Literary Movements and Culture of the 15th Century

The 15th Century: Cultural Transformation and Humanism

The 15th century marked a significant time of change. Culture became a sign of distinction, differentiating nobles from the bourgeoisie. Centers of learning shifted toward courts and universities, which replaced monasteries.

The Rise of Humanism

Humanism, a movement originating in Italy, championed the classical culture of Greece and Rome.

Pre-Renaissance Literary Sources and Influences

The Humanist movement led to the recovery of Greco-Roman literature. Several authors' works became models for imitation:

• Boccaccio and Petrarch: Italian short story writers and poets. Petrarch's songs influenced Renaissance poetry, while Boccaccio's Decameron is a key medieval work.
• Dante Alighieri: His Divine Comedy, a symbolic narrative poem detailing Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise, was one of the most admired works of Italian literature.

Poetry in the 15th Century

Learned Poetry

Learned poetry developed two main streams:

• Cancionero Poetry: This style viewed courtly love as a literary game, where the poet adopted the role of the servant to his lady.
• Allegorical Poetry: This dealt with philosophical issues such as wealth or death.

Key figures in learned poetry include the Marquis de Santillana and Juan de Mena.

Apart from these two streams, the most important poetry of the century is found in the verses of Jorge Manrique.

Folk Poetry: The Romances

Folk poetry is characterized by the Romances. Over time, traditional songs fragmented, giving rise to these narrative poems. Romances are composed of an infinite series of eight-syllable verses, rhyming in assonance on the even lines. They are characterized by their concentration (brevity and intensity).

Theater Before and During the 15th Century

Before the 15th century, few theatrical texts survived. The oldest known text that has come down to us is the Auto de los Reyes Magos.

In the Middle Ages, two primary types of representations existed:

1. The Tropes and Liturgical Dramas: Short dramatizations of specific parts of the Mass.
2. Mock Games: Works of a satirical and burlesque nature.

The 15th century saw the emergence of significant artists such as Gómez Manrique, Juan del Encina, and Lucas Fernández.

The most dramatic and important piece of this period is La Celestina (or Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea), written by Fernando de Rojas, considered one of the masterpieces of literature in Castilian.