Spanish Renaissance Lyric Poetry: Evolution & Form

The Positive Evolution of Renaissance Lyric Poetry

First Stage: Early 15th Century

The early years of the fifteenth century saw the predominance of cancionero lyric poetry. The Cancionero General (1511) contains model texts from the previous century. Additionally, traditional romances were popular poetic forms. In the first half of the fifteenth century, poetic innovation emerged with the irruption of Petrarchism and a positive classical influence. Lyric poetry became dominant over other genres, and Garcilaso de la Vega's work stands out. This conception was inherited by new poets such as Diego Gutiérrez de Cetina or Hurtado de Mendoza, among others.

Second Stage: Late 15th Century

In the second half of the fifteenth century, the early application of the Counter-Reformation produced important religious and cultural changes. These changes correspond to the rise of spiritual literature. These literary creations, inspired by biblical, classical, and Italian influences, incorporated more expressive elements and themes from the first stage to develop ascetic and mystic poetry. In moral or religious poetry, Fray Luis de León and San Juan de la Cruz stand out.

This spiritual lyric deals with two main paths: the ascetic and the mystic.

Asceticism

Through perfection, asceticism seeks purification and expresses the process that leads the soul to union with God through three ways:

• The Purgative Way: where the soul is purified and overcomes passions.
• The Illuminative Way: where the light of God guides the soul.
• The Unitive Way: which leads to union.

Mysticism

The mystic experience corresponds with the Unitive Way.

Formal Aspects of Renaissance Lyric Poetry

Italian poetry introduced two rhythmic innovations: the hendecasyllable and enjambment, which provided a smoother sound. Juan Boscán finally introduced the hendecasyllable and recommended its practice to Garcilaso de la Vega. Thus, Renaissance lyric verse incorporated common Italian poetic forms:

• Tercetos encadenados (Chained Tercets): Similar to Castilian poetry, introduced by Juan Boscán and later used by Garcilaso in Eclogue II.
• The Lira: Whose Castilian name comes from the initial stanza of Garcilaso de la Vega's "Ode to the Flower of Cnidus." In the second half of the 15th century, Fray Luis de León and San Juan de la Cruz would write in lira.
• The Octava Real (Royal Octave): Also known as ottava rima, introduced by Juan Boscán.
• The Stanza (or Estancia): A song form used in Italian poetry. It was Petrarchan and used by Garcilaso in Eclogue I.
• The Sonnet: Of Italian origin and perfected by Petrarch, it had been cultivated in the previous century by the Marquis of Santillana, but Boscán and Garcilaso permanently established it.

Regarding style, in the first half of the fifteenth century, poetry increasingly embraced an ideal of simplicity and naturalness of expression. Renaissance poetry also saw a stylistic shift: adjectives became important, especially the use of the epithet to describe the external world and metaphors to characterize the lady's physical features. The use of hyperbaton was also emphasized.