Spanish Renaissance Literature: A Golden Age
History and Society
Charles I (1st Half of the 16th Century)
Son of Juana la Loca (who inherited Castile and Aragon) and Philip the Fair (who inherited the Netherlands), Charles I became Emperor appointed by the Pope. His arrival in Spain brought a strong humanistic culture, marking the assimilation of humanism into Spanish society. The discovery of America shifted trade from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
Philip II (2nd Half of the 16th Century)
The Lutheran movement expanded, leading to Protestantism. Spain allied with the papacy, defending Catholicism from the Council of Trent, beginning the Counter-Reformation. Importing books, studying abroad, and translating the Bible into the vernacular were prohibited. Religious fervor led to abundant religious literature and myths identifying Hispanic values with the concept of an old Christian, like chivalry. Honor became associated with religious heritage, social prestige, and an obsession with purity of blood (e.g., Lazarillo de Tormes).
Renaissance Culture
Renaissance culture reflects the assimilation of humanism, admiring classical Greco-Roman culture, national thinking, and a new spirituality. Influential humanists included Erasmus of Rotterdam and Baldassare Castiglione.
Aesthetics
Renaissance aesthetics focused on classical revival, valuing balance, serenity, smoothness, and naturalness. Art aimed for beauty, influenced by Aristotle and Plato.
Language and Literature
Renaissance language aimed for elegance and naturalness. In literature, admiration for Greco-Roman culture influenced aesthetics, Platonism, and the imitation of Greek and Latin writers.
Lyric Poetry
Three streams of lyric poetry emerged:
- Poetry of Songs: Courtly love.
- Traditional Poetry: Ballads and lyric songs.
- Italianate Poetry: Modeled after Petrarch. Garcilaso de la Vega renewed form and themes.
Themes
- Love: Non-fictional, secular or religious.
- Nature: Idealized (locus amoenus).
- Mythological: Reflecting admiration for Greco-Roman culture.
Garcilaso de la Vega
A Renaissance courtier and soldier, Garcilaso served Charles V. He loved Isabel Freire, referring to her as “Elisa” in his poems. Exiled for witnessing a royal wedding the king disapproved of, he fell in love with another woman and wrote about her. He died fighting in France seeking a royal pardon.
Works
Garcilaso’s brief output included 40 sonnets, 3 eclogues, and 4 songs.
- Eclogue I: Two shepherds, Salicio and Nemoroso, mourn their loves, reflecting Renaissance melancholy.
- Eclogue II: Tells of the unfortunate loves of Albania and Camila.
- Eclogue III: Introduces mythological themes and the love affair between Nemoroso and Elisa.
Themes and Style
Garcilaso’s themes include love and nature. His style is refined and simple.
Lyric Poetry of the Late 16th Century
Two schools emerged:
- Salamanca School (Fray Luis de León): Moral and philosophical themes.
- Seville School (Fernando de Herrera): Secular themes.
Religious poetry also arose:
- Ascetic: Dealing with eternal life.
- Mystical: Describing the soul’s union with divinity (purification, illumination, and union).
Fray Luis de León
A humanist, influenced by Plato, Virgil, and Horace, Fray Luis de León was imprisoned for five years. His prose works include The Perfect Wife and The Names of Christ. His poetry, mostly odes, has a moral tone. Ode to Retired Life recreates the ille beatus (happy one) theme. His work fuses Platonism and Christianity with a natural and elegant style.
San Juan de la Cruz
A mystic from a poor family, San Juan de la Cruz studied theology and became a Discalced Carmelite. Imprisoned by his former Carmelite brethren, he wrote mystical poetry expressing the soul’s union with divinity through ascetic purification.
Poetry
San Juan de la Cruz’s poems circulated among his community, leading to textual variations. Divine Poetry uses traditional love poems with religious modifications. His original poetry explores mystical experiences using symbols to express the ineffable. His major poems, written in liras, include Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle, and Living Flame of Love.
Style
San Juan de la Cruz created a new poetic language using symbols, emotional speech, and influences from traditional lyric and the Bible.
16th-Century Narrative
Two narrative trends existed:
Idealistic Novels
- Chivalric Romance: Set in the Middle Ages, featuring a knight as an epic hero (e.g., Amadis of Gaul).
- Pastoral Novel: Love stories between shepherds (e.g., Diana by Jorge Montemayor, Galatea by Cervantes).
- Byzantine Novel: Adventures of high-born lovers.
- Moorish Novel: Set in the Muslim world, exploring Moorish-Christian relations.
Realistic Novels
The picaresque novel emerged, culminating in Cervantes’ work.
Lazarillo de Tormes
Considered the first modern novel, Lazarillo introduced the picaresque genre, a realistic and critical novel. Narrated as an autobiographical epistle, it features a low-born protagonist who evolves throughout the story.
Picaresque Novel Features
- Autobiographical narration.
- Low-born protagonist, a thief aspiring to climb the social ladder.
- Alternating luck and misfortune.
- Real events and travels.
- Service to multiple masters.
Structure
Lazarillo consists of a prologue and seven treatises. The prologue introduces Lazarillo’s letter explaining his life to “Your Grace.” The treatises detail his experiences with different masters, culminating in his current situation with the Archpriest of San Salvador.
Themes and Style
Lazarillo explores social and religious criticism with mockery and humor. The style is natural, simple, and colloquial, offering a view of 16th-century society with sweet irony.