17th Century Spanish Literature: Gongora, Quevedo, and Lope
17th Century Spanish Literature
Luis de Góngora
Born in Cordoba to an illustrious family, Luis de Góngora studied at the University of Salamanca. Known for his unfriendly and arrogant demeanor, he was an enemy of Quevedo. His work, purely poetic, ranges in tone from serious and noble to humorous and burlesque.
Letrillas and Romances
His letrillas and romances (e.g., Da goods, Fortuna, cried the girl, sister Marikca) cover a variety of themes. Maintaining the vitality and charm of this verse form, Góngora also incorporates his developed language and elaborate style. In his romances (e.g., Tied to the hard bench, in Oran Served the King; Angelica and Medoro), he addresses themes of love, religion, and mythology.
Sonnets
Góngora’s sonnets explore themes of love, praise, and disappointment (e.g., While compete with your hair, Illustrious and beautiful Mary, the sweet mouth that invites love, etc.). They exhibit a perfect and complex structure, showcasing his formal artistry. He strives to create a distinct poetic language and achieve full verbal beauty. His vibrant and colorful poetry can be challenging to read.
Longer Poems
Fable of Polyphemus and Galatea
Written in 63 stanzas and based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, this poem tells the story of the Cyclops Polyphemus, who falls in love with the nymph Galatea. Jealous of the shepherd Acis, Polyphemus kills him by throwing a rock. Galatea then transforms her lover into a river. The poem’s originality lies in its perfect construction, modulation, and Góngora’s characteristic language.
The Solitudes
This poem features minimal narrative, beginning with the landfall of a young castaway scorned in love. The verses are difficult to understand. Dedicated to the Duke of Béjar, the poem remained unfinished. Góngora intended to structure it in four parts but only completed two solitudes, leaving the second unfinished.
Francisco de Quevedo
Born in Madrid, Francisco de Quevedo was a man of culture and political involvement, acutely aware of Spain’s decline. He was both a poet and a prose writer.
Poetic Work
- Love poems: Quevedo employs artifice and linguistic beauty to achieve great feeling and emotion.
- Metaphysical poetry: Explores vital anguish, the transience of life, and the presence of death (e.g., I watched the walls of my country).
- Moral poetry: Offers criticism and satirizes human flaws.
- Satirical poetry: Demonstrates inexhaustible wit and acuity, criticizing, ridiculing, and distorting (e.g., Once upon a man stuck a nose). Targets society, contemporary writers, myths, historical figures, and heroes.
Prose Works
- The Dreams: Consisting of five dreams and printed under the title Childhood Toys, this work critiques manners and vices while presenting a diverse array of characters.
- The Hustler: Considered Quevedo’s best prose work and a culmination of the picaresque genre, it narrates a series of episodes and misfortunes experienced by the protagonist, Don Pablos, in a challenging world.
17th Century Spanish Theater
The 17th-century Spanish theater is notable for its authors, the significance of their works, and their social impact. Lope de Vega significantly advanced the genre with his “new comedy.”
Characteristics of the New Comedy
- Does not adhere to the three unities of time, place, and action.
- Divided into three acts or “days.”
- Employs a mix of verse forms.
- Language adapts to each character.
- Includes songs and dances.
- Blends comedy and tragedy.
Themes and Topics
Plays explored mythological and pastoral subjects, often set in rural environments. The most important themes were love and jealousy, religious themes from the Bible, popular and national stories and legends of Spain, and honor, which remained crucial in this century, along with the value and purity of blood.
Social Value of Theater
Theater served as entertainment and a means of learning behavioral patterns. It also reinforced certain ideologies, including the defense of the monarchy, the maintenance of the social status quo, and the defense of Catholic rule.
Characters
- The King: Embodies authority and power.
- The Noble Knight: Rich and powerful.
- The Gallant Lover: Handsome, brave, and generous.
- The Lady: Noble and beautiful.
- The Lady’s Father/Brother/Husband: Defend her honor and may fight for it.
- The Villain: An honest, Christian peasant.
- The Gracioso (Funny Man): A materialistic and charlatan servant of low social status, uneducated, fond of eating and drinking, cowardly, and loyal to his master.
Lope de Vega
Born in Madrid, Lope de Vega was a writer and soldier whose life was filled with love affairs and disappointments. At 52, he became a priest but later fell in love again. He wrote poetry, prose, and drama.
Dramatic Work
- Plays of history and legends: e.g., Fuenteovejuna
- Plays of foreign affairs: e.g., The Grand Duke of Muscovy
- Comedies of intrigue and cloak and dagger: e.g., The Dog in the Manger
Features of Lope’s Drama
- Themes and topics: Love, honor, religious ideals, defense of the Crown, etc.
- Dramatic action: Great dynamism and vitality.
- Language and versification: Uses a mix of verse forms. His language is popular and accessible.
- Popularity: Appealed to the common people, incorporating traditional lyrical compositions.
Poetic Works
Lope’s poetic output is extensive and varied, encompassing themes of love, religion, and mythology. He employs traditional meters.
- Popular Lyrics: Skillful and beautiful poetry, often incorporated into his plays.
- Romances: The early ones deal with his youthful loves, while later ones exhibit great formal perfection and poetic beauty.
- Cultured Lyrics: Demonstrates his mastery of sonnets and a natural poetic language. His eclogues are often autobiographical, reflecting his later years.
- Epic: Covers a range of topics, from historical to romantic and religious.
Narrative Work
Lope’s narrative work includes pastoral and Byzantine novels, short stories in the style of Cervantes, and prose dialogues. His narrative often recounts episodes from his love life (e.g., La Dorotea), which tells the story of his youthful love for Elena Osorio while offering insights into the life of a writer.