- Biography
- Family and studies
- Obligated marriage
- Their works
- Mateo and jail
- His death
- Plays
- Guzman de Alfarache
- Phrases
- References
Mateo Alemán (1547-1614) was a renowned writer of the Spanish Golden Age, who is credited with consolidating the literary subgenre called "picaresque novel."
His prose work, characterized by a series of complete narratives, contributed greatly to the growth of Hispanic literature, both in the way of telling the stories and in the way of structuring them.
Mateo Alemán. Source: By Escarlati. (Adobe Photoshop), based on a print, intaglio engraving from 1599 by Perret, Pedro (1555-ca. 1625). (Signature of the author, in the foreshortened part of the table where he supports the book) Iconografía Hispana 213-1 - Barcia. Portraits 40-1. Bust. He rests his left hand on a closed book, in whose cut he says: «Cor. Ta. » (Cornelius Tácitus). With his right hand, he points to the beautiful cartouche in one of the upper corners of the picture with the emblem of the spider on the asp, and the letter: "Ab insidiis non est prudentia." Matching this cartouche, the coat of arms is in the other angle. He rests his left hand on a closed book, in whose cut he says: «Cor. Ta. » (Cornelius Tacitus). With his right, he points to the cute plaque in one of the upper corners of the picture with the emblem of the spider.,via Wikimedia Commons
It is also necessary to note that thanks to the eagerness of this writer the Spanish language obtained a considerable enrichment. This was due to the fact that Alemán insisted on rescuing the words that were out of use, and including the words of other languages in the Spanish vocabulary.
Despite his significant contributions, few biographical data exist on Mateo Alemán. However, certain important facts about his life are known that help to understand his work.
Biography
Family and studies
Mateo Alemán y de Enero was born in Seville in September 1547. He was baptized in the collegiate church of Divino San Salvador on September 28 of the same year. His parents were Hernando Alemán - a converted Jew and surgeon from the Royal Prison of Seville - and Juana de Enero, his second wife, the daughter of a Florentine merchant.
He obtained his bachelor's degree in arts and theology in 1564, at the Maese Rodrigo University. He continued his studies at the University of Salamanca and at the University of Alcalá de Henares, at the Faculty of Medicine, a career that historians say he abandoned, since no record of his degree was found.
Obligated marriage
He married Catalina de Espinosa, as compensation for the non-payment of a loan acquired as a result of the death of his father in 1568.
The aforementioned father, Captain Alonso Hernández de Ayala, loaned them the money on the sole condition that if he did not return it on the agreed date, Mateo Alemán should marry the renowned young lady. This marriage lasted a few years.
Their works
In Seville he worked as a collector of the subsidy and its archbishopric. In Madrid he was a results accountant in the Treasury Accounting Office. According to the few manuscripts found about his life, it was found that he was also dedicated to the purchase and sale of goods.
Of that commercial activity the most outstanding businesses were: the sale of a Moorish slave and the purchase of a chapel for the Nazarene brotherhood.
At that time he drew up statutes to be requested by the members of the Nazarene brotherhood and served as visiting judge of Spain.
Mateo and jail
This illustrious writer was imprisoned on two occasions in Seville, both because of acquired and unpaid debts. The first time he was locked up for two and a half years, from 1580 to 1582; and the second time in 1602, until his relative Juan Bautista del Rosso managed to free him.
Historians make a comparison between this event lived by Mateo Alemán and the plot of his famous novel Guzmán de Alfarache, and conclude that those episodes in his life helped him understand everything related to criminal activity, material that would later serve as the basis for the development of said manuscript.
His death
It was taken for certain that Mateo Alemán died after 1615. Later, in 1619, a document appeared in Seville written by Jerónimo Alemán, the novelist's cousin, who revealed new information in this regard.
In that document it was stated that the writer died in 1614, in extreme poverty and it was necessary to resort to the compassion of those who knew him in life to be able to bury him.
Plays
- In 1597, he translated the Odes of Horacio and wrote a prologue to the Moral Proverbs of Alonso de Barros.
- In 1599, he published the first part of the picaresque novel Guzmán de Alfarache, entitled First part of Guzmán de Alfarache.
- In 1602, he published the Life and Miracles of Saint Anthony of Padua.
- In 1604, he published the second part of Guzmán de Alfarache, entitled Second part of the life of Guzmán de Alfarache, watchtower of human life.
- In 1608 he published his Castilian Orthography.
- In 1613 he continued his literary work and wrote the prologue of the life of the master father Ignacio de Loyola de Luis Belmonte and the Events of Fray García Guerra, archbishop of Mexico.
Guzman de Alfarache
There is no doubt that Mateo Alemán was popularized by his novel Guzmán de Alfarache. This poetic story at the time of its publication attracted the attention of countless readers, reaching an unprecedented diffusion and in a short time by the standards of the time.
This literary work was characterized by having a folkloric colloquial language, which was novel for the time. For this reason it was called the "entertainment novel."
This manuscript achieved more than 20 editions made, to the point that it surpassed Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote, who had only eight. The novel was translated into French, German, Italian, and even Latin.
This masterful work, published in two parts, recounted the adventures of a young rogue who, reached middle age, disapproved of his past life.
In the novel the adventures of the character in his youth are mixed with the moral of the adult. For this reason, the manuscript was considered by many critics of that time as a moral satire.
Phrases
Throughout his literary career Mateo Alemán pronounced and wrote many sentences for which he is still remembered today, as they are concise and clear. Here are some of his phrases that recall the different feelings of human beings:
- "Should be find the friends like the good books. There is no happiness in that they are many or very curious; but few, good and well known ”.
- "Desire conquers fear".
- "Blood is inherited, vice becomes attached."
- "Every man must wish to live to know, and to know in order to live well."
- "Aid in need, even if it is little, helps a lot."
- "For those who do not benefit from good works and tender words do not move, bad ones will be beaten with harsh and rigorous punishment."
- "Youth is not a time of life, it is a state of the spirit."
- "There is no word or brush that comes to express fatherly love."
References
- Mateo Alemán. (S. f.). Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
- Autobiography in Mateo Alemán. (S. f.). (N / a): Siglo de Oro Literature and Culture Magazine. Recovered from: revistahipogrifo.com.
- Mateo Alemán and Literature. (S. f.). Spain: Spain is Culture. Recovered from: españaescultura.es.
- Mateo Alemán. (S. f.). (N / a): Biographies and lives. Recovered from: biogramasyvidas.com.
- Michaud, M. (2014). Mateo Alemán, The Complete Work. Spain: Journals Open Edition. Recovered from: journals.openedition.org.