SPANISH RENAISSANCE LITERATURE: CONTEXT, CHARACTERISTICS - LITERATURE - 2024

The literature of the Spanish Renaissance is the set of literary works produced between the 15th and 16th centuries in Spain. These texts were the product of cultural interaction with Italy, a country that at that time was in its greatest growth in terms of written and artistic creation.

Spain and Italy were two closely linked countries at that time. The close political, social, religious and cultural ties that they possessed served as a bridge for the exchange of enormous knowledge that enriched both nations. Of all the existing ties between the two states, the religious one was the most influential in strengthening their relations.

Miguel de Cervantes and Saavedra. Source: By Juan de Jauregui y Aguilar (circa 1583 - 1641) (The Bridgeman Art Library, Object 108073), via Wikimedia Commons

Popes Calixto III and Alejandro VI, originally from Valencia, and elected to lead the principality in the Vatican City, were fundamental pieces to expand the ties between Rome and Spain, especially those related to cultural movements.

The greatest Spanish literary works were translated and published in Italy, and vice versa. This exchange was of great importance, since it awakened new cultural horizons in the Iberian Peninsula, giving way little by little to the Spanish Renaissance.

Historic context

The entire history of humanity is conditioned by the different events that occur in each age, the literature of the Spanish Renaissance does not escape this reality. Not only in Spain, all of Europe had to do with this movement.

However, when it comes to precedents, Italy bears the greatest responsibility as regards the propagation of the Renaissance. Italy had the greatest cultural influence of the time on the rest of European countries.

Between Middle Ages and Modern

The Renaissance is located just after the Middle Ages and serves as a bridge for the Modern Age. This movement meant a true revolution of all the cultural elements that made life in the Middle Ages. There were multiple transformations, each artistic and literary discipline reached its maximum splendor.

In the political, cultural, religious and artistic, to name a few branches in which citizens developed, there were changes that were not expected. The turnaround in the minds of the citizens was the key to everything that happened.

Perhaps being out of the obscurantism imposed by monotheistic religions was one of the triggers.

Important events

Constantinople fell in 1453, diminishing Christian power; the Moors were expelled by the Catholic Monarchs and Granada was recovered in 1492, and in that same year the Jews who also occupied the Iberian Peninsula were exiled.

As can be seen, extremely shocking events occurred that notably affected the different populations, including, of course, the Spanish.

Some of the most important aspects that occurred during the Spanish Renaissance and that conditioned literary development in such a significant historical period will be named below:

The classic is reborn from its ashes

It is for this reason that the movement is given the name "Renaissance." When speaking of the "classical", reference is made to the themes, motifs and characters of classical Greek and Roman mythology, conveniently linked by the writers to the Christian faith.

Spain reaches its maximum political-military splendor

Thanks to the union of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, the expulsion of the Moors, the discovery of America and the reconquest of Granada were achieved, to name a few momentous events.

This series of events allowed Spain to position itself as one of the most influential and powerful monarchies of the time.

Taking advantage of the historical moment, the Spanish expanded their dominions, even reaching the Philippines. If we add to this the authority they exercised over Portuguese overseas areas during the government of Felipe II of Portugal, we are talking about a large area of ​​territory controlled by the Castilian-Aragonese alliance.

This power acquired by the Spanish gave security to the population. Thus, all the necessary items were available: food, clothing, footwear, economic and social security, relative peace, all these ingredients allowed the different arts and, of course, the letters to reach a remarkable splendor.

Economic security from America

Perhaps one of the most decisive factors that conditioned a favorable historical context for the development of Spanish Renaissance literature was the economic one caused by the tons of silver and kilos of gold brought from America directly to the Castilian-Aragonese coffers.

With an economic liquidity the Spanish monarchy was able to solve most of the problems of its nation. The incoming money did not cause any attrition of its citizens, nor the slightest effort, which meant a double profit for the kingdom.

Spain had unparalleled fortunes, unthinkable amounts of money that no kingdom at that time possessed, but the mismanagement of resources eventually led to capitalism as a product of poorly distributed wealth.

However, and this must be highlighted, at the time the money from America achieved its own. Great literary schools arose.

Garcilaso de la Vega rose as the most memorable figure in poetry, closing the 15th century with his birth and opening to the 16th century with the best of his lyrics. All this, of course, for the comfort that the wealth extracted from the Indians provided at the time.

First Spanish Renaissance

Although there was already a previous development, and some spectacular economic, cultural and social conditions that allowed to speak with property of a Renaissance in Spain at the end of the XV century, it is during the reign of Carlos V (between 1516 and 1556) when it is spoken formally from a Spanish Renaissance.

Here, the poets of what was called the "Italianizing School", such as Juan Boscán and Garcilaso de la Vega, were in charge of introducing into Spain the poetic forms and common themes dealt with in Italian lyric. We are talking about poems with a profane tendency, typical of the line of the poet Petrarca.

To oppose the Italianate trend brought by Garcilaso and Boscán, the poet Cristóbal de Castillejo taught the Castilian poetic traditions, supported by the legacy of Juan de Mena. The latter, despite new trends, was still the most widely read and studied poet of the 16th century in all of Spain.

Second Spanish Renaissance

This period coincides with the reign of Felipe II (between 1556 and 1596). It happened during a very cloudy moment in Spanish history produced by the Counter-Reformation.

Portrait of Saint John of the Cross. Source: Par Francisco Pacheco (1564-1644), via Wikimedia Commons

Counter-Reformation is understood as the isolation action that the Catholic Church took as a protective shield against the reformist ideas born under the ideology of Protestantism developed by Martin Luther. These actions taken by the church broke Spain's ties with the rest of Europe.

By cutting ties with Europe, books from Italy and other countries were prevented from arriving, as well as exchange students who promoted with their knowledge the growth and cultural enrichment between both nations.

As consequences derived from these decisions, an increase in the promotion of traditional Catholic aspects could be seen. There was also a marked separation of the profane and the religious, which during the development of medieval literature was intermingled.

An air of pessimism, a product of the intellectual confinement, was breathed in the spaces and slowly passed to the letters, poetry and the different genres developed in Spain at that time.

Man as the center of everything

Anthropocentrism was noted. Everything in the world was made according and in reason to the measure of man himself. Everything that existed began to revolve around the most perfect creation of God. For obvious reasons this was also reflected in the literature.

Reason took precedence over feeling and emotions, generating a necessary balance that gave the population a certain harmony.

The Spanish man represented the perfect ideal of the chivalric poet, a very common situation at that time where warriors used to write their feats in verses, some reaching a certain renown. Garcilaso de la Vega becomes a living example of this.

In this anthropocentric trend (humanist, as it may also be called), the reality of the world was put aside. The poet did not take as true what he perceived, but he described the world as it should be. There was a marked idealization of circumstances and events.

characteristics

The literature of the Spanish Renaissance has well-defined particularities, having as its primary basis the tradition of medieval poetry. The cantigas were present, as were the carols and the singing of deeds, so the Marquis of Santillana and Juan de Mena had a notorious influence on this literary stage.

Among the most outstanding characteristics of this period we can name:

The persistence of the octosyllable verse

There are poetic elements that will never go out of style, among them the eight-syllable verses. It could be said that within the verses of minor art, understand those that have less than nine metric syllables, the octosyllable is the consented one. It can be seen very widely in Spanish Renaissance poetry.

The Italianism of Garcilaso and Juan Boscán

This is perhaps one of the most present elements in this period. The influences of Petrarca, brought by Boscán and De la Vega, were imposed in many respects on the so-called Provençal lyric inherited from the Spanish Middle Ages.

The profane and everyday, the simple love of man as a tool to dignify himself, are the themes of literature during the Spanish Renaissance.

New metrics

The hendecasyllable verses as well as the heptasyllables are incorporated into the poetic creations.

Rhyme

That is, the sounds that occur after the stressed vowel coincided in their entirety. This occurred, of course, in the last words of each verse, generating a pleasant sound to the ear, which when added to the meter made the written stanzas a rhythmic and melodic delicacy for the ears.

The eclogue, the ode and the epistle:

The eclogues appeared from the hand of Garcilaso dealing with issues related to pastoral life, being the eclogue of Salicio and Nemoroso the most recognized. The ode was a widely used form in which the poet captured his profound reflections on life and existence.

The epistles, for their part, fulfilled a very necessary communicative role at the time. The writers used them to clearly convey their thoughts and life situations. They were practically letters, texts made to convey ideas.

The topics discussed

Among the most outstanding themes was love, however this was manifested in its platonic version, that is to say virtuous, rarely reciprocated. Nature was the favorite medium and great protagonist of the literature of the Spanish Renaissance.

Portrait of Fray Luis de León. Source: By Francisco Pacheco (1564-1644), via Wikimedia Commons

Mythology, for its part, was used in two ways: either as a center around which all poetic reality revolved, or as an ornament to enhance, almost always, the qualities of feminine beauty.

The language

The language used in the literature of this period was characterized by being very simple and natural. There is a distancing from the elaborate language, the simple was what reigned in the letters of the Spanish Renaissance writers.

Authors and outstanding works

Juan Boscán (1492-1542)

Plays

Poetry

- "To sadness".

- "The nightingale who loses his children."

- "What will I do, that I love you" (Song V).

Sonnets

- "Love is good in itself naturally."

- "Loaded I go from my wherever I go."

- "Like the sad man who is judged to death."

- "Sweet to dream and sweet to grieve".

- "Garcilaso, you always aspired to good."

- "Who says that absence causes oblivion."

- "I am like the one who lives in the desert."

- "A new love has given me a new good."

Garcilaso de la Vega (1501-1536)

Plays

Verses

- "To Boscán, because being in Germany, he danced at weddings."

- "To a game".

- "Christmas Carol".

- "I'll leave from here."

Eclogues

Sonnets

- "Dafne's arms were already growing."

- "At the entrance of a valley, in a desert."

- "Oh jealousy of love, terrible brake."

- "My lady, if I am absent from you."

Fray Luis de León (1527-1591)

Plays

Poetry

- "To Felipe Ruiz".

- "Serene night".

- "Prophecy of the Tagus".

- "Retired life".

Sonnets

- "When I stop to contemplate my life."

- "Questions of love".

Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591)

Plays

Poetry

- "I entered where I did not know."

- "I live without living in my".

- "A shepherd is only punished."

- "In the beginning he dwelt."

Prose

Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616)

Plays

Novels

Theater

Comedies

Hors d'oeuvres

Poetry

References

1. Spanish Renaissance Literature. (S. f.). (N / a): Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org
2. López Asenjo, M. (2013). Historical and sociocultural context of the Renaissance in Spain. (N / a): Masterlengua. Recovered from: masterlengua.com
3. Renaissance literature in Spain. (S. f.). (N / a): Rincón del Castellano. Recovered from: rinconcastellano.com
4. Notes on the Spanish literature of the Renaissance. (S. f.). (N / a): Spanish Literature. Recovered from: blocs.xtec.cat
5. The Renaissance and the Baroque. (S. f.). Spain: Hiru.eus. Recovered from: hiru.eus