Chapter 2 of 13 · 737 words · ~4 min read

BOOK II

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FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTEENTH TO THE LATTER HALF OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

INTRODUCTION.--General view of the state of poetical and rhetorical cultivation in Spain during the above period 148

FIRST SECTION.--History of Spanish poetry and eloquence from the introduction of the Italian style to the age of Cervantes and Lope de Vega 161

Occasion of the introduction of the Italian style ibid

Boscan 162

Garcilaso de la Vega 176

Diego de Mendoza 186

Mendoza’s account of the rebellion of Granada, the first classical history in Spanish literature 205

Saa de Miranda--(Commencement of elevated pastoral poetry in Spanish literature) 210

Montemayor; his Diana--the first Spanish pastoral romance 217

Herrera; first developement of the ode style in Spanish poetry 228

Luis de Leon 240

Minor Spanish poets during the period of this section, viz. Acuna--Cetina--Padilla--Gil Polo 254

Obstacles to the imitation of the romantic epopee in Spain--Unsuccessful essays in serious epopee--translations of classical epic poetry 262

Progress of the romantic poetry.--Castillejo; his contest with the partizans of the Italian style 267

History of Spanish dramatic poetry during the first half and ten succeeding years of the sixteenth century 277

The Erudite party 279

The party of the moralists 281

The first national party--Torres Naharro 282

The second national party--Lope de Rueda; collections of his dramas by Juan Timoneda 286

Naharro of Toledo 289

Juan de la Cueva; his art of poetry 290

Probable rise of the spiritual drama in Spain 293

Entremeses and Saynetes 294

Spanish tragedies, by Geronymo Bermudez 296

History of Spanish prose during the first half and ten succeeding years of the sixteenth century 303

Prose romances of chivalry 304

Romances of knavery--Lazarillo de Tormes 305

Tales of Juan Timoneda 306

Didactic prose--Perez de Oliva--Ambrosio de Morales--Pedro de Valles--Francisco Cervantes de Salazar 308

Historical prose--Annals of Zurita 315

Oratorical prose--Perez de Oliva 320

Epistolary prose 321

Spanish criticism during the period of this section--Alonzo Lopez Pinciano 323

SECOND SECTION.--History of Spanish poetry and eloquence from the age of Cervantes and Lope de Vega to the middle of the seventeenth century 327

Cervantes ibid

Brief character of Don Quixote 333

The moral tales of Cervantes 340

The Galatea 342

The journey to Parnassus 346

Dramatic works of Cervantes 350

The romance of Persiles and Sigismunda 357

Lope de Vega 359

General characteristics of his poetry 363

Explanation of the idea of a Spanish comedy as it is exemplified in the dramas of Lope de Vega 364

Various species of dramas by this poet 368

Brief notice of his other poetic works 390

The Brothers Leonardo de Argensola--Classic cultivation of the didactic satire and epistle in Spanish literature 392

Tragedies by the elder Argensola 394

Epistles, odes, &c. by the younger Argensola 400

Continuation of the history of Spanish poetry and eloquence, during the age of Cervantes and Lope de Vega 406

Fresh failures in epic poetry--Ercilla’s Araucana 407

Lyric and bucolic poets of the classic school of the sixteenth century 413

Vicente Espinel 414

Christoval de Mesa 415

Juan de Morales 416

Agustin de Texada, &c. 417

Rise of a new irregular and fantastical style in Spanish poetry 428

Gongora and his Estilo Culto--the Cultoristos--the Conceptistos 431

Two dramatic poets of the age of Lope de Vega 441

Christoval de Virues 442

Perez de Montalvan 446

Novels in the age of Cervantes and Lope de Vega 450

Progressive cultivation of the historical art--Mariana 455

Fluctuation of Spanish taste from the classic to the corrupt style 459

Quevedo 460

Character of his best works 465

Villegas 475

Continuation of the history of lyric, bucolic, epic, didactic and satirical poetry, to the close of the period embraced by this section 485

Jauregui 486

Borja y Esquillache 488

Other poets of this period--the Sylvas or Poetic Forests 492

Rebolledo 493

Continuation of the history of the Spanish drama 499

Calderon 500

Character of the different species of Calderon’s dramas 503

History of the Spanish drama continued to the close of the period of this section 521

Antonio de Solis 524

Moreto 526

Juan de Hoz ibid

Tirso de Molina 527

Francisco de Roxas ibid

Agustin de Salazar y Torres ibid

Mira de Mescua 528

Collections of Spanish dramas published in the seventeenth century 529

Conclusion of the history of Spanish eloquence and criticism, within the period of this section 530

Antonio de Solis considered as a historian 531

Introduction of Gongorism into Spanish prose--Balthazar Gracian 533

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