Cervantes' Literary Masterpieces: La Galatea & Exemplary Novels

La Galatea

In 1585, Miguel de Cervantes published the first part of La Galatea, a pastoral novel whose central theme is love, presented through various cases. The narrative is set in a confined space and unfolds over a very short period (e.g., Erastro and Elicio's love for Galatea on the banks of the Tagus, over ten days).

Key Elements of La Galatea

• Interpolated Stories

  The work includes cases of love experienced by other shepherds, such as two pastoral, one tragic, and one Byzantine courtly love story.

• Poems

  Although primarily prose, the work incorporates a variety of love poetry, including praises and descriptions characteristic of the author's era.

• Debates

  The novel features philosophical debates about love.

Unfinished Nature

La Galatea is an unfinished work, with several unresolved stories, including the main plotline.

Exemplary Novels

Published between the first and second parts of Don Quixote, this collection comprises twelve stories. They are characterized by their blend of realism and idealism, critical and conformist perspectives, and a mix of mocking and serious tones. They incorporate various narrative models of the time and draw from popular folk material. Cervantes referred to these as 'novels' in the sense understood at the time: short stories following the model developed by Italian authors and translated into Castilian.

Structural and Thematic Features

The Exemplary Novels lack a common overarching framework; there is no single unifying link beyond their inclusion in the collection. Despite their apparent simplicity, they feature rich and complex narrative modes. An outstanding feature is the verisimilitude with which even the most extraordinary and outlandish events are presented. Many stories recount a love story, and themes of friendship are also present.

Notable Works

• The Fraudulent Marriage

  This novella develops themes of hypocrisy and deceit.

• Rinconete y Cortadillo

  Relationship to the Picaresque

  1. Presentation and the picaresque adventures of the two protagonists in different areas and for several days.
  2. The two young men stay in the courtyard of Monipodio, where their actions and attitudes as criminals are observed without witnesses.

  Key Features

  Rinconete's report conveys joy and wonder. Humor stems from the vivid 'custom box' (costumbrista) portrayal of characters and dialogue, which is the main source of comedy. The jargon of criminals is particularly emphasized.

  Plot Summary

  Pedro Rincon and Diego Cortado, sons of a pardoner and a tailor respectively, become friends and travel to Seville. The boys, having chosen a picaresque life, survive by cheating at cards and stealing. After some thefts, they come into contact with Seville's organized crime: the brotherhood of Monipodio. This group operates under its own rules (e.g., sharing stolen goods). Monipodio, a rustic, wicked, and blustery man, renames them Rinconete and Cortadillo and accepts them as members of the guild, where they spend a few months.