European Literature: Shakespeare, Molière, Lope de Vega & More
European Literature: A Journey Through Time
Shakespeare (1564-1616)
Little is known about the private life of the universal playwright William Shakespeare. Born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he had a broad cultural background but did not attend college. By 1592, he resided in London, where he devoted himself to the theater as a member of the King’s Men and as a theatrical entrepreneur. His renowned tragedies include Hamlet, Macbeth, and Romeo and Juliet, while his celebrated comedies include A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Molière (1622-1673)
French actor Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known as Molière, is considered the creator of French comedy, renewing the traditions of classical theater. In his comedies, Molière satirized the conduct of certain individuals, offering humorous social criticism. His main works include Tartuffe, The Miser, The Imaginary Invalid, and The Misanthrope.
Lope de Vega (1562-1635)
Lope de Vega, also known as “The Phoenix of the Wits,” was a prolific writer. In addition to narrative and lyric poetry, he is credited with over four hundred plays. Lope de Vega’s theater appealed to all social classes, earning him the title of creator of the national comedy.
Characteristics of Lope de Vega’s Theater:
- He drew inspiration from diverse sources.
- His works are characterized by a predominance of action that unfolds rapidly, keeping the viewer engaged.
- His dialogues are infused with lyricism, and the characters’ language is full of musical rhythm and expressiveness.
Notable works in Lope de Vega’s vast production include Fuente Ovejuna and The Dog in the Manger.
Born in Madrid, Lope de Vega served as a soldier in his youth but primarily worked as a secretary to nobles. His passionate love affairs, which even led him into exile, contrasted with his intense religious fervor (he was ordained in 1614). However, this did not prevent him from engaging in extramarital affairs. His creative genius manifested not only in theater but also in novels, lyrical compositions, traditional love sonnets, and religious sonnets.
Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681)
Born in Madrid, Calderón de la Barca attended college and quickly gained fame as a playwright. In 1651, he was ordained and focused on writing morality plays and courtly pieces. Protected by Philip IV, he was appointed chaplain to the Cathedral of Toledo. Back in Madrid, he continued his theatrical work until his death. Calderón was the last major dramatist of the Spanish Baroque.
At the beginning of his career, he followed the pattern established by Lope de Vega but soon introduced greater reflection into his works, moving away from the freshness and liveliness of Lope’s plays.
Characteristics of Calderón’s Theater:
- More aristocratic than Lope’s, it is also more complex.
- It presents greater ideological depth and appeals to a cultured minority.
Luis de Góngora (1561-1627)
Born in Córdoba to a wealthy family, Góngora studied grammar in his hometown and law in Salamanca, where he gained fame as a poet. In 1609, he retired to Córdoba, where he wrote his greatest poems. He partially achieved his literary goals, as his work sparked a debate that divided authors into Gongorists and anti-Gongorists. Ordained in 1617, he died in Córdoba in 1627.
In his ballads and folk songs, he explored love and religious themes, including criticism of poets like Lope de Vega and Quevedo. However, the uniqueness of his art truly shines in his later Gongoristic poems and some of his sonnets. The Solitudes and Polyphemus and Galatea are two long compositions in a cultivated style that feature numerous mythological references.
Author of over 167 sonnets, Góngora explored mythological, love, satirical, burlesque, religious, and moral themes.
Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645)
Born in Madrid to a noble family established in court, Quevedo studied at Alcalá de Henares and Valladolid, where he gained recognition as a writer. He briefly devoted himself to diplomacy and participated in political activities throughout his life, which sometimes led to exile and even imprisonment. A declared enemy of Góngora, he exchanged numerous satirical writings with the Cordoban poet.
Quevedo died in Villanueva de los Infantes in 1645. Alongside Góngora, he is considered one of the most outstanding poets of Spanish literature, both for his serious compositions and his mocking verses.
Characteristics of Quevedo’s Poetry:
- Sharpness of thought
- Wordplay
- Intensity of emotions
Many of Quevedo’s satirical and burlesque texts are intended as social criticism. In his love poetry, he addressed the theme of love from both a philosophical and Petrarchan perspective. Other poems offer philosophical reflections on life and the passage of time.