate lovers, Albino (possibly representing the Duke of Alba) and the shepherdess Camila. It is the longest and least celebrated.
- Eclogue III: Four nymphs weave tapestries depicting tragic love stories, including that of Nemoroso and Elisa (Garcilaso and Isabel Freyre).
Thanks to Juan Boscán, Garcilaso’s friend, his poetry gained wide circulation and became a model at the University of Salamanca. Like Manrique, Garcilaso is a poet among poets.
Love and Nature in Garcilaso’s Poetry
Unhappy love is central to his lyric, making his poetry intimate. Nature, idealized, always accompanies his characters.
Style
His work established a Renaissance poetic style, elegant and natural.
Lyric Poetry in the Second Half of the 16th Century
This period incorporated religious and moral themes, with authors like Fray Luis de León, Saint Teresa of Ávila, and Saint John of the Cross. Fernando de Herrera continued the themes of love, nature, and mythology in a cultivated style. This era is also known as the second Christian rebirth or Renaissance.
- Salamanca School: Favored natural and elegant language, focusing on moral and philosophical themes (Fray Luis de León).
- Seville School: More cultured, seeking formal beauty and resonant language, with secular subjects (Fernando de Herrera).
Fray Luis de León
His poetry synthesizes Renaissance culture and Christian thought, exploring moral issues influenced by Plato and his stoicism: a desire to achieve virtue.
Life
His life reflects the tensions between Renaissance humanism and the sensibilities of civil and ecclesiastical powers. A learned humanist, he taught theology at the University of Salamanca. The Inquisition condemned him for defending the reading of the Bible in its original language.
Work
He translated Hebrew and Latin texts and wrote prose on religious and moral themes.
Poetry
Mostly odes, songs of praise written in liras, introduced by Garcilaso. His songs show classical influence. He also composed an epic poem.
Style
Similar to Garcilaso’s, natural and elegant, but also influenced by Horace in its phrasing and use of cultisms.
San Juan de la Cruz
Mystical poetry expresses the soul’s union with the divine. St. John of the Cross conveys this union through symbols.
Life
From a poor family, he was supported by a nobleman, allowing him to study philosophy and theology at the University of Salamanca as a Carmelite. He met Fray Luis de León and accessed his Bible translations. He was imprisoned, accused by fellow Carmelites wary of his religious renewal efforts.
Mystical Poetry
His poetry, like that of St. Teresa, expresses the experience of union with God. It centers on religious experience, advocating asceticism and purification of the soul through prayer, sacrifice, and separation from worldly vanities. Asceticism is presented as a path accessible to all.
Poetry
Manuscripts of his work circulated among religious orders, with textual variants. His early poetry often resembles traditional love poems, given religious meaning with slight modifications (divine poetry). His later writings reflect the path to union with God.
Style
He created a daring poetic language of symbols drawn from human love, the Bible, and nature. His language is emotional, expressive, and intense, influenced by traditional lyricism, Garcilaso, Fray Luis, and the Bible.