Spanish Renaissance Literature: From Poetry to Don Quixote

The Spanish Renaissance: Literature and Humanism

The national revival, which began in the cities of northern Italy in the 14th century and spread throughout Europe, arrived in Spain in the 16th century. The Renaissance is the result of the diffusion of humanist ideas, which established a new conception of man and the world.

Renaissance Poetry: Innovations and Themes

The lyrical model of the Renaissance was Petrarch, which resulted in a profound renewal of themes and metrical forms. The main formal innovation in Renaissance poetry was the use of the hendecasyllable verse, an Italian heritage, sometimes combined with the heptasyllable. This led to stanzas such as:

• Lira
• Octava real
• Estancia
• Tercetos encadenados (Chained tercets)

This evolution also included poems with mystical and ascetic themes.

Garcilaso de la Vega: The Ideal Courtier

Garcilaso de la Vega is the prototype of the noble courtier: a warrior and lyricist, a soldier and a poet. The most important theme in Garcilaso's love poetry is the lament over the rejection or death of the beloved.

Narrative Forms in the 16th Century

The narrative prose of the 16th century presents a very varied picture in which various novelistic genres coexist.

Chivalric Novels

These narrate the adventures of a knight-errant who travels the world, confronting fantastic beings. Examples include Amadis of Gaul and Tirant lo Blanc.

Byzantine Novels

These narrate the story of a young couple who embarks on a long journey around the world and experiences dangerous adventures, such as The Loves of Clareo and Florisea by Alonso Núñez de Reinoso.

Pastoral Novels

The characters are cultured shepherds who recount their idealized amorous misadventures in an idyllic and unreal natural setting. Examples include La Diana by Jorge de Montemayor and La Galatea by Miguel de Cervantes.

Moorish Novels

These recount events between Moors and Christians, such as the anonymous History of the Abencerraje and the Beautiful Jarifa.

The Birth of the Modern Novel

Lazarillo de Tormes and the Picaresque

Lazarillo de Tormes initiated the picaresque novel. It features a rogue who narrates episodes of his past life in the first person. The story is structured as a letter addressed to "Your Worship."

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the most universal Spanish writer, was born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547. His theater work is divided into two stages:

• First stage: Includes the tragedy Numancia and The Treatment of Algiers.
• Second stage: Includes Eight Comedies and Eight New Interludes.

Don Quixote: The First Modern Novel

Don Quixote was published in two parts, in 1605 and 1615. It is the author's most celebrated work and is considered the first modern novel. Don Quixote is a modern novel because of its characters, the story it tells, and the technical resources used by the author, such as personification and metaphor.