Introduction

Anyone who has read a significant portion of Spanish literature knows that they either begin or end tragically, or “better yet” they are tragic all the way. I know that first statement is probably a generalization but nevertheless I think it is true. Spanish literature whether in the form of novels, dramas, poetry, etc. is filled with tragedy. Because of the tragedy that is so readily available in Spanish literature, in this blog I will be exploring the various ways in which tragedy is presented in various works and what the tragedies may reflect about human life or the “human condition” as philosophers often say. Specifically I will be looking at Gabriel García Márquez’s novel Cien Años de Soledad, Rodolfo Usigli’s drama Corona de sombra, the novella Lazarillo de Tormes, and three short stories by various Hispanic authors.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Lazarillo de Tormes

Of all the works being discussed in this blog, Lazarillo de Tormes is the oldest and the only one with an anonymous author. Lazarillo de Tormes or Lazarillo of Tormes is a novella that was written in the sixteenth century, and because of its criticisms of society during that time the name of the author was never published. Despite its age the content of Lazarillo is still relevant to my discussion of tragedy in Spanish literature. Lazarillo de Tormes describes the life of man known as Lázaro or Lazarillo and how his experiences made him into who he is. Lazarillo’s tragic life begins with the death of his father, a miller who is put to death because he supposedly cheated the Spanish Crown out of grain by putting holes in the sacks of grain therefore reducing the amount of grain that could be collected. Unable to support both Lazarillo and her other son, Lazarillo’s mother gives Lazarillo as a servant to a ciego or blind man, thus beginning Lazarillo’s life of servitude to several masters. Unlike the previously discussed works, Lazarillo’s tragedies don’t come in the form of tragic deaths rather they appear in the difficulties he has to face with his greedy, and cheating masters who range from a ciego (a blind man) to a cura (a priest). At the hands of his cruel and greedy masters suffers beatings, extended periods of hunger, and overall great pain that force him to have to find devious ways of surviving such as through stealing and taking advantage of the ignorant. Now while on the surface Lazarillo’s situation merits pity, and for a time we as the readers do pity him, in the end Lazarillo deserves no more pity than his cruel masters.  At the end of the novel in which Lazarillo describes his current situation as a grown man with the position as the official Town Crier, one can see that Lázaro, now a man, is really just a reflection of his old masters. Lázaro’s deceitful, manipulating, and scheming actions reflect in him all the characteristics of his previous masters which to me is the greatest tragedy of all in this novella. While some may try to justify Lázaro’s actions by saying he was a victim of his situation, meaning that his childhood experiences made him into the callous man that he becomes, I believe that he had the opportunity to rise above the vices of his masters yet the fact that he did not is what constitutes the overwhelming tragedy in Lazarillo de Tormes. Now while Lazarillo did not grow into a better man than his masters, I believe that it is this very fact that the author of this novella uses to show the tragic reality of life in which we humans use our experiences as excuses for our reproachable behavior and actions rather than as ways to transcend the vices of human morality.

1 comment:

  1. Hi, I recorded some audiobooks, between them, Lazarillo de Tormes. That's is in Spanish language, so I'm not sure about it will be useful for you.

    In any case, you can listen here (and others): https://audiolibrosencastellano.com/juvenil/audiolibro-completo-lazarillo-tormes-anonimo-1554

    Thanks for your interest in Spanish Literature.

    ReplyDelete