Spanish Baroque Literature: Quevedo and Calderón
Francisco De Quevedo
Moral-Philosophical Poems
Metaphysical Poetry
In these poems, the author expresses the tragic sense of life and the inherent contradiction of the Baroque spirit. Some poems express regret at the brevity of life and anxiety over the passage of time. In others, asceticism appears, portraying Christian life as a hoax and presenting a positive vision of death.
Moral Poems
These poems depict the corruption of the world and offer a serious satire of Spanish reality. His position is rooted in Stoicism, a philosophical doctrine established in Athens in the third century BC by Zeno of Citium. According to this philosophy, true happiness lies not in external objects but within the soul. Wisdom and self-control enable a person to be free from disturbing passions. The four principal virtues are wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance.
Religious Poems
Death is presented as a liberation, but the conflict between the author’s beliefs and feelings (often fearful) frequently appears.
Love Poems
Quevedo’s love poetry stems from the Petrarchan tradition and expresses the contradiction of portraying love as the only thing capable of overcoming death and trouble, while sometimes appearing as an unattainable ideal.
These compositions are among the most beautiful in Spanish poetry, despite the author’s alleged misogyny and the absence of any known real woman to whom they were dedicated. The poetic name “Lisi” appears in some works, but it does not seem to correspond to any real person.
Satirical and Burlesque Poetry
These poems revisit the themes explored in his serious poetry but employ mockery and satire. It is common to distinguish between satirical poetry, which presents a moral background, and burlesque poetry, which revels in debasing reality. The language of these poems is highly accomplished in its use of conceptism: puns, dilogy, difficult concepts, etc.
These poems are characterized by deformity, caricature, irony, hyperbole, contrast, and humor. Best known are the satires directed at literary enemies, especially Luis de Góngora, his rival and antagonist.
Pedro Calderón De La Barca
Calderón de la Barca was born in Madrid in 1600. He studied at Alcalá and Salamanca. King Philip IV appointed him in charge of the court theater. From 1651, the date on which he was ordained, his work focused on the production of religious plays. In 1663, he was appointed chaplain to the king and died in Madrid in 1681.
All of Calderón’s work belongs to the drama genre, encompassing approximately 80 comedies, 120 religious plays (autos sacramentales), and it continues the renewal initiated by Lope de Vega. His theater has certain peculiarities:
- The protagonist grows in importance, with the action and other characters subordinate to them.
- Calderón specializes in showcasing internal conflicts, often through monologues. These monologues are not mere expressions of feelings but rather explorations of the characters’ inner turmoil, frequently employing questions to express doubts.
- There is little variety in scenes and anecdotes, but the language is very elaborate.
- The stagecraft in his compositions is complex.
His works can be grouped by themes:
- Philosophical Drama: Life is a Dream
- Dramas of Spanish History or Legend: The Mayor of Zalamea
- Dramas of Honor: The Physician of His Honor, Secret Vengeance for a Secret Insult
- Religious Dramas: The Wonder-Working Magician
- Comedies of Manners (Swashbuckling): These plays develop around the theme of love, generally in an atmosphere of intrigue. The Phantom Lady, A House with Two Doors is Difficult to Guard
- Mythological Comedies: These usually feature complicated and dramatic scenery. Echo and Narcissus
- Autos Sacramentales: Brief one-act plays with allegorical characters that develop a religious issue related to communion. Calderón proved himself a master of this genre in works such as The Great Theater of the World and Belshazzar’s Feast.