The Life of Lazarillo of Tormes: His Fortunes and Misfortunes as Told by Himself — John Shaqi
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
Other differences between the two novels are also evident. In
the first _Lazarillo_ we see a central protagonist who serves a
different master or performs a different type of work in each
chapter. But in Luna's sequel we do not have this same
structure. In the first five chapters of Luna's book, for
example, Lazarillo's adventures flow as they do in traditional
novels: he goes to sea, the ship sinks, he is captured by
fishermen and put on exhibition as a fish, and finally he is
rescued. The following chapters, however, often divide his life
into segments as he goes from one position to another.
Another difference to be noted is that while the first Lazarillo
addresses a certain person ("You": Vuestra merced) who is not the
reader but an acquaintance of the archpriest, in the _Second
Part_ something quite different occurs. Luna's Lazaro addresses
the "dear reader" but hardly with flattering terms: he humorously
suggests that we may all be cuckolds. Then he ironically refuses
to tell us about--or even let us think about--certain promiscuous
details because they may offend our pure and pious ears. The
framework of the first novel is apparently a device whose
purpose, like the "Arabic historian" and the "translators" of
_Don Quixote_, is to create an atmosphere of realism, while
Luna's "dear reader" is simply a device for humor.
Another important distinction to be made between the two books is
the extent of word-play used. Almost one hundred years elapsed
between the times the two books were published, and literary
styles changed a great deal. While the first _Lazarillo_ used
some conceits, as we have previously noted, Luna's book abounds
with them to the point where it becomes baroque. About people
who are being flooded with water or are drowning, it is usually
said that they are overcome by trifling, but watery,
circumstances: "a drop in the ocean" (ahogar en tan poca agua).
Lazarillo's child is "born with the odor of saintliness about
her" (una hija ingerta a canutillo); unfortunately this refers
less to her as holy than it does to the fact that her father is
really the archpriest. The use of antithesis is also evident
throughout Luna's novel. From the beginning in which he
dedicated his small work to a great princess, throughout the
length of the book, we find Lazaro esteemed by his friends and
feared by his enemies, begging from people who give money with
open hands while he does not take it with closed ones, and so on.
Another trick in language is Luna's plays on sounds: such
combinations as sali--salte (left--leaped), comedia--comida
(rituals--victuals) are abundant. Luna also uses obscene
conceits for a humorous purpose, mixing them with religious
allusions both for humor and to vent his own feelings of
hostility against the church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account