The Life of Lazarillo of Tormes: His Fortunes and Misfortunes as Told by HimselfAnonymous
General
The Life of Lazarillo of Tormes: His Fortunes and Misfortunes as Told by Himself
Anonymous
Picaresque literature, Spanish; Spain -- Social conditions -- 16th century -- Fiction; Spanish fiction -- Translations into English
No further sequels were printed until 1620 when Juan Cortes de
Tolosa's book, _Lazarillo de Manzanares_, was published. This
novel imitates the first _Lazarillo_ in its initial episodes, but
is again far less successful than the original.
In the same year, 1620, Juan de Luna's _Second Part of the Life
of Lazarillo of Tormes_ was published in Paris. (Another edition
was published simultaneously in Paris, but was marked as though
printed in Zaragoza to facilitate the book's sale in Spain.)
Little is definitely known about Luna. We do know that he was
born in Spain--perhaps in Aragon. He apparently fled to France
in 1612 as a political and religious refugee: in one of his books
he refers to himself as "a foreigner who has left behind his
homeland, his relatives, and his estate for a just and legitimate
cause." It has been speculated that Luna may have been educated
for the priesthood but then grown dissatisfied and even
vehemently bitter toward the clergy. The reason for his flight
to France has been interpreted as a flight from the Spanish
Inquisition. In France, in Montauban, he began to study theology
to prepare himself for the Protestant ministry. But soon
afterward he became a Spanish teacher in Paris, and in 1619
published a book of proverbs and phrases for Spanish students.
The following year his continuation of Lazarillo was published,
along with a revised version of the original Lazarillo (revised
because its style did not suit his tastes). Next he appeared in
London, in 1622, attempting to have his sequel translated into
English. His Spanish grammar was published there the following
year. The last information we have of him is that he became a
Protestant minister in England, and for three years delivered
sermons to his fellow Spaniards each Sunday, in Mercer's Chapel,
Cheapside, London.
Although the details of Juan de Luna's life are rather sketchy, a
great deal more can be said about his novel. His continuation of
Lazarillo was the only sequel to meet with any success. The same
characters--Lazarillo, the archpriest, the squire, etc.--are
here, but their personalities are changed drastically. The
squire is the one who is most noticeably different. He is
no longer the sympathetic, poor, generous (when he has money)
figure of the first part. Now he is a thief, a cowardly braggart,
a dandy, and Lazaro has nothing but scorn for him. Lazaro himself
is now fully grown, and there is no room for his personality
to change as before. Perhaps the only character who is
still the same is Lazaro's wife.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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