Renaissance Literature: Chivalric, Pastoral and Picaresque Novels

Novel Idealism: Books of Chivalry

Books of chivalry were the preferred reading of the court. They were presented as true stories written in a foreign language, with the author acting as a mere translator. The model was heir to the epic hero: an exemplary warrior, a true lover, and a figure of idealistic nostalgia. These works reflect medieval aesthetics, archaic language, and were written in Gothic script. Humanists like Erasmus criticized their implausibility and sensuality. A notable example is Amadis of Gaul, reworked by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo.

The Pastoral Novel

The pastoral novel incorporates the bucolic setting of the Eclogues and is inspired by Virgil, telling love stories between shepherds. A primary example is The Seven Books of Diana by Jorge de Montemayor.

The Byzantine Novel

The Byzantine novel focuses on the adventures of a pair of lovers, always of high lineage. It combines love stories with kidnappings, trips, shipwrecks, and separations. It was highly assessed by the Erasmians.

The Moorish Novel

Works such as El Abencerraje reflect a taste for exoticism, color, and the refinement of an idealized Muslim world.

The Realist Novel: Lazarillo de Tormes

Published during the reign of Charles V, Lazarillo de Tormes represents the realistic and critical current of 16th-century Renaissance literature. It opposes the idealized heroes of previous genres by introducing the picaresque rogue, fundamentally changing the character and narrative structure.

Technical Structure of Lazarillo

• Epistolary Form: The novel is written as a letter to a recipient referred to as "Your Grace" (Vuestra Merced).
• Composition: It consists of a prologue and seven treaties of uneven length.
• The Prologue: Lázaro justifies the purpose of the work, noting that he narrates things never before heard or seen so that they are not forgotten.
• The Final Treaty: The identity of "Your Grace" is revealed as the Archpriest of San Salvador. Rumors circulate regarding the relationship between the Archpriest and his maid, who is also Lázaro's wife, proving the serious situation in which Lázaro finds himself.

Treaty I: The Blind Man

Lázaro explains his childhood: his father was imprisoned for theft, and his mother gave him to a blind man to serve him. The blind man is cruel and crafty, teaching Lázaro lessons of loneliness, hunger, and helplessness. Through these hard lessons, Lázaro evolves, moving from innocence to a cynical understanding of the world.