The Decline of Catalan Literature in the 16th Century
The 16th century marked a period of decline for Catalan literature, characterized by a decrease in its use and the rise of Spanish. This era encompasses four literary movements in chronological order: Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassicism, and Preromanticism.
Causes of the Decline
1. Political Actions by the Monarchy:
- 1412: Compromise of Caspe. Introduction of the Trastámara dynasty, favoring Castilian influence.
- 1465: Marriage of Isabella of Spain to Ferdinand of Aragon. The Catalan court disappeared, and Castilian gained prominence.
- 1707: Decree of Nueva Planta. Philip V imposed Spanish as the sole official language as punishment for supporting the Austrians in the War of Succession. This led to the rise of a Spanish-speaking bourgeoisie.
2. Disappearance of Catalan in the Court:
- Ineffectiveness of the Royal Chancellery and its regulations.
- Progressive Castilianization of courtiers due to interaction with Castilians.
- Disappearance of the Catalan court, forcing writers to produce works in Spanish.
3. Economic Crisis:
- Shift in trade from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
- Commercial benefits from the discovery of America were directed towards Castilian lands by Isabella.
4. Socio-Political Crisis:
- Revolts in Catalonia, such as the Reapers’ War and the Catalan Revolt, fueled by resentment towards Castilian centralizing policies.
- Centralist policies caused disconnection between Catalan territories and a social divide between the Spanish-speaking bourgeoisie and the Catalan-speaking population.
5. The Inquisition:
- Founded by Philip II, the Inquisition suppressed cultural evolution and targeted those who could have contributed to Catalan’s future.
- The expulsion of the Moors in 1707 further damaged the agricultural economy.
Linguistic Implications
1. Incapacity for Literary Modernization: Catalan was undergoing internal changes during the 15th century, but the Renaissance favored the medieval language, termed “Limousin.”
2. Linguistic Conflict: While the general populace continued using Catalan, the nobility and intellectuals became more familiar with Spanish. Catalan was virtually replaced by Spanish as a literary language.
3. Dialectalization: The decline of Catalan led to a process of linguistic disintegration and the deepening of dialectal differences.
The Castilianization process extended beyond literature, affecting cultural, political, and social spheres. While a diglossic society emerged, with Catalan persisting in some areas, Spanish ultimately gained dominance, marking a significant turning point in Catalan literary history.