Spanish Renaissance Literature: From Chivalry to Picaresque

Narrative Models of the Renaissance

Other Narrative Models

• The Celestina: Follows the model of tragedy. The story of Calisto and Melibea is developed with the aid of servants and a bawd.
• Sentimental Novel: Notable works created in the late fifteenth century by Juan de Flores and Diego de San Pedro.
• Novel of Chivalry: Features the heroic medieval knight of love, later evolving into the Christian knight fighting in Constantinople and the gentleman adventurer.
• Moorish Novel: Evokes life on the border between Castile and the last Muslim kingdom. These works utilize real toponymy and explore the possibility of coexistence between Christians and Muslims.

Lazarillo de Tormes

Lazarillo de Tormes inaugurated the picaresque novel sub-genre. It is an autobiographical account of a character from a miserable background who leaves his family environment to serve several masters. The protagonist possesses a picaresque nature and an eagerness to thrive.

Date and Authorship

The first edition was published in 1554, though the book was likely composed around 1540.

Sources and Influences

The work shows the influence of The Golden Ass, the Fourth Book of the Valiant Knight Rinaldo de Montalban, collections of love letters, and various folktales.

Narrative Levels

Lázaro is forced as a child to leave his family and serve various masters, developing different skills along the way. The work is structured around three ternary modules corresponding to the stages of childhood, adolescence, and youth. Unlike protagonists of other novels, Lázaro is defined by the incidents he lived and suffered. He exists alone in a world without love, situated in an urban environment.

Discourse and Structure

The novel is structured as an epístola (letter) written by its protagonist. It functions as a monologue, contrasting with the dialogue-heavy pastoral novel. The adult Lázaro tells his story to "Your Worship" in response to a request to explain "the case." This letter constitutes an act of obedience to his superior. Lázaro begins by recounting his childhood adventures to explain and justify his adult personality.

Time and Speech

There is a temporal lag between the time the events occurred (history) and the time they are narrated (discourse). The types of speech employed include referential, expressive, and dramatic.