Medieval Society and the Rise of the Picaresque
Context of the Middle Ages (5th-15th Centuries)
Key Developments:
- Emergence of universities as intellectual centers, replacing convents.
- Struggle between Moors and Christians.
Medieval Society:
Medieval society was hierarchically organized, with the king at the top, representing earthly and divine powers. The social strata included:
- Nobility: Dedicated to war and hunting, served the king, owned land and wealth.
- Clergy: Indoctrinated people, preserved and transmitted culture, fostered the rise of universities within monasteries.
- Common People: Majority of the population, engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, and handicrafts. Lacked rights and many lived in near-slavery.
By the 15th century, the emergence of the bourgeoisie led to a crisis in political ideology and medieval society.
Feudalism
Feudalism was the political-economic system of medieval society, with two key elements:
- Serfdom: Vassals offered services in exchange for protection from the lord.
- Benefit: Payment for services, usually through land grants.
Medieval society was theocentric, with God as the center and significant church influence.
Literary Developments:
- Literary works were written in Romance languages (derived from Vulgar Latin).
- Emergence of literary works written in prose.
- Spanish medieval literature was composed to be heard due to widespread illiteracy.
The Count Lucanor
Features:
- Prevalence of cultured forms of the vernacular.
- Varied subjects treated with humor (fables, stories, legends, advice to kings).
- Stories as examples with morals, influenced by oriental fables.
- Importance of oral transmission.
- Didactic or moralistic purpose.
The Renaissance (16th Century)
Background:
Return to the humanities derived from classical Greek and Roman culture, originating in Italy and spreading throughout Europe.
Key Events in Spain:
- Union of Castile and Aragon under Ferdinand and Isabella.
- Establishment of the Inquisition (1478).
- Conquest of Granada (1492).
- Expulsion of Jews (1492).
- Catholic Church reform.
- Discovery of America (1492).
- Introduction of printing in Spain (1474).
- Publication of the first Spanish grammar (1492).
Literary Figures
The Hero
A noble figure entrusted with a mission. The hero faces opponents and receives help from others while pursuing their objective.
- Noble lineage.
- Represents an ideal person.
- Honored by society.
- Exaggerated qualities and flaws.
The Antihero
The antithesis of the hero, lacking morals and focused on survival. This figure emerged in picaresque tales criticizing 16th-century society.
- Dishonest, spiteful, and vindictive.
- Uses cunning for survival.
- From a family with poor values.
- Often resorts to begging and theft.
The Picaresque Novel
Key Features:
- First-person narrator recounting misadventures.
- Marginal protagonist driven to an unscrupulous life by need.
- Epistolary format.
- Transformation of an innocent child into a rogue.
- Comical and satirical tone.
- Critique of social and medieval values.
- Believable fictional world.
Lazarillo de Tormes
Written around 1525-1540 in Spain, with an anonymous author. Published in 1554 and later banned by the Inquisition. Divided into a prologue and seven chapters. Considered a social satire against various social classes or a humorous work. Notable for its realism and focus on the protagonist’s experiences. Central themes include begging, hunger, and poverty. Lazarillo, a boy leading a blind man, embodies the antihero.
Lázaro as Antihero
Lázaro comes from a poor family, uses cunning to survive, and resorts to theft and deception.
Communicative Situations
Context:
Specialized daily.
Event:
Objective, rules of interaction, audience, language, theme, tone (formal and informal), speech acts.
Verbal Situations:
Oral interaction (formal or informal), modalities (dialogue or monologue), channels (direct, delayed).