Renaissance Poetry: Epic and Lyric Masterpieces
Epic Poetry
During the Renaissance in Europe, epic poetry turned its back on the chanson de geste, except in Spain, where it could be encountered in romances. Instead, cult epics succeeded, influenced by Homer and Virgil. Themes developed by some authors, such as Ariosto, were fantastic, while others related recent exploits of a hero or an entire people, as Camoes did.
Ariosto
Ariosto of Este’s Orlando Furioso is a sprawling epic made in octaves. Its protagonist, Roland (Orlando in Italian), has ceased to embody the heroic spirit of a people and has become a fantastic superman, capable of extravagant adventures. The main action is unlikely, as many elements—enchanted castles, hippogriffs, giants—are present. The author displays his talents as a narrator to entertain readers.
Camoes
Luis de Camoes is the author of Lusiads, one of the great epics of the Renaissance. A fruit of the nationalist sentiment of the time, it sings the glories of Portugal and the exploits of its men across seas never before navigated. An example is the Basque region. Camoes keeps two planes of classical epics: on one side, the main historical narrative of the exploits of the Portuguese; on the other side, mythological disputes in which the gods take sides in the struggles of men. Events in Camoes’ life show through in his work: love affairs, exile, struggles, and old age in poverty.
Ercilla
Alonso de Ercilla was a Madrid poet who composed the Araucana. This work is a long poem in octavas reales. Born of his own experience, his approach should be emphasized: the losers (Araucanian Indians) acquire a noble, heroic dimension. Unforgettable are the portraits of their leaders, especially Caupolican, a chief proclaimed by his people after emerging victorious from an ordeal: being the one who endured the longest walk with a trunk on his shoulders.
Lyric Poetry
In the 14th century, a transition from medieval to Renaissance poetry occurred in Italy with Dante and Petrarch. These poets were admired in Europe in later centuries. Garcilaso in Spain, Ronsard in France, and Sa de Miranda in Portugal eventually incorporated the latest Italian poetry, such as Petrarchan love.
Ronsard
Pierre Ronsard was the most featured poet of a group called La Pléiade. They were united by their admiration for the classics, their eagerness to introduce Italian novelties, and their love for the French language. At the age of 50, Ronsard retired to the countryside, where he completed his most famous and personal work, The Loves, three books of sonnets to three women, in which he melancholically sings of love. He uses the classic theme of carpe diem from Horace.
Garcilaso de la Vega
This author from Toledo is one of the greatest writers in the Spanish-speaking world. Before going to Naples, his poetry was marked by Petrarchan features. It was in Naples where he discovered Italian authors. After his stay, traits abound in his Italian-influenced work, influenced both by earlier authors such as Francesco Petrarca and contemporaries such as Jacopo Sannazaro, author in 1504 of The Arcadia. Garcilaso brought him into the world of Arcadia, in which sounds and colors soberly accompany feelings. Garcilaso was also influenced by Ludovico Ariosto, from whom he takes the theme of madness in love. This author made three eclogues in which he uses the locus amoenus topic.