Renaissance History, Society, and Culture in Spain
The Renaissance in Spain: History and Society
The Renaissance in Spain, coinciding with the reigns of Charles I and Philip II, spanned the expansive Spanish empire in Europe and America, marking the early stages of its decline. The gradual evolution of society during the Middle Ages culminated in the consolidation of new economic relationships, favoring the settlement of traders in villages, giving rise to the burguesia. The shift in mentality was even more profound: medieval pessimism gave way to a more optimistic era.
Society and Culture
Humanism spread across Europe from Italy, based on the educational model of antiquity, which aimed to provide individuals with a comprehensive general knowledge. The Renaissance emerged in Italy in the fifteenth century and expanded throughout the sixteenth century to Spain and other parts of Europe.
The Renaissance Man
The ideal Renaissance man, il cortegiano equilibrato, was expected to possess knowledge in three domains: war and politics, courtly refinement, and devotion to God.
Lyric Poetry (First Half of the Sixteenth Century)
In the early sixteenth century, poetry was still largely traditional, with Petrarchan influences prevalent since the fifteenth century. Juan Boscán and Garcilaso de la Vega played a significant role in the transition, introducing new meters and stanzas.
Forms and Themes
The soneto (sonnet) gained prominence, along with the hendecasyllable (eleven-syllable line). Common forms included the lira, tercetos hendecasyllables, the octava, and the estancia. Petrarchan lyrical themes centered on love, mythology, and nature.
Lyric Poetry (Second Half of the Sixteenth Century)
By mid-century, the influence of Garcilaso and Boscán led to the emergence of the Salamanca school, exemplified by Fray Luis de León, and the Sevillian school. Religious themes and mysticism gained renewed importance.
Garcilaso de la Vega
Garcilaso de la Vega embodied the Renaissance man, reflecting the ideals of the era. His work, though brief, introduced Italian metrics.
Sources of Influence:
- Sonnets (Petrarch)
- Eclogues (Virgil)
- Pastoral poetry
Themes:
- Platonic love (indifference of the lady, painful feelings, hope and hopelessness)
- Horatian themes (carpe diem / tempus fugit)
- Nature (locus amoenus)
- Mythology (love of Daphne and Apollo)
Style:
- Naturalness and grace, harmony and balance (rhyme and rhythm)
- Fresh, plain language
- Soft and melancholy tone
- Use of epithets, alliteration, metaphors, and hyperbaton
Fray Luis de León
Style:
- Elaborate
- Complex, with many figures of speech
- Hyperbaton, enjambment, and metaphors
Influences:
- Latin poets (Horace, Virgil, and Ovid)
- Garcilaso de la Vega
- The Bible
Asceticism:
Asceticism involves heeding God, purifying the soul by distancing oneself from earthly pleasures. It combines Platonism and Christianity, viewing earthly forms as imperfect copies of divine ideas, attainable through love.
Work:
- Prose and verse
- Lira
Themes:
- Religious, moral, and philosophical themes, treated with seriousness and gravity
- Nature, longing for withdrawal from the world (beatus ille), and moderate living, free from earthly passions
San Juan de la Cruz
San Juan de la Cruz is a recognized mystic poet of mystical literature.
Mysticism:
- Via Purgativa (Purification): Detachment from worldly pleasures.
- Via Illuminativa (Illumination): Experiencing divine light in darkness.
- Via Unitiva (Union): Union with God, resulting in ecstasy.
San Juan’s mystical poetry describes the soul’s union with God, achieved through stages of mystical experience. His most important work is the Cántico Espiritual (Spiritual Canticle).
Work:
Summit of religious and romantic poetry.
Themes:
- Human and divine love
- Platonism
Style:
- Metaphors
- Complicated simplicity
- Symbols
- Nouns
Influences:
Cultured poetry (traditional lyricism, Neoplatonism)