The Picaresque Novel: Characteristics, Reality, and Lazarillo de Tormes
1. The Emergence of the Picaresque Novel: Lazarillo de Tormes
Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and his fortunes and adversities is believed to have had an earlier edition in 1553, but no copies of this edition remain. The book quickly gained popularity and was reprinted numerous times. Its fame extended beyond Spain, leading to translations in French (1560), English (1576), Dutch (1579), German (1617), and Italian (1622). This work marked the beginning of a new literary genre, the picaresque novel, holding significant importance in Spanish literature during the Golden Age.
What is the Picaresque Novel?
The picaresque novel is a literary genre of prose narrative. This pseudo-autobiographical form is a distinctive characteristic of Spanish literature, even transcending into European literature. It emerged during the transition between the Renaissance and Baroque periods, within the Spanish Golden Age.
2. The Picaresque Novel and Reality
There’s a connection between the character of the picaresque novel (the rogue) and the real-life situations they experience. The word “rogue” comes from the Spanish word “pícaro,” meaning someone who is cunning and resourceful, often resorting to trickery or theft to survive. This connection to reality stems from the fact that these situations were part of everyday life.
3. Characteristics of the Rogue in Lazarillo and Picaresque Novels
All picaresque novels share commonalities in both characters and structure. The rogue is an antihero who embodies dishonor, living a life opposite to that of a gentleman. Often depicted as a street urchin resorting to begging, stealing, or cheating for money, the rogue desires to climb the social ladder, a feat they never achieve. They often face hunger and rely on their wit to survive in a hostile and cruel world, constantly alone.
Structural Features of Picaresque Novels:
- Autobiographical Narration: The rogue narrates their life from childhood to adulthood, offering a unique perspective on reality.
- Service to Different Masters: The narrative unfolds through a series of episodes where the rogue serves various masters.
Characteristics of the Picaresque Genre:
- The Rogue Protagonist: The protagonist is a rogue of low social standing, often born to dishonorable or marginalized parents, sometimes even criminals.
- False Autobiography: Narrated in the first person, the picaresque novel presents itself as a false autobiography of the protagonist. The antihero, posing as a repentant sinner, recounts their adventures with an intent to moralize, starting with their genealogy. This creates a duality where the rogue exists as both author and actor, reflecting on their past with the outcome already known.
- Determined but Unsuccessful: Despite striving for social improvement, the rogue always fails and remains trapped in their roguish existence. This open-ended structure allows for endless adventures, as no development can truly change their fate.
- Moralizing and Pessimistic Ideology: Each picaresque novel is told from a point of final disappointment, serving as a cautionary tale of deviant behavior leading to punishment. The genre draws heavily from religious rhetoric, using the rogue’s life as an “example” of wrongdoing that ultimately results in suffering or regret.
- Satirical Intent and Itinerant Structure: The picaresque novel critiques society at all levels through the protagonist’s wanderings. This itinerant structure allows the rogue to act as a spectator, witnessing the hypocrisy of their powerful masters and criticizing them from their position of disinheritance.
- Realism: The genre embraces realism, even when depicting unpleasant aspects of reality. It presents the world not as idealized, but as a source of ridicule or disappointment.
4. The Rogue as an Antihero
The statement “the rogue is an antihero” highlights the stark contrast with the idealized social reality of the time. This ironic, unheroic character emerged as a response to traditional chivalric romances. Instead of valiant knights and noble ladies, the picaresque novel presented “anticaballeros” and “antidamas,” reflecting the harsh realities of impoverished gentry, marginalized individuals, and social outcasts in countries like Spain. This stood in stark contrast to the romanticized world of knights and wealthy individuals who seemed oblivious to the struggles of the lower classes.