Spanish Golden Age Literature: Quevedo, Calderón, and Tirso de Molina

Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas (1580–1645)

Born in Madrid, Quevedo studied at Alcalá and lived in Valladolid, his life intertwined with the court and political activity. Imprisoned in León in his later years by order of the Count-Duke of Olivares, Quevedo experienced firsthand the suffering of confinement. A master of language and poetic forms, his work is divided into several poetic categories:

• Love poems: Written according to the conventions of the era's amatory lyric.
• Metaphysical poems: Covering themes such as anguish, disappointment, resignation, and the transience of life.
• Moral poems: Adopting the stance of a moralist, Quevedo criticizes and satirizes human weaknesses.
• Satirical poems: Alluding to characters in 17th-century society, writers, literary issues, myths, historical figures, and literary heroes.

Famous work: El Buscón (The Swindler).

Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681)

Born in Madrid, Calderón studied at the universities of Alcalá and Salamanca, where he began his theological training. He dedicated himself primarily to studying and writing for the theater. Ordained a priest at age 51, he became the honorary chaplain to the king. Calderón's dramatic output includes over 100 works, in addition to morality plays and mythological or religious dramas. His work reached its dramatic fullness in its symbolism, often exploring three prevalent sentiments of the 17th century: monarchy, honor, and religion. Though forgotten for a time, he was rediscovered in the 19th century by Spanish and German Romanticists.

Famous works: El alcalde de Zalamea (The Mayor of Zalamea) and La vida es sueño (Life is a Dream).

Gabriel Téllez (Tirso de Molina) (1583–1648)

Born in Madrid, Téllez, better known as Tirso de Molina, entered the Order of Mercy at a young age. Details of his biography remain unclear, but it is known that he lived in various Spanish cities, including Seville, spent time in the Indies, and traveled to Portugal. Primarily a playwright, Tirso also wrote prose works such as Cigarrales de Toledo. A defender of Lope de Vega's dramatic style, his works range from minor pieces like La prudencia en la mujer (The Wisdom of Women) to major works like El condenado por desconfiado (The Doubter Damned) and El burlador de Sevilla y convidado de piedra (The Trickster of Seville and the Stone Guest).

El burlador de Sevilla is significant not for its doctrinal or theological aspects, but because Tirso de Molina, drawing on legends and romances, created one of the most important myths in world literature with his libertine character: the myth of Don Juan.

Characteristics of his plays:

• Considered a masterful creator of characters from diverse backgrounds, portrayed with strong and relatable human qualities.
• Demonstrates mastery of language, verse, and dramatic structure, though without reaching the symbolic depth of Calderón de la Barca.