The Renaissance and the Golden Age

In Spain, talking about the Renaissance is talking about the Golden Age, since the two concepts are interrelated. On the one hand, the Renaissance is the aesthetic current that took place in Spain in the 16th and early 17th centuries, it is the movement prior to the Baroque and opted for a return to the classics to overcome the Middle Ages, a black moment in Hispanic literary history and of poor quality artistic. On the other hand, the Golden Age is the name given to this stage in the history of Spain. and that refers both to the cultural and artistic flourishing, as well as to the political situation of the country. In this lesson from a TEACHER we are going to show you a summary of the Renaissance and Golden Age so that you better know this important time in the history of the Spanish country.

Index

1. The Renaissance, artistic trend of the Golden Age
2. Why is it called Siglo de Oro
3. Characteristics of the Golden Age literature
4. Authors of the Golden Age and most important works

If we contextualize the movement of Literary Renaissance in Spain, we will find ourselves in the period that, historically, has been baptized as Golden age. It can be said that the Renaissance is the first of the aesthetic and artistic currents that appeared during the Golden Age and, in fact, it is one of the causes that led to the appearance of literary and artistic works of enormous quality within Spain. Therefore, without the Renaissance there would have been no Golden Age and neither can the Golden Age be conceived without the Renaissance, therefore, we are facing two concepts that are linked to each other.

When we speak of the Golden Age we are referring to a historical stage in Spain where some of the most important artistic and literary works of Hispanic letters were created. But, in addition, this artistic flowering also coincided with a series of political and military triumphs. In fact, it usually marks the beginning of the Golden Age. in the year 1492, that is, the year in which the discovery of Americaand that it meant the beginning of colonialism and Spanish imperialism. And, on the contrary, the end of the Golden Age coincides with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, an agreement between France and Spain, making Calderón de la Barca the last great author of this period so important for Spanish letters.

The rise of the Renaissance

One of the essential keys that led to the heyday of Spain was the establishment of the Renaissanceas an artistic and literary current In the 16th century we find a change of mentality on the part of the society of the moment. The most moralistic, repressive and religious conventions of the Middle Ages are overcome and, now, thanks to Humanism, it is man and the human being who is positioned at the center of the world.

Therefore, a Renaissance is lived in the literal sense of the word: society is reborn and look back to the past, that is, to the classical authors of Greece and Rome. This return to the classics makes the arts experience a renewal and innovation both in the forms and in the topics that are dealt with. Italian forms are beginning to be imitated among Spanish poets and offer a great variety of different and original styles.

The Renaissance in Spain is usually divided into 2 stages:

• First Renaissance. The stylistic base is found in Italy and the authors speak, above all, of themes related to love and feelings. The most prominent poet of this stage is Garcilaso de la Vega, but we must also mention Juan Boscán.
• Second Renaissance. In this second stage, the poets are based on the new metric forms and bet on creating poetry with a mystical and ascetic theme. The most prominent poets of the moment were Fray Luis de León or San Juan de la Cruz.

One of the most common doubts among students when talking about the Golden Age is why this period was baptized with this peculiar name. As we have already commented, this stage refers to the 16th and 17th centuries in Spain and coincide with the Renaissance movement, but also with the Baroque.

The first time the word "Silgo de Oro" was used was in the 18th century. Specifically, it was Velázquez de Velasco, academic of the RAE, who coined this term to refer to this stage. However, the name was consolidated by George Ticknor, a Harvard professor.

The name Siglo de Oro was chosen because, at this time, Spain shone like gold both in artistic and literary production, as well as in the field of politics. Some of the most important events that occurred in this period (and that led to this unique appellation) were the following:

• Arose new aesthetics and literary genres
• A large number of literary and artistic works of enormous quality. A clear example of this was Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
• An art as popular as the theater hand in hand with Lope de Vega, one of the authors of the Golden Age most representative
• At the political level, Spain came to America and began with its expansion plan and imposition of both the language and the culture

To know the characteristics of the literature of the Golden Age, it is important that we separate the vast production taking into account the literary genre we are talking about. And this was a period of great artistic production and each expression meets a series of elements and particular characteristics.

Poetry in the Golden Age

At the beginning of this stage, we can clearly see the relationship between the Renaissance and the Golden Age. Poets began to write under the influence of the Italians and the work of the classics. This caused a large number of poems to be cultivated with a very rich and expressive lyrical.

Among the most prominent Golden Age poets we can speak of Garcilaso de la Vega, one of the first, or Luis de Gongora. In fact, it is considered that Góngora was when the Renaissance lyric reached its peak and, for many, this author is considered the Homer of Spain.

Theater in the Golden Age

It is one of the literary genres that more were renewed during this stage and that they achieved the greatest success among the public. The renovation of the theater began with the Italian influence; but it was Lope de Vegawho was in charge of establishing the new theatrical bases in which it was committed to follow the 3 classic rules and to create tragicomedy works.

The key work that summarizes the theatrical renovation in Spain is "New art of making comedies"where classical imitation was defended, but also bet on greater thematic freedom and the use of a language close to the public. The result was brutal: Lope de Vega managed to renovate the theater and make it the art of the people.

In addition to Lope, within the Golden Age theater We must also highlight other huge literati such as Tirso de Molina, Calderón de la Barca and Miguel de Cervantes.

Novel in the Renaissance and Golden Age

The beginning of the Renaissance is usually marked within the narrative with the appearance of La Celestina, since in this novel we can already begin to see how humanistic individualism emerges in the plot and structure of the work. Narrative is a genre that usually goes hand in hand with the bourgeoisie and, therefore, in the Renaissance is when more, some values ​​of this social class are being cultivated, such as individualism or Commerce.

At the beginning of the Golden Age, Spain continues to create chivalric books Y sentimental novels that achieved a resounding success with the public. But in the seventeenth century is when the new novel appears, a more realistic and psychological narrative that had its starting point with the masterpiece Don Quixote de la Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes when we have the information. Here, the author offers us a burlesque account of the success of chivalric novels with a more realistic plot and psychological depth.

In addition to Cervantes, who is the greatest exponent of the novel in the Golden Age, there are other narrative authors who were also very successful: Francisco de Quevedo or Mateo Alemán.

Image: SobreHistoria.com

To conclude with this summary of the Renaissance and Golden Age in Spain, we will offer a list with the names of the most important authors of the period, as well as their essential works. If you like literature, we encourage you to read the works that we mention so that, thus, you know in depth how the letters were in this important period:

• Miguel de Cervantes. He is one of the great authors of the Golden Age. He wrote Don Quixote de la Mancha, but also other works such as Exemplary novels or his theatrical contribution of the Hors d'oeuvres.
• Luis de Góngora. He created a strong trend in Spanish literature, so much so that he created an aesthetic much followed in the future that is known as "culteranismo" or "gongorismo". The Solitudes of Góngora it is one of his best known works.
• Francisco de Quevedo. He is another of the essential authors within this period. He cultivated both poetry, narrative and theater. "History of a buscón named Don Pablos" is one of his best known works, as well as his poem "To a nose".
• Tirso de Molina. He is another of the most prominent writers of the period and cultivated all genres; however, it was in the theater that he excelled the most. His most important work is "The Trickster of Seville".
• Lope de Vega. The one in charge of renewing Spanish dramaturgy and laying the foundations for the new comedy. Lope was a prolific author who wrote more than 3,000 sonnets and an enormous number of plays. One of the most prominent is Sourceovejuna.
• Calderón de la Barca. He is considered to be the last author of the Spanish Golden Age. He stood out, above all, in the field of theater and is part of the Baroque movement. His work "Life is a dream" is the best known and most studied of his literary production.

Also existwomen writers in the Golden Age that are very important in our history and that are worth discovering.

If you want to read more articles similar to The Renaissance and the Golden Age: summary, we recommend that you enter our category of History of Literature.

• Guillén, C. (1988). The First Golden Age. Criticism, Barcelona.
• Jones, R. O., Cátedra, P. M., & Martín, E. V. (1974). History of Spanish literature: Golden Age: prose and poetry (16th and 17th centuries) (pp. 38-48). Barcelona: Ariel.
• Vossler, K., & Montesinos, J. F. (1934). Introduction to Spanish Literature of the Golden Age. Cross and line.