LITERATURE OF THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA: BACKGROUND AND CHARACTERISTICS - HISTORY - 2025

The literature of the conquest of America is that which was produced by the first European colonizers who arrived in America. The diaries of Christopher Columbus are considered the first work of literature of the conquest of the Americas. In these, this new earth is described as an earthly paradise full of wonders.

Usually the literary productions of this period were stories made by the Spanish who stepped on American soil. In these stories, the natives are despised, they were ignorant and pagan. It can be affirmed that the appreciations of the colonizers regarding the new American environment were highly critical and denoted astonishment.

During the period of the conquest of America, numerous chronicles and letters were recorded where the astonishment of the Spaniards at the discovery of America was manifested.

This is how literary works began to circulate in Europe where the new continent was portrayed as a magical territory, full of wonderful animals and fearsome men.

America was described in multiple novels as a natural paradise, where magical events took place. The writing of these works initially took place to relate the findings found and present them to the Catholic Monarchs.

Later, the letters written about America were addressed to ordinary people. Usually friends of the colonizers.

Background to the literature of the conquest

Cristóbal Colón, by Ridolfo del Ghirlandaio, via Wikimedia Commons

The first literary productions, considered antecedents of the literature of the conquest of America, are the letters written by the first colonizers and chroniclers of the Indies.

These letters were initially addressed to the Catholic Monarchs and in them the surprising reality of the new continent was eagerly related.

These letters were even addressed to Carlos V, successor to the Catholic Monarchs. Later, many of these productions ended up in the hands of friends and people close to the colonizers.

Christopher Columbus is considered to be the first European colonizer to produce a literary piece on the discovery of America.

In his letters and travel diary the observations on the new continent are related in detail. This is how Columbus is designated as the first chronicler of the Indies.

In his writings, Columbus speaks of America as if it were a paradise on earth. The rivers, the vegetation, the animals and all the natural events are described as if it were a vision, where the beauty of the place overwhelms all the senses.

Sociocultural context

It is considered that the literature of the conquest of America was born on October 12, 1492, the date on which Christopher Columbus arrived on American soil for the first time.

It is important to bear in mind that the first colonizers had no knowledge of pre-Columbian cultures, and before setting foot on American territory, they had made numerous expeditions, none of them successful.

Therefore, when the colonizers arrive in America, they begin to carry out reconnaissance expeditions, during which they decide to impose their culture on that of the Native Americans.

Faced with the rejection of this initiative by the indigenous people, the settlers chose to impose themselves with cruelty and violence.

Eventually, the colonizers moved to America, establishing a project of institutional organization and political order. In this way, social, political and economic structures were defined.

The Spanish crown was imposed in a large part of the American territory and all the members of the society were merged and hierarchized.

It lived in a historical moment where the Catholic religion predominated in much of the European territory. Therefore, the new American cities were built in the image and likeness of the European ones, with numerous and sumptuous churches.

On a literary level, the Baroque trend was at its peak during the period of the conquest. For this reason, all the works and artistic productions of the moment were widely influenced by this style.

Characteristics of the literature of the conquest of America

Painting of the arrival of Columbus

The literature of the conquest of America is made up of all the chronicles, diaries, letters and writings produced by the first European colonizers who came to the new continent, especially the Spanish.

First chroniclers

Christopher Columbus was the first chronicler of the Indies, with the writing of his diary that recounts in detail the discovery of America, from the moment he set sail from the port of Palos de la Frontera, until he set foot in the "New World" for the first time.

Other important chroniclers and authors of this period were Garcilaso de la Vega, Álvaro Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, and Felipe Guamán Poma de Ayala.

Among these, Álvaro Núñez is recognized mainly for his description of the Iguazú Falls and Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, who dedicated his work to advocating for indigenous rights.

Fray Bartolomé de las Casas was the founder of the political chronicle of the Indies, always pointing out the atrocities to which the natives were subjected by the European colonizers.

Characteristics of the literature

The literary pieces written during the conquest of America initially belonged to the first colonizers who came to America. Later, the same soldiers and missionaries transferred to American soil were in charge of the literary production.

Both the missionaries and the soldiers were the standard bearers of the New Spain literary movement. In this way, the representatives of the church were in charge of evangelizing the natives, and for this purpose they used literary resources such as the theater.

Once the indigenous people began the process of miscegenation with the Spanish, the American people had their own narrative style, thus gaining their voice and literary tone.

Characters such as Juan Ruíz de Alarcón, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz and Carlos de Sigüenza were some of the most important authors of this moment.

Literary attitudes

During the period of the conquest of America there were two more important literary aspects, one was the Polar one, focused on the production of verses and romances; and the other was the Second, in charge of the production of the Chronicles of the Indies.

However, the Baroque style also influenced the literary production of the conquest. This is how the following attitudes were part of the accounts of the conquest:

- Hyperbaton: change in the order of the words in a sentence.

- Pun: reproduction of a sentence reversing its order to give rise to a new meaning.

- Antithesis: opposition of ideas in different segments of the text.

- Polyphony: use of different voices, originating from other contexts.

Literary genres of the conquest

Conquest of Peru.

The most widely used literary genres during the conquest of America were the following:

- Diaries: they talk about the feelings and emotions of the colonizers when they arrived in America.

- Epic poems: they narrate the exploits of the heroes of the conquest and the battles they fought against the aborigines.

- Letters: they are a compendium of news sent by the colonizers to Spain and Portugal about the new world.

- Dramas: these are dramatic works that teach Christian doctrine to indigenous people.

- Chronicles: narration of the main events. They can be Spanish, indigenous or mestizo.

References

1. Guía, L. (Ocotber 21, 2009). The Guide. Obtained from Literature of the conquest: lengua.laguia2000.com
2. Moreno, CF (2000). Latin America in its literature. Mexico DF: XXI century.
3. (July 24, 2017). Wikia virtual library. Obtained from Literature in the conquest of America: en.virtual-library.wikia.com
4. Riveros, S. (March 23, 2012). Literature Of Discovery And Conquest. Obtained from Literature of Discovery, Conquest, and Colony.: blogspotsofia.blogspot.com
5. Sosa, LS (October 5, 2014). Colombian Literature. Obtained from Literature of discovery and conquest: Colombian-literature-de-la-historia.blogspot.com.