Spanish Literary Classics: Amadis of Gaul and La Celestina Analysis
Amadis of Gaul: A Chivalric Masterpiece
The books of chivalry gained wider dissemination by the end of the 15th century. Around 1492, the most famous Castilian chivalry novel, Amadis of Gaul, appeared. The unknown author’s work was corrected and completed by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, who published it in 1508. Its attractive and elegant language, distinct from the often difficult genre, stands out for its lyricism and the idealization of the love of its protagonists.
The Sentimental Novel: Characteristics and Context
The sentimental novel is a subgenre of idealist narrative that triumphed in Spain from the mid-15th century. Sentimental passions predominate, thriving in an environment of courteous and courtly love. Key characteristics include:
- The love professed is an adoration for the beloved, which often becomes a tormented passion.
- The beloved is portrayed as a paragon of beauty and virtue.
- The language is elaborate and full of rhetorical figures.
- Love often remains unfulfilled, leading to tragedy.
A representative work is Cárcel de Amor (Prison of Love) by Diego de San Pedro.
La Celestina: Authorship and Textual Issues
La Celestina (1499) is a great work of literature, important due to the depth and complexity of its subject, as well as its perfect style.
Editions and Evolution of the Text
- The first known edition, untitled and unsigned (1499), consists of 16 acts.
- A new edition (1500) was titled Comedia de Calisto y Melibea. The author stated to a friend that he had found the first act already written and decided to write the subsequent 15.
- Later editions, titled Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea, expanded the work to 21 acts by adding 5 new acts. These 5 acts were inserted after acts 14, 15, and 16, becoming acts 20 and 21 of the Comedia de Calisto y Melibea. It is not entirely clear that Fernando de Rojas added these 5 acts, which include the Tratado de Centurio.
Regarding the authorship of Fernando de Rojas, some scholars express doubts. Rojas practiced law and belonged to a family of ‘conversos’ (Jews who converted to Christianity, often under duress), who were sometimes accused of usury and ritual murders. The first act was found written, and it was 6 or 7 times longer than the others. The work originally had 16 acts and was later extended to 21. The first act is attributed by some to Juan de Mena or Rodrigo Cota, both ‘conversos’. The author, with a moralizing intent, states that the work aims to teach and concludes it with the other acts.
Genre Classification Debates of La Celestina
The work, a narrative text in dialogue, sparked debate in the eighteenth century. Some consider it a dramatic work intended for reading rather than solely for representation, as its staging would be very difficult due to frequent changes of scenery and the extensive length of the work. Due to its spatiotemporal changes, others classify La Celestina within the narrative genre, as a novel in dialogue or a ‘dialogued novel’.
Some believe that Fernando de Rojas attempted to create an ‘anti-novel’ or a harsh critique of the sentimental novel that triumphed in that century, such as Cárcel de Amor. While classical Greek theater followed strict rules, these were not always adhered to in Spain during the Renaissance. Literary theorists continued to advocate for plays that followed specific standards or rules, such as those outlined in Aristotle’s Poetics and Cascales’ Tablas Poéticas (manuals of literary orthodoxy). The eighteenth century saw a recovery of Neoclassical aesthetics, which emphasized adherence to strict rules. A play, according to these rules, should cover a single 24-hour period, maintain a single setting, and have a unified action. Leandro Fernández de Moratín was considered the creator of the ‘well-made play’ in Spain. In 1806, Moratín published two ‘well-made plays’ in France and denied that La Celestina could be considered theater, precisely because it did not comply with these rules.
The term lumpenproletariat (referring to the lowest social class) appears in La Celestina with the character Centurio. La Celestina remains one of the most significant and relevant works in Spanish literature.
The Plot of Calisto and Melibea
Calisto and Melibea (nobles and wealthy individuals) accidentally meet in Melibea’s garden and fall in love. With the help of his servant Sempronio, Calisto seeks the services of a procuress, Celestina, who, through her cunning arts, plots their romantic encounters and unites the lovers. Calisto gives Celestina a gold chain as a reward. Calisto’s servants, Pármeno and Sempronio, demand their share of the reward from Celestina, but she refuses to give them anything, leading them to kill her. Calisto continues his nightly visits to Melibea.
Elicia and Areúsa, the lovers of Sempronio and Pármeno, decide to seek revenge on Calisto and Melibea. Hearing a noise in the garden, Calisto falls precipitously from the ladder, falls, and dies. Upon hearing the news, Melibea confesses her secret love for Calisto to her father and commits suicide by jumping from a tower. The work concludes with the father’s lament.