Petrarch and the Renaissance Influence on Spanish Poetry

1. Petrarch: The Fourteenth-Century Italian Poet

Petrarch embodies the characters and ideals of Petrarchan Humanism like no other.

1.2. Characteristics

• Topics: Medieval courtly love, the idealized lady, lost love, and poetic regret.
• Classical Resources: Comparisons, allusions, and classical myths.
• Expression of Feelings: Sadness, loneliness, jealousy, and hope.
• Language: Constructed of clear, polished, transparent language full of poetic images.
• Figures: Antithesis, paradoxes, alliteration, metaphors, and new similes.
• Forms: Hendecasyllable; common compositions include the sonnet, silva, stanza, song, eclogue, ode, ballad, and madrigal.

2. Poetry: Trends of the Sixteenth Century

There are two major trends in the poetry of the sixteenth century: the traditional Spanish and the Italianate.

Features of Italianate Poetry

• Metric Renovation: Complete and thorough renovation of Spanish metrics, introducing the hendecasyllable and new stanzas: sonnets, triplets, stanzas, liras, and silvas.
• Thematic Influence: Affects both metric aspects and poetic attitudes.
• Themes: Idealization of the beloved, intense expression of love, and pastoral issues.
• Projection: The yo lírico (lyrical self) of the poet and creator.

2.3. Garcilaso de la Vega

Garcilaso is one of the greatest Spanish poets, known for formal perfection and significant influence over the centuries. His verses were first published in Toledo in 1543. The author cultivated both traditional Castilian and Italianate styles.

Features

• Influence: Renaissance themes and poetic forms.
• Language: His ideal was to achieve transparency and clarity.
• Topics:
  • Locus amoenus: A mystical and stylish landscape.
  • Feminine Beauty: Characterized by a white and pink face, white skin, blue eyes, long neck, and blonde hair.
  • Idealization: Transforming crude and rude reality.
  • Carpe diem: Alludes to the transience of life and invites the reader to enjoy the present.
• Sonnets: Garcilaso was the first great master of this representative composition. His structure was organized into related blocks, with love as the main theme.