Spanish Literature of the Early Renaissance: Idealism, Realism, and Spirituality
Spanish Literature of the Early Renaissance
1. The Idealist Narrative
The idealist narrative presents an idealized world with fantastic characters and implausible plots.
1.1 The Romance of Chivalry
Originating in medieval times, the chivalric genre flourished during the sixteenth century. Key works include:
- Tirant lo Blanc (1490): Written in Catalan and later translated into Castilian, Cervantes considered it one of the best books for its style.
- Amadis of Gaul (1508): Published by Garcia Rodriguez, it is the quintessential Spanish chivalry novel, characterized by fantastical elements.
1.2 The Pastoral Novel
Of Italian origin (c. 1504), pastoral novels depict the amorous misadventures of idealized shepherds in idyllic settings. Jorge de Montemayor’s Diana is a seminal work in Castilian. Gaspar Gil Polo continued Montemayor’s work. Cervantes published the first part of his pastoral novel La Galatea in 1585.
1.3 The Byzantine Novel
These are tales of love, travel, and adventure featuring separated lovers who endure hardship and ultimately reunite. The Story of the Loves of Clitophon and Leucippe by Achilles Tatius is a notable example.
1.4 The Moorish Novel
Evolving from border romances, Moorish novels are love stories featuring Moors and Christians, often involving imprisonment, separation, and reunion. The Story of Abencerraje and the Beautiful Jarifa is a key work.
2. The Realist Novel
Realist novels present everyday aspects of life, even those considered lowbrow. These stories, following the path of La Celestina, represent a significant innovation in the development of the modern novel.
2.1 Francisco Delicado: The Andalusian Lozana
A milestone in realistic narrative, The Andalusian Lozana features a prostitute and pimp who establish themselves in a corrupt and immoral Rome. The work transcribes everyday speech, rejecting the precepts of rhetoric.
2.2 The Picaresque Novel
Key works of the picaresque subgenre include: Lazarillo de Tormes (anonymous), Guzmán de Alfarache (Mateo Alemán), and El Buscón (Francisco de Quevedo). These novels are characterized by:
- A low-status protagonist, the rogue, serving multiple masters.
- A fictional autobiography told retrospectively from childhood to adulthood.
- Realistic portrayal of a wide and varied social landscape.
3. Lyric Poetry in the Early Renaissance
Lyric poetry underwent significant evolution in both theme and form, largely thanks to Garcilaso de la Vega.
Garcilaso de la Vega
Though brief, his work is of high quality, consisting of eclogues, sonnets, elegies, songs, and an ode. Garcilaso successfully introduced Italian forms of poetry to Spanish. A Petrarchan poet in both form and content, he prioritized lyrical emotion. His work primarily focuses on the theme of love, with poems written during his beloved Elizabeth’s life (in vita) expressing the pain of unrequited love and jealousy, and poems written after her death (in morte) conveying a painful love for its impossibility.
4. Moral and Religious Poetry
The 15th century saw the flourishing of ascetic and mystical literature in Spain, influenced by the Counter-Reformation and the revitalization of Renaissance themes.
Asceticism and Mysticism
- Asceticism: Focuses on spiritual exercises and the rejection of worldly pleasures.
- Mysticism: Emphasizes the direct experience of divinity.
Paths to Union with God
- Purification: Cleansing the soul through penance.
- Illumination: The soul is enlightened by special knowledge.
- Union: The soul merges with God in ecstasy.
Fray Luis de León
Known for both prose and verse, his prose work includes The Perfect Wife and The Names of Christ. His verse, though sparse, demonstrates masterful handling of the ode, exploring ascetic and philosophical themes, such as the simple life and contempt for material goods. His style reflects the Renaissance spirit, emphasizing formal simplicity, harmony, and careful preparation.