Baroque Literature: Vernacular Rise and Literary Innovation
Baroque Literature: Vernacular Language and Innovation
The Rise of Vernacular Literature
In the humanist period, vernacular literature was considered almost as dignified as classical languages. In the Baroque, this trend became established. Although Latin remained the language of science, we began to see theoretical and scientific works disseminated in the vernacular.
Genre Developments in the Baroque Era
Picaresque, Novel, and Theater
Some genres, such as the picaresque, revived in the seventeenth century, becoming the seed for others like the modern novel (especially in England). Theater was renovated, becoming a powerful means of literary expression and messaging in England, Spain, and France.
Genre Hybridization and Satire
With Don Quixote, a series of models emerged, sarcastically showing the weariness with existing forms (like chivalric romances). Genre hybridizations occurred; for instance, a treatise could be disguised as a novel to reach the public more easily, as seen with Gracián’s El Criticón.
Key Concepts: Wit and Ingenuity
Creation and Questioning Classics
The most important aspect was the idea of creation, questioning classical ideas but with consistency. This is seen in Góngora, where absolute novelty referred to defined models with the intention of creating a language requiring training for educated people. Lope de Vega, for example, claimed to bypass theatrical rules to reach the masses while simultaneously building a theater capable of integrating the public into a political system.
The Role of Concepto (Wit)
Poetic theory regarding elocutio (style/expression) focused on sharpness and wit. This sharpness meant concepto (concept/conceit), linked to the idea of surprise. A concepto is an acute or witty expression developed through language and literary rules, whose principal effect is to leave the reader surprised and amazed (surprised by the strange and unusual, going beyond everyday experience).
One could say that Baroque literature is conceptual. This can be achieved using complex language with simple metaphors, or conversely, complicated metaphors with very simple language, so the idea is not immediately understood.
The Importance of Ingenium (Ingenuity)
The Latin term ingenium (innate quality/talent), derived from humanist ideas, evolved during this period. It signified natural inventive gifts, leading to the idea of ‘genius’ and the ability to produce concepts. It became specialized, referring to a mind geared towards creativity.
The Reader, Taste, and Reception
Increasing importance was given to the reader and the mechanisms of reception. Literature was written for a reader prepared to engage in this type of intellectual game. Yet certain genres (like theater and treatises) were aimed at all readers. Consequently, a discussion unfolded around the idea of taste—good taste in literature—shaping up as a concept balanced between Wit and Reason. In any case, this taste (whether the elite’s ‘good taste’ or the ‘vulgar taste’) was considered by the author.
The Ancients vs. Moderns Debate
Origins and the French Querelle
The preference for innovation and creation in the vernacular led to discussions about the value of old models versus modern creations, questioning whether the classics had been surpassed. This sparked debates in linguistics and literature about whether the classics or the moderns were superior.
These discussions, originating in Italy, spread to France from the 1630s onwards and became a major topic, known as the Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes (Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns). Two distinct sides emerged, featuring prominent cultural and political figures like Boileau (representing the Ancients) and Perrault (representing the Moderns).
The French Academy and Language Politics
In this context, Cardinal Richelieu founded the Académie Française (French Academy) in 1635, the first of its kind in Europe. The creation of this academy exemplified Richelieu’s vision: parallel to the rise of French power, the French language would become the new universal language. The idea of modernity surpassing ancient models was thus supported by political power.
Popularization and Vernacular Expansion
Science and Philosophy in the Vernacular
Social groups began to show an interest in cultural pursuits without needing to know Latin. Descartes wrote his Discours de la méthode (Discourse on Method) in French. Fontenelle undertook the task of writing popular science works for a general audience, including women. He used dialogues, featuring literary characters and women among them.
The Dialogue Genre
The dialogue remained an important genre (Galileo used it, writing in Italian, to discuss the movement of the stars). The dialogue genre, with its conversational style, would experience a strong resurgence in the eighteenth century.