Cervantes and 17th Century Spanish Prose: An In-Depth Look
Cervantes and 17th Century Spanish Prose
The 17th century saw a flourishing of prose in Spain, with Miguel de Cervantes and Francisco de Quevedo standing as the foremost creators in the field of narrative fiction. During this period, the idealistic novel of previous centuries lost ground to more realistic models, represented by Cervantes, the picaresque novel, and Baltasar Gracián. This century also witnessed a significant surge in historical prose, mysticism, and moral-political doctrine.
Cervantes’ Philosophy
Cervantes’ thought was shaped by the historical context of the Spanish Empire, the cultural transition from the Renaissance to the Baroque, and his own life experiences. The intellectual foundations of his worldview are found in Christianity, rationalism, faith in experience, and humanism. For Cervantes, reality can be interpreted from multiple angles. He never offers a single version of events but rather a plurality of visions. This leads to confusion between similar things and the difficulty in distinguishing between reality and appearance, sanity and madness. The dialogues in Cervantes’ novels and plays, placed in the mouths of his characters, serve as ideal instruments to channel discourse that challenges the politico-religious and dogmatic discourse of the time.
Cervantes’ Novelistic Approach
Cervantes revolutionized storytelling in his time, to the point of creating what is now considered the modern novel. His novels cast a critical gaze on the complex web of reality, aiming to both reflect and transform it. Cervantes’ novels are guided by an artistic and moral imperative: to be ingenious, plausible, and imitative of life.
Language and Style in Cervantes’ Works
Cervantes masterfully employed a grand display of polyphony and idiomatic registers in his works. The language reflects the diverse attitudes of the characters towards life. For Cervantes, good novelistic style should adhere to natural expression, avoiding excessive rhetoric, so that the reader obtains not only intellectual and moral benefit but also pleasure. He skillfully uses rhetoric, irony, humor, and parody, creating an agile and fluid style that leaves a deep impression of spontaneity and credibility on the reader.
Don Quixote: A Parody of Chivalric Romances
Don Quixote is a novel that parodies books of chivalry in a burlesque manner. It is divided into two parts, with 52 chapters in the first and 74 in the second. The story follows Alonso Quijano, a nobleman who loses his mind from reading too many chivalric romances. One day, he decides to become a knight-errant, imitating the books he loves. He adopts a new name, dons armor, and sets out on his horse, Rocinante, seeking adventures and his idealized lady, Dulcinea. He experiences numerous adventures along the way, and in the second part, Sancho Panza joins him. At the end, Don Quixote returns home, regains his sanity, confesses, makes his will, and dies three days later.
The Characters of Don Quixote
The novel features a vast array of characters, including 607 men and 52 women from all social strata. Don Quixote is a creation of another character, Alonso Quixano. This retired and bored gentleman invents the persona of the knight-errant. Don Quixote’s personality is complex; he is a mad visionary but also has moments of lucidity when he speaks sensibly. His personality evolves throughout the novel. Sancho Panza’s personality emerges to highlight that of Don Quixote through dialogue. Sancho, a simple man, leaves his family and follows Don Quixote because he sees it as an opportunity to make a fortune and improve his social standing.