Renaissance and Golden Age of Spanish Literature
Renaissance
Overview
The Renaissance, a transformative period between the 15th and late 16th centuries, marked a transition from the medieval to the modern age. Initially known as “humanism,” this era witnessed a revival of classical literature and arts, alongside a shift in human ideals and aspirations.
Circumstances
- The fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks
- Expansion of trade and commerce
- Rise of wealthy bankers and powerful merchants
Causes of the Renaissance
- Decline of religious influence and rise of individualism
- Flourishing of arts and sciences
- Development of new political and social philosophies
- Growth of trade and the discovery of America
Italian Renaissance Literature
Pioneering figures like Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio laid the groundwork for the Italian Renaissance. The Spanish Renaissance, beginning with the reign of Juan II (1406-1516), featured notable poets like Íñigo López de Mendoza, Marquis of Santillana.
Fernando de Rojas (1470-1541)
A Spanish dramatist, Rojas is renowned for La Celestina, a pivotal work in Spanish literature marking the transition between the medieval and Renaissance periods. He studied law at the University of Salamanca.
La Celestina
This tragicomedy revolves around Calisto’s love for Melibea and his enlisting of Celestina, an old woman, to help him win her affections.
Golden Age (1516-1681)
Overview
This period represents the richest and most complex era in Spanish literature. It was characterized by prosperity, the decline of feudalism, the influx of gold and silver from the Americas, and paradoxically, a time of impoverishment for the common people.
Key Authors
- Niccolò Machiavelli
- Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
- William Shakespeare
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
An Italian statesman and writer, Machiavelli’s The Prince, a treatise on political philosophy, has made his name synonymous with cunning and ruthlessness.
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616)
Known as the “Prince of Wits,” Cervantes is considered the foremost figure in Spanish literature. Born in Alcalá de Henares, he died in Madrid.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
An English poet and playwright, Shakespeare is regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. His notable works include Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece, and his renowned sonnets.
Representatives of the Golden Age
Juan Boscán (late 15th – early 16th century)
Born into a noble family in Barcelona, Boscán’s humanist works, influenced by classical literature, were published posthumously.
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501-1536)
Born in Toledo, Garcilaso served the emperor and produced a limited but influential body of work, earning him the title “Prince of Castilian Poetry.”
Gutierre de Cetina (1520-1557)
A prominent figure who embraced Renaissance ideals, Cetina is known as the “poet of love.”
Lope de Vega (1562-1635)
Considered the creator of the Spanish National Theater, Lope de Vega displayed a remarkable talent for writing and composition from a young age, earning him the nickname “Phoenix of the Wits.”
Lazarillo de Tormes (1554)
Overview
The publication of Lazarillo de Tormes marked the emergence of the picaresque novel, a genre characterized by:
- A roguish protagonist from a marginalized background who survives by his wits.
- A first-person narrative, often presented as an autobiography.
- A focus on the mischievous adventures of the rogue.
- A realistic portrayal of society’s harsh realities.
The novel’s anonymous authorship and social critique suggest the author may have been a Jewish convert or Erasmian. Written in the form of a letter, Lázaro recounts his life from his difficult childhood to his eventual social advancement and subsequent decline. Lazarillo de Tormes is considered a pioneering work of realist fiction and features an antihero as its protagonist.
Jorge Manrique and Verses on the Death of His Father
Jorge Manrique (1440-1479)
Manrique is the most prominent figure in 15th-century Castilian lyric poetry. His most famous work is Verses on the Death of His Father, an elegiac poem.
Structure
The poem consists of forty coplas, known as coplas manriqueñas. Each copla has twelve lines following the rhyme scheme ABCA BCADEDE DFDF. The poem can be divided into four parts:
- A meditation on the fleeting nature of life.
- Examples illustrating life’s transience.
- An evocation of Don Rodrigo Manrique (the father).
- A contemplation of joining his father in death.