Spanish Literary Masterpieces from the 15th to 18th Century
Chronological List of Spanish Literary Works
- XV: Amadís de Gaula – Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo
- XVI: Auto de la Sibila Casandra – Gil Vicente
- XV, XVI: Cancioneros and Romanceros – Anonymous
- XV: Cárcel de Amor – Diego de San Pedro
- XVIII: Cartas Eruditas y Curiosas – Benito Jerónimo Feijoo
- XVIII: Cartas Marruecas – José Cadalso
- XVI: Spiritual Canticle – San Juan de la Cruz
- XV: Verses on the Death of His Father – Jorge Manrique
- XV: Dances of Death – Anonymous
- XVI: Dialogue on Language – Juan de Valdés
- XV: The Archpriest of Talavera (Corbacho) – Alfonso Martínez de Toledo
- XVII: El Criticón – Baltasar Gracián
- XVII: The Trickster of Seville – Tirso de Molina
- XVIII: Epistles – Meléndez Valdés
- XVIII: The Girls' Yes – Leandro Fernández de Moratín
- XVIII: The Honest Offender – Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
- XVIII: Fray Gerundio de Campazas – Padre Isla
- XVIII: Moral Fables – Félix María de Samaniego
- XVIII: Literary Fables – Tomás de Iriarte
- XVII: Fuenteovejuna – Félix Lope de Vega
- XVII: Guzmán de Alfarache – Mateo Alemán
- XVIII: Reports – Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
- XV: La Celestina – Fernando de Rojas
- XVI: La Galatea – Miguel de Cervantes
- XVIII: The Scholars of the Violet – José Cadalso
- XVII: Life is a Dream – Pedro Calderón de la Barca
- XVI: Los siete libros de la Diana – Jorge de Montemayor
- XVI: Lazarillo de Tormes – Anonymous
- XVI, XVIII: Odes – Fray Luis de León and Meléndez Valdés
- XVI: Pasos – Lope de Rueda
- XVII: Don Quixote – Miguel de Cervantes
- XV: Ballads – Anonymous
- XVII: Romances and Letrillas – Francisco de Quevedo and Luis de Góngora
- XVII: Rimas and Rimas Sacras – Félix Lope de Vega
- XVIII: Raquel – Vicente García de la Huerta
- XVIII: Sainetes – Ramón de la Cruz
- XV: Serranillas – Marqués de Santillana
- XVIII: Teatro Crítico Universal – Benito Jerónimo Feijoo
- XVII: Tragedies and Comedies – Miguel de Cervantes
- XVII: The Life of El Buscón – Francisco de Quevedo
Evolution of Literary Movements and Styles
XV Century: Pre-Renaissance
The XV century features a blend of Pre-Renaissance, Medieval, and Renaissance characteristics. This period is marked by learned poetry and the songbooks, which explore themes of love, satire, and morality.
Ballads: Divided into the Old Ballads (anonymous) and the New Ballads (written by known authors).
XVI Century: The Renaissance
Renaissance Lyric:
- Songbook Poetry: Continuing from the XV century with a predominance of octosyllables.
- Traditional Poetry: Includes romances and songs that began to be preserved in writing.
- Italianate Poetry: Modeled on Petrarch, this is the most representative style of the Renaissance. Garcilaso de la Vega is the primary figure who introduced this style (e.g., Eclogue I).
XVII Century: The Baroque
Key Concepts: An aesthetic shift toward the intellect, featuring a play of ideas and concepts through polysemy, antithesis, and paradoxes.
- Culteranismo: Led by Góngora, this movement sought to create a distinct, elevated poetic language. It pursues formal brilliance through vivid images and hyperbolic metaphors.
XVIII Century: Neoclassicism
- Baroque Poetry: Persisted largely in satirical forms.
- Neoclassical Poetry: Values utilitarian and didactic purposes, utilizing forms such as the ode, fable, epistle, and satire.
- Pre-Romantic Poetry: Emerges toward the end of the century, raising metaphysical, pedagogical, or social issues with increased emotional intensity.