Golden Age Poetry
-
Salamancan School
o
Sobriety; concise language; plain, unadorned
expression; insistence on importance of matter of form
o
Ex: Fray Luis de León
-
Sevillian School
o
Exuberance, wealthy, gaiety, unrestraint.
Neologisms and syntactical innovations. Spectacular erudition, verbal
musicality, archeological interest in classical ruins and mythology.
o
Continued the tendency established by Juan de
Mena (prematurely culto-ornate).
o
Ex: Fernando de Herrera
-
Culteranismo (Baroque)
o
Deliberately/intentionally obscure style. Wanted
to create poetic vocabulary distinct from ordinary language. Characterized by
Latin/Greek-based neologisms, distorted syntax, audacious metaphors, and
abundant references to classic mythology and exotic geography.
o
Poster boy: Luis de Góngora
-
Conceptismo (Baroque)
o
Meaning is emphasized over form. The manner in
which something is said is not as important as what is said. Avoids using too
many words. Also used metaphors, puns, paradoxes, and extended metaphors;
trying for ingenuity.
o
Poster boy: Francisco de Quevedo
Golden Age Poets
Note: This “compilation” does reflect all the poets listed on the
Golden Age section of the Comps list (organized chronologically by date of
birth), but does NOT necessarily include each of the poems required, but rather
an exemplary selection.
Garcilaso de la Vega
-
1501?-1536
-
Spanish
soldier and poet
-
Most influential poet to introduce Italian
Renaissance poetic style (in sonnets in particular)
-
Best known for his tragic love poetry (which
contrasts with the playful poetry of his predecessors)
-
Three episodes during his literary career:
Spanish, Italian, classicist
-
He was super influential for later poets
-
Principle themes of tragic love and nature,
beauty in nature. Principle mood is nostalgic or melancholic.
-
Poetry
o
Most famous for his sonnets, which generally
present the theme of tragic love (ex: Soneto I, Soneto IV, Soneto X, Soneto
XXXII)
o
One of his more famous poems: Soneto XXIII –
describes a beautiful woman and suggests she has to enjoy her youth because her
beauty will fade as the years pass – theme of carpe diem which seems popular in
this period (also appears in a slightly later poem from Sor Juana)
o
Eglogas – pastoral poems, incorporate nature and
mythological elements
Fray Luis de León
-
1527-1591
-
Lyric poet and Augustinian friar and theologian (religious,
but not a mystic – compare with San Juan de la Cruz)
-
Salamancan school of poetry (sobriety; concise
language; plain, unadorned expression; insistence on importance of matter over
form)
-
Influenced by Renaissance --- Neoplatonic catholicism
(Christian idealism + Classical urbanity of Renaissance)
-
Philosophical / moral lyric poetry
-
Poetry reflects desire of escape from
complexities of life – desire of spiritual elevation and solitude
-
Examples of poetry:
o
“La vida retirada” – expounds upon the notion of
choice and its consequences. He says that those irrational men who aspire to
power and wealth and are guided by the talk and opinion of others will not
achieve the peace, happiness, and liberty assured to those who travel the
hidden path. The poem continues on to mention a ship in a storm, and how the
sailors aboard are motivated only by greed and ambition, and they will not meet
the harmonious end of those who travel the hidden path.
o
“Oda III – A Francisco de Salinas” – an ode
written for his friend Francisco de Salinas. The ode, includes numerous
positive images about music as a means to contemplate the divine and to
overcome ignorance and foolishness.
Fernando de Herrera
-
1534?-1597
-
A poet and scholar
-
Sevillian school of poetry (exuberance, wealth,
gaity, unrestraint. Neologisms + syntactical innovations. Spectacular erudition,
verbal musicality, archaeological interest in classical ruins + mythology)
-
Great admirer of Garcilaso de la Vega, was influenced
by him
-
Was in love with a friend’s wife, the
Countess/Condesa Doña Leonor, and this illicit love inspired his love poetry.
-
Was nicknamed “El Divino” for his meticulous
study and eventual mastery of poetic discourse
-
Great variety of themes in his poetry: love/romance
(mainly inspired by Dona Leonor) and also patriotic/military-based (passionate,
full of sound and fury and strong imagery)
-
Poetry (three major areas)
o
Military/Patriotic poetry
§
Accounts of contemporary military leaders and
events in which Herrera demonstrates his patriotism, loyalty to the Christian
faith, and respect for great leaders
o
Love poetry (inspired by Dona Leonor)
§
First period: “Rimas juveniles” – description of
love as a blissful state, in which there is neither pain nor suffering
§
Second period: “Poesías” – love escapes reality
and lives in a world of fantasy and perfection
o
Poetry
dedicated to Garcilaso de la Vega
San Juan de la Cruz
-
1542-1591
-
Major figure of Counter Reformation
-
Spanish mystic (comparable with Santa Teresa de Ávila)
-
Considered one of the foremost poets in the
Spanish language
-
Most famous poems (for formal stylistic point of
view and rich symbolism and imagery):
o
“Cántico espiritual”
§
Pastoral poem in which bride (representing soul)
searches for the bridegroom (representing Jesus Christ), and is anxious at
having lost him; both are filled with joy upon reuniting
§
Influenced by Song of Solomon (in Bible)
o
“La
noche oscura del alma”
§
Narration of the journey of the soul from her
bodily home to her union with God. It happens during the night, which
represents the hardships and difficulties she meets in detachment from the
world and reaching the light of the union with the Creator. There are several
steps in this night, which are related in successive stanzas. The main idea of
the poem can be seen as the painful experience that people endure as they seek
to grow in spiritual maturity and union with God.
o
“Llama de amor viva”
§
Discusses the impact of the Holy Spirit on the
Soul
Luis de Góngora y Argote
-
1561-1627
-
Lyric
poet of Baroque era
-
Was one of the most prominent Spanish poets of
the age, along with lifelong rival, Francisco de Quevedo
-
Style: culteranismo (Deliberately obscure style.
Wanted to create poetic vocabulary distinct from ordinary language. Characterized
by Latin/Greek-based neologisms, distorted syntax, audacious metaphors, and
abundant references to classic mythology and exotic geography).
o
The movement aimed to use as many words as
possible to convey little meaning or to conceal meaning. (Wikipedia)
-
Góngora wrote sonnets concerning various
subjects of an amatory, satirical, moral, philosophical, religious,
controversial, laudatory, and funereal nature. As well as the usual topics (carpe
diem, etc.) the sonnets
include autobiographical elements, describing, for example, the increasing
decrepitude and advancing age of the author.
-
Two stages in his poetry – became more intensely
culteranista in the second stage
-
Example of poetry: Soledades
o
Literary techniques: neologisms, hyperbaton,
metaphors, mythological allusions
o
Was supposed to have 4 seasons; instead only has
1.5
o
Pastoral style, recounts how a shipwrecked youth
is cast ashore; taken by goatherds (shepherds) and remains with them;
participates in one of their marriage functions. The youth later encounters
some fisherman and watches a hunt on land from a boat.
o
Describes beauties of landscape and country life
(no part of nature that is ugly!)
o
Characterized by ingenuity of thought, abundance
of colors, musicality.
Lope de Vega
-
1562-1635
-
Playwright and poet during Baroque period
-
Wrote TONS of poetry – sonnets, epic poems,
romances
-
Mix of classical Renaissance spirit and Baroque
style
-
Influenced by Garcilaso de la Vega – more classical
tradition
-
Fused the traditions of the popular and the
learned (like in his plays)
-
Poetry
o
Romances express his own personal feelings: his
loves, hates, and passions.
o
Many of his sonnets are autobiographical
Francisco de Quevedo
-
1580-1645
-
Nobleman, politician, and writer of the Baroque
era
-
Was one of the most prominent Spanish poets of
the age, along with lifelong rival, Luis de Góngora
-
Style: conceptismo (Emphasizes meaning over
form. The manner in which something is said is not as important as what is
said. Avoids using too many words. Also used metaphors, puns, paradoxes, elaborate
metaphors; trying for ingenuity.)
-
Frequent themes: nature of life and death,
morality, satire, love
-
Poetry
o
Often wrote satirical poetry (especially against
his rival, Góngora)
§ Ex: sonnet, “A una nariz”
o
Poemas
metafísicos
§
Ex: “Ah, de la vida” – idea that everything
passes so quickly in life, death comes quickly
o
Moral poems
§
Ex: “A la violent e injusta prosperidad” – was homeless,
then became rich but feels more lonely than ever
§
Ex: “Desde la torre” – idea that you should
strive to improve yourself with studies
o
Religious poems – criticizes those with hard
hearts, who don’t appreciate Christ’s sacrifice
o
Love poems
§ Ex: “La mocedad del año” – sonnet with
carpe diem theme
