Spanish Renaissance Poetry and Garcilaso de la Vega

Stages of Spanish Renaissance Poetry

Stage 1: This stage occurred under the reign of Charles I. There was a predominance of the cancioneril lyric, which was dominated by ballads, traditional poems, and, above all, songbooks. The most famous of these compilations was the Cancionero General. This poetry was influenced by Petrarchan trends and classical styles. The most prominent poet of this era was Garcilaso de la Vega.

Stage 2: With the change of reign to Philip II, many changes occurred with respect to the previous period due to the Counter-Reformation. There was a boom in spiritual literature influenced by biblical, classical, and Italian sources. The predominant themes were moral or mystic.

Religious and Spiritual Poetry

In religious poetry, Fray Luis de León and San Juan de la Cruz stand out. This lyric tradition addresses two spiritual paths:

• Asceticism: The quest for perfection through purification and union with God via three ways: Purgative (purification of the soul), Illuminative (God enlightens and guides the soul), and Unitive (full union).
• Mysticism: This corresponds specifically to the unitive way.

The Works of Garcilaso de la Vega

The subject par excellence of all his lyrics is love, expressed with melancholy and sadness. This theme relates to nature, which reflects the pain caused by the absence of the beloved. We also find other topics such as friendship, fate, and fortune.

On the other hand, we see an evolution in his work. His early poems are ascribed to a Petrarchan style and are written in a tone dominated by the resources of the cancioneril lyric. During his exile, he incorporated classical genres such as odes, elegies, epistles, and pastorals.

The Three Eclogues

Of all his works, the most famous are his three Eclogues. The main theme throughout is love and suffering.

• Eclogue 1: Contains the monologues of two shepherds, Salicio and Nemoroso, who speak about the pain they feel regarding rejection and the death of the beloved.
• Eclogue 2: This is very diverse in its metrics. It is divided into two parts: the first focuses on the pain of Albanio due to his unrequited love for Camila, leading to a suicide attempt; the second part contains a eulogy to the House of Alba, utilizing chained triplets and heroic verse.
• Eclogue 3: Tells the stories of four nymphs. Three relate mythological tales, while the fourth refers to Elisa, the deceased beloved of Silvano.