The Spanish Golden Age: History, Literature, and Culture

Spain in the Golden Age

Spanning from the end of the reign of the Catholic Monarchs to the death of Charles II, this era marked Spain's period of maximum territorial splendor. The political annexation of Portugal and intermarriage with the Habsburgs added a vast empire to the crowns of Castile and Aragon, which began to be dismembered in the 16th century. Despite this, Spain remained a great power, though it was embroiled in many wars that impacted its economy, culture, and literature.

Reforms and Counter-Reformation

A great interest in the reform of religious orders emerged in Spain. One of the most important figures was Erasmus of Rotterdam, whose thinking coincided with other reformist currents, leading him to criticize the economic and political power of the Catholic Church. The Church eventually celebrated the Council of Trent, which halted Protestant reforms and initiated the religious Counter-Reformation.

The Baroque Period

Baroque themes focused on disappointment, life as a fleeting dream, and religious and philosophical ideas. This was a period of conservatism and caution regarding freedom of expression due to the Council of Trent. Key traits of the Baroque include artificiality, the rejection of naturalness, and the concealment of reality to deceive, surprise, and admire. The work that best reflects this literary model is El Criticón by Baltasar Gracián, which redefined literary conception and language.

The Spanish Language in the Golden Age

During this stage, the Spanish language acquired many of the pronunciation and vocabulary traits used today. In 1492, Antonio de Nebrija composed his Gramática de la lengua castellana, believing it had reached a degree of perfection. He anticipated a moment when the future might see the language disappear, and he wanted to ensure that speakers of other languages could reconstruct it. Castilian became the most important Romance language, leading to the creation of excellent dictionaries, such as Tesoro de la lengua castellana o española by Sebastián de Covarrubias.

The Picaresque Novel

In 1599, Mateo Alemán published the first part of Guzmán de Alfarache, followed by the second part in 1604, which defined the genre. Alemán created an autobiographical formula based on the protagonist's life experiences. The character evolves through his knowledge of the world as a rogue. The story serves as a confession that seeks to provide readers with an example of what to avoid.

Exemplary Novels

Published in 1613, this collection of twelve short stories includes: La Gitanilla, Rinconete y Cortadillo, El amante liberal, La española inglesa, El licenciado Vidriera, La fuerza de la sangre, El celoso extremeño, La ilustre fregona, Las dos doncellas, La señora Cornelia, El casamiento engañoso, and El coloquio de los perros. These last two are linked by a prologue. In these works, Cervantes distinguishes himself through novelty, the absence of a narrative framework to insert the stories, and deep characterization.