Literary Currents and Catalan Authors: Renaissance to Neoclassicism
The Early Modern Age: Printing and Literature
This period encompasses the Modern Age, spanning three centuries from the Renaissance to the late eighteenth century. Printing consolidated, and workshops began operating as real businesses.
First Printed Texts
The first texts printed included:
- Greek and Latin texts
- Bible translations
- Legal and scientific books
- Collections of poems
Promoting Reading and Literacy
Books were the engine of verifiable reading growth. Booksellers imported and exported texts. The development of printing made written culture much more present, extending beyond the simple possession of the book. Reading aloud was particularly common in public places and private family settings, alongside the growing practice of reading alone.
Censorship and the Inquisition
Censorship intensified at the end of the fifteenth century with the ecclesiastical Inquisition, an agency dedicated to ensuring the purity of Catholic doctrine and punishing dissenters.
The Renaissance and Humanism
The Renaissance is founded on humanism, a scholarly philosophical current that paved the way for the arts and the great scientific and technical discoveries of the Modern Age. The Renaissance is often seen as the role of liberator of mankind.
Political Context
In the fifteenth century, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile became the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. Historically, the period also includes the aftermath of the War of Succession, which ended on September 11, 1714. Two years later, the Decree of Nueva Planta appeared, restricting Catalan usage primarily to family and domestic settings, while Castilian was considered the language of prestige.
Cristòfor Despuig (1510–1580) and the Colloquia
Cristòfor Despuig (1510–1580) is a writer of merit known for his distinguished Colloquia de la ciutat de Tortosa (Colloquies of the City of Tortosa). It was not published until the nineteenth century.
The Colloquia is a literary form featuring fictional, allegorical, or deceased characters who engage in a credible and colloquial tone of spontaneous, real conversation. Women form a dialogue between three characters, expressing their ideas on various issues. The work is characterized by a relativizing thought process, moving away from absolute black or white judgments.
The Baroque Era: Crisis and Mortality
The Baroque era (17th century Europe) was marked by an intense crisis, reflected in worldwide spiritual, political, and social upheaval. The main theme is death, explored through visions ranging from the picturesque and terrifying to the momentous and spiritualist.
Francesc Vicent Garcia (Dean of Vallfogona)
Francesc Vicent Garcia i Torres, known as the Dean of Vallfogona (1578–1623), was an excellent author of sonnets, though he also worked in other forms such as drama and prose poetry. His poetry is characterized by a common satirical and burlesque intent, rarely sparing a joke.
Francesc Fontanella (1622–1683)
Francesc Fontanella (1622–1683) was the author of Lo desengany (The Disillusionment), a dramatic poem set amidst a mythological and pastoral backdrop.
Neoclassicism: Rationalism and Classical Standards
Neoclassicism was born in France in the last third of the seventeenth century. It represents a synthesis between:
- Rationalist thought
- The bourgeois epoch of absolutism
- Political defense
This movement involved a return to classical standards, proclaiming formal rigor and incorporating characters capable of heroic gestures into literary works.
Joan Ramis (1746–1819) and Lucrecia
Joan Ramis (1746–1819), a Minorcan writer and scholar, stands out in the field of neoclassical tragedy with his work Lucrecia. This work clearly highlights the role of women in the fight for the freedom of peoples and against tyrants.