Spanish Golden Age Literature: Cervantes, Baroque Theater
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra: Life & Works
Cervantes’s Biography
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the most universal Spanish writer, was born in Alcalá de Henares in 1547. At 22 years old, he joined the Tercios of Italy and fought in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571, where he was wounded in his left hand, which was permanently disabled. In 1605, the first part of Don Quixote was published, and he began to achieve fame as a writer. He died on April 23, 1616.
Literary Contributions of Cervantes
Cervantes’s Plays and Poetry
Cervantes regarded poetry as the literary genre par excellence. His plays are known to have two stages:
- Period 1580-1587: He wrote works following the precepts of classical rules, such as La Numancia.
- Later Period: Due to the failure of his early plays, Cervantes acknowledged the dramatic triumph of Lope de Vega. He later wrote 8 comedies and, in 1615, presented 8 entremeses (short farcical plays), though his true literary talent shone brightest in his novels.
Cervantes’s Novels
La Galatea (1585)
This pastoral novel recounts several amorous cases, including those of shepherds and shepherdesses, set over ten days, often during a period of leisure.
Novelas Ejemplares (Exemplary Novels) (1613)
This collection of 12 short stories was published in 1613. They established Cervantes’s unique contribution to the novella genre.
Los Trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda (The Labors of Persiles and Sigismunda) (1617)
Cervantes’s last novel, published posthumously, is a Byzantine novel. It narrates the adventures of two protagonists traveling to Rome to marry.
Don Quixote (1605-1615)
Published in two parts, Don Quixote is considered a modern novel due to its complex characters, narrative history, and innovative techniques. One key technique is Cervantes’s pretense of not being the author, but merely transcribing a manuscript found by a copyist. This creates a meta-narrative. Dialogue is used as a primary medium to reveal the true nature of the characters and make them more believable. The resulting humor, often stemming from the clash between protagonists and the succession of wacky adventures, is a characteristic procedure.
The Spanish Baroque: Culture & Theater
17th-Century Spain: Society & Economy
In the last decades of the sixteenth century, symptoms of a definitive crisis were already observed in the Spanish Empire, which intensified during the seventeenth century. The Baroque is the cultural movement that reflects the social, political, economic, and military decay that gripped Spain in the seventeenth century.
The Baroque World: Society and Economy: This period was marked by a deep crisis, continuous wars, high court costs, a reduction of gold from America, and successive bankruptcies. The main social groups included the nobility, the common people, and the bourgeoisie.
The National Comedy (Comedia Nueva)
This theatrical formula, designed to win over audiences, is known as the National Comedy or New Comedy (Comedia Nueva). It was created by Lope de Vega at the end of the 16th century and imitated by numerous playwrights throughout the 17th century, notably Tirso de Molina and, especially, Calderón de la Barca.
Key Traits of the Comedia Nueva
- Techniques: Works are typically divided into three acts, mixing tragic and comic elements, hence often called tragicomedy. They include temporal shifts and changes of location. Two parallel plots are common: one involving nobles and another involving commoners. Dramas are written in verse.
- Topics: Common themes include history, religion, mythology, love, and honor.
Lope de Vega’s Theatrical Innovations
Lope sought a theatrical method capable of engaging all social classes, which is why his works are considered the foundation of the National Comedy. His inspiration and arguments draw from diverse sources: national legends, traditional songs, proverbs, the Bible, and romances. His works are characterized by a predominance of action that develops very quickly, keeping the viewer attentive at all times. The stage is rarely empty, with a constant flow of characters. His dialogues are imbued with lyricism, and the language of his characters is full of rhythm, musicality, and expressiveness.
Calderón de la Barca’s Distinctive Theater
Calderón’s theater is more aristocratic than Lope’s. It is also more complex, boasts a stronger ideological content, and addresses a more educated minority. His works explore more abstract themes.