San Juan de la Cruz & Spanish Renaissance Novel Genres

San Juan de la Cruz (1542-1591)

San Juan de la Cruz undertook to reform the Carmelite order, aiming for monks to return to a more austere and contemplative lifestyle. His reform efforts led to his imprisonment.

Major Works

• Dark Night of the Soul
• Spiritual Canticle
• Living Flame of Love

Literary Style and Influence

His literary style was influenced by Italian metrics (like the lira) and biblical texts. He expressed the union of the soul with God as a loving relationship, where the soul (the beloved) seeks Christ (the Beloved). He utilized symbols drawn from nature, such as the night and fire.

Lasting Relevance

Centuries later, his work influenced the poetic current known as Symbolism, which recognized San Juan de la Cruz as an important forerunner.

Spanish Renaissance Novel Genres

Chivalric Novels (Novelas de Caballerías)

These works idealized the figure of the medieval knight, portraying him as a perfect courtier, passionate lover, brave warrior, and devout Christian. This genre was highly successful until the 16th century. The most important work was Amadís de Gaula (1508).

Pastoral Novels (Novelas Pastoriles)

These novels idealized the figure of the shepherd. The Renaissance mindset believed shepherds were more sensitive than city dwellers in discovering nature's beauty and reflecting upon it. Consequently, these accounts feature refined sensibilities. Unlike chivalric novels, eroticism is absent; instead, they depict a spiritualized love amidst idyllic scenery (locus amoenus).

Moorish Novels (Novelas Moriscas)

Drawing on romance stories, this genre presented an ennobled image of Arabs. It aimed to dignify the image of the Moorish minority and converts (Moriscos) during a time of tension with Christians. Both Moors and Christians were depicted as sharing a code of honor, nobility, and chivalry. The most representative work is Historia del Abencerraje y la hermosa Jarifa (1551).

Byzantine Novels (Novelas Bizantinas)

These novels use the journey (viaje) as a symbol of human life, expressing themes of freedom and feelings as characters face challenges imposed by fate. An example is the Historia de los amores de Clareo y Florisea.

Lazarillo de Tormes (1554) and the Picaresque Novel

Published in 1554, this novel inaugurated the picaresque genre. Its modernity lies in its realism, reflecting the everyday life (vida cotidiana) of the era. The action occurs in specific times and places, and the protagonist undergoes significant psychological development.

The Protagonist: Lázaro

The protagonist is a rogue (pícaro) named Lázaro de Tormes. From a low social background, he is forced from childhood to serve many masters. His psychological development results from applying the cunning learned through harsh experience. Lázaro is obsessed with social ascent (ascenso social). As an adult, he achieves a semblance of stability, but at the cost of moral degradation. Lázaro passes through stages: loss of childhood innocence, acquisition of roguish skills, and integration into society by justifying dishonorable behavior to appear socially successful. He is not a moral example but a believable, clever antihero.