16th-Century Spanish Prose: A Golden Age Overview
16th-Century Spanish Prose
Didactic Prose: The Dialogue
A quintessential Renaissance genre, the dialogue, tied to the spread of Erasmian ideology, championed a practical literature focused on education. Key authors include:
- Alfonso de Valdés: Influential in court circles, much like Erasmus, he led intellectual and religious groups.
- Juan de Valdés: His work, first published in the 18th century, comprises eight parts and features a natural, unpretentious style, reflecting his motto, “write as I speak.“
Miscellaneous Works
These works address diverse themes and didactic purposes, serving as precursors to the essay. Notable authors include:
- Juan Huarte de San Juan: Known for his work, Examen de ingenios.
- Fray Antonio de Guevara: Author of Epístolas familiares.
- Melchor de Santa Cruz: Author of Floresta española.
Historiography
Historiography encompasses the study of historical writings, their sources, and authors. Important figures include:
- Father Mariana: Aimed to share Spanish history internationally.
- Hernán Cortés: His letters documented the American conquest, seeking the emperor’s favor.
- Bernal Díaz del Castillo: Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España offers a straightforward account of Spanish triumphs and setbacks against the natives.
- Fray Bartolomé de las Casas: Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias defends the indigenous people.
Prose Fiction: The Novel
Books of Chivalry: Amadis de Gaula
Published in 1508, Amadis de Gaula extols knightly ideals, featuring a valiant hero dedicated to justice and serving his lady. The narrative follows Amadis, abandoned as a baby, raised by a Scottish gentleman, and his quest to uncover his origins. In love with Oriana, he fathers Esplandian, whose adventures continue in subsequent volumes. The protagonist embodies both heroic and lyrical elements, representing the quintessential invincible knight. Written in elegant, courtly prose, the style is marked by clarity, simplicity, and romanticized syntax.
The Moorish Novel
These novels draw inspiration from the final stages of the Reconquista, set against the backdrop of Granada and its surroundings. Characters embody nobility, beauty, and courage. Notable works include Historia del Abencerraje y la hermosa Jarifa.
The Italian Short Story
Inspired by Italian novellieri, this genre features Juan de Timoneda, author of El Patrañuelo, who elevated the short story as a narrative form.
The Picaresque Novel
The picaresque novel centers on a rogue, a lowborn individual driven by social advancement. Autobiographical in form, it follows the rogue’s adventures. The open structure features loosely connected scenes, reflecting the deterministic influence of the rogue’s origins. The “technique of entanglement” incorporates traditional and popular elements. The narrative justifies the protagonist’s dishonorable situation, offering social critique and realism.
Pastoral Novel
Popular in the latter half of the 16th century, the pastoral novel, inspired by Virgil’s Arcadia, presents an idealized world where shepherds embody inner peace. Poetic in nature, it features protagonists navigating love troubles within a serene setting. Melancholy, mythological elements, and lyrical prose characterize the genre. Key works include Jorge de Montemayor’s Los siete libros de la Diana, Gaspar Gil Polo’s Diana enamorada, Cervantes’s La Galatea, and Lope de Vega’s Arcadia.
The Byzantine or Adventure Novel
These novels recount a series of adventures culminating in the reunion of lovers or family. Notable works include Jerónimo Contreras’s Selva de aventuras and Cervantes’s Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda.
Lazarillo de Tormes
Published in 1554, Lazarillo de Tormes is a cornerstone of the Spanish Golden Age. Its authorship remains unknown, with various attributions suggested. The autobiographical novel, written as a letter, follows Lázaro, a boy of humble origins, who becomes a rogue to survive. Serving various masters, each embodying a form of vice, Lázaro eventually secures a job and marries, only to face his wife’s infidelity. The novel’s structure, comprising a prologue and seven treatises, traces Lázaro’s moral and social trajectory. The narrative’s time and rhythm shift, reflecting Lázaro’s experiences. Themes of honor, hunger, and religion are explored through Lázaro’s interactions with his masters. The novel’s style is characterized by simplicity, colloquialisms, and rhetorical devices.