Renaissance and Spanish Literature: Garcilaso and Fray Luis de León
The Renaissance: A Cultural Rebirth
The Renaissance defines the entire social and cultural period following the Middle Ages. It refers to the rebirth of classical studies and the veneration of Greco-Latin authors. This phenomenon, known as humanism, was used in that epoch to refer to the cultural movement in Italy that began to consider man the center of the universe. Key features of this period include:
- Highlighting the dignity of man as the center of the world, replacing the previous theocentric view of a stratified society.
- Intense vitality manifested in art and literature, almost pagan in the splendor of courts and palaces, celebrating pleasures, love, the universe, and nature.
- Rationalism as a hallmark of the time, with confidence in the power of reason, explaining the birth of fruitful ideas like progress.
- A desire for religious renewal, culminating in the fragmentation of the Christian church with the Lutheran Reformation. The ideal proposed was a return to purity and a defense of evangelical religiosity based on free individual examination.
Spain in the 16th Century
The political situation at the beginning of the 16th century was confusing. King Charles I arrived in Spain in 1517, and his policy, focused on non-Castilian interests, coincided with the need to meet various taxes to fund his foreign policy. These economic difficulties worsened in the second half of the century during the reign of Philip II. Spanish humanism reached its peak during this time, with the arrival of important Italian humanists. However, their influence fell into disgrace due to the Catholic reaction to Protestantism.
Garcilaso de la Vega (1501-1536)
Garcilaso de la Vega was born in Toledo. His life took place during the reign of Charles I. He married in 1525, and the following year he met Isabel Freire, with whom he fell deeply in love. Her death left a lasting impact on his poetry. He was banished to an island, and his stay in Italy was decisive, as he became associated with important humanists there.
Works
His work is concise, consisting of 3 eclogues, 40 sonnets, and 4 songs. These works contain the essence of his style in terms of genre, themes, and metrics.
- Sonnets: The theme of love in his sonnets follows the style and topics of the lyric of songs.
- Eclogues: Generally, his eclogues are compositions of bucolic love poetry.
- Eclogue I: The shepherds Salicio and Nemoroso express their sorrow over the disdain and death of their beloved, respectively.
- Eclogue II: Four nymphs embroider cloth depicting the historical path of love and death.
Themes
- A conception of Platonic love, the indifference of the lady, and the pain of the lover. His poetry conveys a feeling of sincerity, combining personal feelings and literary rhetoric.
- Nature as a confidant that listens to and consoles the shepherds.
Style
His poetic language conforms to the Renaissance ideals of naturalness and elegance. His language is simple, smooth, and natural, seeking a balance between passion and restraint. His tone is sweet, sad, and melancholic. Examples include Sonnet XIII and Sonnet XXIII.
Fray Luis de León (1527-1591)
Fray Luis de León was born in Cuenca. He became a friar in the convent of Salamanca, studied theology, and was a professor. Due to disputes, he ended up in jail, charged with translating the Song of Songs into Castilian.
Works
He wrote four important works in Castilian. In two of his works, he translated biblical texts.
- The Names of Christ: A dialogue in which three characters discuss the names the Bible gives to Christ. It is written in the vernacular for dissemination to readers.
- The Perfect Wife: A treatise in which he exposes his concept of the ideal wife.