Renaissance Literature in Spain: A Golden Age of Prose and Poetry
Garcilaso de la Vega
Life
Representing the Renaissance ideal of the gentleman: military man (brave warrior) and scholar (great poet). His lifelong love, Isabel Freire, inspired his love poetry.
Works
He penned over 50 poems, including 8 sonnets and three Eclogues (pastoral works). Key themes include his love for Isabel Freire, female beauty, idealized nature, and carpe diem: the exhortation to enjoy youth before old age.
Style
Garcilaso’s poetry signifies a profound renewal of poetic language, embodying elegance, naturalness, and harmony. He uses mythological references and carefully chosen adjectives and epithets, emphasizing serene and beautiful aspects of reality. His Renaissance poetry often features bucolic settings.
San Juan de la Cruz
Life
A mystical poet and Carmelite friar, he collaborated with St. Teresa of Jesus to renew the Carmelite Order, leading to conflicts with reform opponents. He was imprisoned for eight months.
Works
His religious works comprise poetry and prose commentaries. Key poems include the lyrical works: “Spiritual Canticle,” “Dark Night of the Soul,” and “Living Flame of Love.”
Style
He blends Renaissance aesthetics with popular lyricism, using symbols, comparisons, metaphors, and antitheses to express the ineffable mystical experience of union with God. He also employs alliteration and oxymoron.
The Rise of the Novel
The novel solidified its place in European literature throughout the 16th century. While long prose narratives (chivalric and romantic novels) existed in the late 15th century, the modern novel emerged in the 16th century, promoting leisure reading.
Novel Types of the Renaissance
- Novels of Chivalry: Adventures of a gentleman in exotic locales, with complex plots.
- Sentimental Novels: Idealized love between a gentleman and a lady.
- Moorish Courtly Novels: Idealized love between Moors and Byzantine Greeks or Christians.
- Picaresque Novel: Autobiographical account of a rogue, characterized by realism and a rich plot, often with an unheroic ending. Lazarillo de Tormes exemplifies this genre; its author is unknown, possibly due to its critique of the Church.
The Renaissance
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Renaissance and Baroque movements dominated Spain and much of Europe. The Renaissance, originating in 14th-century Italy, revived classical culture through the study and appreciation of ancient Greek and Roman works. Several historical changes marked a new era: the Modern Age.
- Creation of an Empire: Annexation of Navarre and the ascension of Charles I, inaugurating the Habsburg dynasty. This empire included Austria, parts of France, the Netherlands, and northern Italy. Charles I’s son, Philip II, inherited the Portuguese crown and its overseas territories.
- Geographical Discoveries: Exploration of Asia and America.
- Rise of the Bourgeoisie: Development of cities and growth in commerce, industry, and banking.
- The Reformation: Martin Luther’s proposed reforms to the Catholic Church, known as the Protestant Reformation, along with reforms by King Henry VIII of England, led to religious upheaval in Europe. The Pope convened the Council of Trent, initiating the Counter-Reformation.
- Shift from Scholasticism to Platonism: Renaissance thinkers embraced Plato’s philosophy, leading to the Platonic ideal—a formula adopted by many writers and artists—emphasizing the beauty of material beings and love. This resulted in the idealization of nature and romantic love.
- Standardization of the Castilian Language: The Castilian language became the established literary language.
Fray Luis de León
Life
An Augustinian friar, he became a professor at the University of Salamanca at age 32.
Works
His notable works include six odes, which synthesize religious and intellectual Renaissance themes. His prose works include “The Perfect Wife” and “In the Name of Christ.” He also translated biblical texts, including the Song of Solomon.
Style
Fray Luis’s verse is characterized by naturalness, harmony, and clarity. He favors concise and direct expression, using relatively few metaphors but ample adjectives. He employs enjambment and occasionally hyperbaton to convey the anguish of human existence separated from heaven. His style shares Renaissance characteristics with Garcilaso’s work.