Pastoral and Picaresque Novels: Origins and Evolution
Pastoral Novels: From Antiquity to the Renaissance
The pastoral novel, with roots in depictions of shepherds from the Annunciation, experienced significant evolution. In the Middle Ages, shepherds often appeared as comedic and rustic figures. The modern age inherited this portrayal, often relegating them to secondary roles in contrast to idealized characters who dominated the plot.
The model for the pastoral novel is Arcadia, written by Jacopo Sannazaro. It presents an unstructured narrative where the author becomes a character. This depicts a harmonious world, where life is idyllic in villages populated by nymph-like characters. The shepherds dedicate themselves to singing, dancing, contemplating nature, and engaging in love, often unrequited. Pastoral novels are rich in poetry, which forms the very core of the narrative.
However, this ideal world eventually crumbles, and the characters experience unrequited love, sometimes leading to suicide.
Jorge de Montemayor’s Diana blends elements of chivalry, introducing a magician character who resolves the characters’ ailments.
In France, around 1607, Astrea highlighted the social distinctions between nymphs (representing the aristocracy) and shepherds (representing the common people).
In England, writing an Arcadia became a hallmark of high culture.
Picaresque Novels: The Rise of the Rogue
It’s crucial to distinguish between the *knave* as a literary motif and the *picaresque novel*, which originated in Spain in the mid-16th century. The picaresque novel provided a model that was widely imitated. The genre spread throughout Europe, undergoing significant adaptations and original works. This led to a striking ideological shift, transforming the rogue into a kind of recycled hero.
While the use of rogues as characters dates back to the 16th century, the term “picaresque” didn’t gain widespread use until the 17th century. It designates a negative social type: a young man of low and marginal status, socially inferior, often poorly dressed, and lacking honor. He is highly mobile, constantly seeking to make a living, often through criminal activities or actions that raise suspicion.
Characteristics of the Early Picaresque Novel
Key Features:
- It is an autobiographical narrative written in prose, without interspersed verses.
- It is relatively short.
- It employs a writing style typical of the 16th century.
The autobiographical format serves as an excuse for the character to explain his life, often prompted by someone’s inquiry.
While individual episodes may draw from earlier traditions, the author unifies them. The character undergoes internal evolution, making it arguably the first example of a novel with a developing protagonist. The story begins with his childhood, followed by his life as a subordinate and inferior character—a type previously relegated to secondary or comedic roles.
His life is intertwined with the stories of his masters, with particular emphasis on the first three: a blind man, a priest, and a gentleman. His childhood, though of low caste and marked by his father’s execution and his mother’s relationship with a black man (a figure associated with slavery at the time), is depicted as a time of love and strong family values. His mother’s farewell is a loving and significant moment.
From the blind man, he learns to be distrustful, avoiding sentimentality and those who offer nothing. He learns survival skills, especially how to obtain food. The theme of hypocrisy is central, reflecting changing values and societal pretense.
The second master, the cleric, further exemplifies hypocrisy, starving Lazarillo—a portrayal reminiscent of Erasmus’s critiques (This item is made to believe that the author is Erasmus).
The progression through different masters represents a shift in social strata: common people, clergy, and nobility. However, this upward movement doesn’t lead to material improvement but rather to degradation, highlighting the pervasive hypocrisy.
The gentleman, though educated and caring towards Lazarillo, experiences such material decline that their roles reverse. Lazarillo ends up supporting the gentleman, demonstrating the protagonist’s significant emotional depth and values.