Joseph Cadalso’s Moroccan Letters: 18th-Century Spain
Joseph Cadalso’s *Moroccan Letters*: An Insight into 18th-Century Spain
Letters of Joseph Cadalso, also known as *Moroccan Letters*, is a work written in the 18th century. It coincides with the Enlightenment, a cultural movement born in France, based on reason as the primary way of acquiring knowledge. The Enlightenment rejected the ideas of the Old Regime, making way for new forms of thought, the “lights.” Some of its most outstanding features are:
- The promotion of science and the experimental method.
- Travel, considered a way of learning about other cultures.
- Emphasis on the utilitarian, since what is useful leads to progress.
- An educational desire that seeks to educate and raise the cultural level of the people.
At this time, most writers intended to disseminate, through their works, the ideas of the Enlightenment, so that teaching and learning genres were given more consideration than any other. Three writers stand out:
- Feijoo, who emphasized in his works the search for truth through reason and experience.
- Jovellanos, who summarized all aspects of 18th-century literature, trying to demonstrate the need for renewal.
- Joseph Cadalso, whose Enlightenment is not so radical, but a variant of its revolutionary ideology. He intended to unite all the new ideas of the Enlightenment with Spanish tradition.
Cadalso intended to critique the nation, looking for the causes that produced the crisis and decline of his country, Spain. He criticizes Spain’s transition from a great nation that has been crumbling over time. In his work, we can highlight his patriotism. His love for his country is evident. He makes no claims about his religion. He represented the theme of enlightened despotism: “everything for the people, but without the people.”
Structure and Characters of *Moroccan Letters*
The Moroccan Letters are a collection of ninety letters with three correspondents:
- Gazel, a Moroccan who travels to Spain and writes about what he sees to his master.
- Ben-Beley, Gazel’s master, who remains in Africa.
- Nuño, a Spaniard whom Gazel has befriended. He is a universal citizen who identifies with Cadalso: he is progressive and loves his country; he is Christian and honest. Nuño serves as Gazel’s guide and helps him understand what he sees.
The three correspondents act as both senders and recipients. The two foreigners provide an overview of Spain, conducted by an outsider, untainted by nationalist prejudices.
Cadalso’s Critique of Spain
With these letters, Cadalso intends to make a “critique of the nation,” delving into what has caused the problems that have made his country, in his own words, “the skeleton of a giant.” Interestingly, he uses the image of Spain as a large house, formerly noble and strong, which has been crumbling over the years. Cadalso analyzes the causes of Spain’s decline and focuses attention on the long wars waged by Spain in the past and the backwardness of science. Although Cadalso believes that the delay between Spain and Europe can be overcome, he extends more on the country’s ills than on recommendations for improvement. He also draws attention to fixing things, only enough to return to the days of Ferdinand. Although the interest of the letters varies greatly, the whole is interesting because of the vision it gives of how an 18th-century Spaniard judges his country. Finally, from a modern perspective, this book can be difficult to understand for someone of our age.