Spanish Mystical Poetry: Fray Luis de Leon and San Juan de la Cruz

Mysticism and Asceticism in Spanish Literature

Writers of this period were deeply influenced by mystical and ascetic traditions. While mystic poets sought the union of the soul with divinity, ascetics focused on achieving moral perfection. Often, these two concepts were intertwined.

Fray Luis de Leon

Born in Cuenca, Fray Luis de Leon professed in the Order of St. Augustine. During an era when Latin was the exclusive language of university education, he—along with San Juan de la Cruz and Santa Teresa de Jesus—advocated for education in Castilian. Fray Luis wanted his work to be accessible to all people, which is why he chose to write in the vernacular rather than Latin.

Works of Fray Luis de Leon

• Prose: De los nombres de Cristo (a treatise on the various names the Bible gives to Christ).
• Verse: Oda a la vida retirada (incorporating Horace's Beatus Ille, praising a simple life in the countryside over the selfish life of the city).
• Ode: A lyric composition expressing admiration for something exalted.
• Noche Serena: A poem of plenitude contemplating the starry sky.

In his poetry, the soul is often depicted as a prisoner of the body, longing to return to the divine. His work is deeply autobiographical, revealing his spiritual experiences, and is characterized by sobriety and exactitude.

San Juan de la Cruz

San Juan de la Cruz is another titan of mystical literature. Alongside Santa Teresa de Jesus, he reformed the Order of Carmel. Born in Avila, he dedicated his life to founding convents and was a devotee of intimate contemplation, seeing the divine imprint in everything around him. His periods of captivity fostered a life of isolation and recollection.

Works of San Juan de la Cruz

Two constant symbols in his poetry are God as "darkness" and the Holy Spirit as "living love."

• Dark Night of the Soul: Describes the three states of the mystical path: Purgative (purifying vices through prayer), Illuminative (subjecting the soul to God), and Unitive (the soul unites with God, experiencing ecstasies). The "night" symbolizes faith, the means by which the soul escapes to meet its lover (God).
• Spiritual Canticle: Describes the soul (the beloved) seeking the divine lover through the world to see his eyes reflected in a fountain, culminating in loving union.
• Living Flame of Love: A profound expression of spiritual union.

Style and Technique

In his poetry, mountains, valleys, flowers, and fountains represent spiritual abstractions. His style is marked by a scarcity of verbs and adjectives, a focus on nouns, and the frequent use of punctuation to convey intense spiritual emotion.