Spanish Golden Age & Enlightenment Literature Highlights
Lope de Vega (1562-1635)
Founder of the ‘new comedy’, his works reflect this successful theatrical formula. His main characteristic is agility in action. Born in Madrid, he had a very intense life, with many love passions and great religious devotion. His works gave theatre great popularity.
Drama Types:
- Dramas of Unjust Power: Depict abuses by a nobleman in a rural area. In the end, the king dispenses justice, not favouring the villain. E.g., Fuenteovejuna.
- Swashbuckling Comedy (Comedia de Capa y Espada): Love affairs in an urban environment, intended to entertain. E.g., La dama boba.
- Tragedies: End with the violent death of the protagonists. E.g., El caballero de Olmedo.
Tirso de Molina (1584-1648)
His real name was Fray Gabriel Téllez, and he was a friar of the Mercedarian Order, which prevented him from achieving fame as a playwright. In 1625 (not 1926), he was reprimanded for writing secular works. He followed the features of Lope’s ‘new comedy’. His female characters are determined and intelligent, seeking to defend their honour and requiring men to marry them. E.g., Don Gil de las calzas verdes. He is the author of El burlador de Sevilla; the protagonist is Don Juan, a young man who abandons women after conquering them. Finally, he is punished for his immoral behaviour.
Calderón de la Barca (1600-1681)
A major author of the Spanish Baroque, characterized by philosophical depth, which appears in dense and elaborate monologues. Born in Madrid, Philip IV (not V) named him a court playwright. He became a priest in 1651 and lived a life of solitude and contemplation thereafter.
Works:
- Honor Dramas: Husbands kill their wives over issues of honour. E.g., El alcalde de Zalamea.
- Swashbuckling Comedy: Love affairs based on mistakes or misunderstandings, with a happy ending. E.g., La dama duende or Casa con dos puertas, mala es de guardar.
- Philosophical Drama: Features a character whose adverse fate is announced before birth. Conflict between freedom and destiny. E.g., La vida es sueño.
The Enlightenment and Neoclassicism
The Enlightenment is the cultural movement that took place in Europe in the 18th century.
Characteristics:
- Reliance on reason and science; rejection of religious dogma.
- Associated with the bourgeoisie; questioned the privileges of nobles and clergy. Defended equality, freedom, and human dignity.
- Education is paramount for a fairer and more prosperous society.
In Spain, it arrived with the Bourbons and Enlightened Despotism, a form of government with the motto “Everything for the people, but without the people.” The literary current of the Enlightenment is called Neoclassicism, which intended didactic uses. The fable was employed. Authors include Iriarte and Félix María Samaniego.
The Essay in the Enlightenment
A prose genre in which the author gives a reasoned point of view on a topic. The essay was the most widely used genre for Spaniards to express their ideas.
Authors:
- Fray Benito Feijoo (1676-1764): Attempted to end superstition and false patriotism. E.g., Cartas eruditas y curiosas.
- José Cadalso (1741-1782): Criticized Spain’s backwardness in science and the idleness of the nobility. E.g., Cartas marruecas.
- Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811): Denounced that all land being in the hands of nobles caused Spain’s agricultural delay. E.g., Informe sobre la Ley Agraria.
Enlightenment Theatre
Theatre was considered the best means to educate the people and show them enlightened views.
Features:
- Form: Often in prose, sometimes verse.
- Verisimilitude: Plausible plots (conflicts of the time).
- Respect for the Rule of Three Unities: Single place, single day (time), single action (plot).
Example: Leandro Fernández de Moratín. His work El sí de las niñas addresses women’s right to choose their husbands, promoting a model of education based on freedom and respect.
18th Century Lyric Poetry
Poet: Juan Meléndez Valdés cultivated Rococo or Anacreontic poetry, which speaks of love, pleasure, and feminine beauty in an idealized natural setting.