Critical Commentary- Lazarillo del Tormes
Passage taken from text:
Critical commentary response:
En este tiempo,
viendo mi habilidad y buen vivir, teniendo noticia de mi persona el señor
arcipreste de San Salvador, mi señor, y servidor y amigo de Vuestra Merced,
porque le pregonaba sus vinos, procuró casarme con una criada suya. Y visto por
mí que de tal persona no podía venir sino bien y favor, acordé de hacerlo. Y
así, me casé con ella, y hasta agora no estoy arrepentido, porque, allende de
ser buena hija y diligente servicial, tengo en mi señor arcipreste todo favor y
ayuda. Y siempre en el año le da, en veces, al pie de una carga de trigo; por
las Pascuas, su carne; y cuando el par de los bodigos, las calzas viejas que
deja. E hízonos alquilar una casilla par de la suya; los domingos y fiestas
casi todas las comíamos en su casa.
Mas
malas lenguas, que nunca faltaron ni faltarán, no nos dejan vivir, diciendo no
sé qué y sí sé qué, de que ven a mi mujer irle a hacer la cama y guisalle de
comer. Y mejor les ayude Dios, que ellos dicen la verdad, [aunque en este tiempo siempre he tenido
alguna sospechuela y habido algunas malas cenas por esperalla algunas noches
hasta las laudes, y aún más, y se me ha venido a la memoria lo que a mi amo el
ciego me dijo en Escalona, estando asido del cuerno; aunque, de verdad, siempre
pienso que el diablo me lo trae a la memoria por hacerme malcasado, y no le
aprovecha.]
Porque
allende de no ser ella mujer que se pague de estas burlas, mi señor me ha
prometido lo que pienso cumplirá; que él me habló un día muy largo delante de
ella y me dijo:
-Lázaro
de Tormes, quien ha de mirar a dichos de malas lenguas nunca medrará. Digo
esto, porque no me maravillaría alguno, viendo entrar en mi casa a tu mujer y
salir de ella. Ella entra muy a tu honra y suya. Y esto te lo prometo. Por
tanto, no mires a lo que pueden decir, sino a lo que te toca, digo, a tu
provecho.
-Señor
-le dije-, yo determiné de arrimarme a los buenos. Verdad es que algunos de mis
amigos me han dicho algo de eso, y aun por más de tres veces me han certificado
que, antes que conmigo casase, había parido tres veces, hablando con reverencia
de Vuestra Merced, porque está ella delante.
Entonces
mi mujer echó juramentos sobre sí, que yo pensé la casa se hundiera con
nosotros. Y después tomóse a llorar y a echar maldiciones sobre quien conmigo
la había casado, en tal manera que quisiera ser muerto antes que se me hubiera
soltado aquella palabra de la boca. Mas yo de un cabo y mi señor de otro, tanto
le dijimos y otorgamos que cesó su llanto, con juramento que le hice de nunca
más en mi vida mentalle nada de aquello, y que yo holgaba y había por bien de
que ella entrase y saliese de noche y de día, pues estaba bien seguro de su
bondad. Y así quedamos todos tres bien conformes.
Hasta
el día de hoy nunca nadie nos oyó sobre el caso; antes, cuando alguno siento
que quiere decir algo de ella, le atajo y le digo:
-Mirad,
si sois mi amigo, no me digáis cosa con que me pese, que no tengo por mi amigo
al que me hace pesar, mayormente si me quieren meter mal con mi mujer, que es
la cosa del mundo que yo más quiero, y la amo más que a mí, y me hace Dios con
ella mil mercedes y más bien que yo merezco. Que yo juraré sobre la hostia
consagrada que es tan buena mujer como vive dentro de las puertas de Toledo.
Quien otra cosa me dijere, yo me mataré con él.
Esto
fue el mismo año que nuestro victorioso Emperador en esta insigne ciudad de
Toledo entró y tuvo en ella Cortes, y se hicieron grandes regocijos, como
Vuestra Merced habrá oído. Pues en este tiempo estaba en mi prosperidad y en la
cumbre de toda buena fortuna.
La vida Lazarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y
adversidades was
published in Spain, 1554 by an unknown author. It is a social satire that
criticizes 16th Century Spanish societies morality and their
religious views through the first-person narration of a picaresque character in
an autobiographical style. This was in stark contrast to the emphasis on chivalrous
books at a time when Spain was dominating the world stage under Charles II. The
passage offers a much more realistic portrayal of the realities of living in
poverty. It explores the lengths that one would go to in order to survive, more
specifically Lanzarillo’s decision to marry the maid.
This passage captures the moment of Lanzarillo’s moral
corruption, he marries the maid even though he knows that she is cheating on
him with the priest. Throughout the book he had been aware of the social
hypocrisy between the rich and the poor at a time of great distinction between
the two. This was his one discerning talent but, in this instance, he is no
longer able to see those differences because “no me digo nada, y yo tengo paz
en mi casa.[1]” He turns into the
nobles that he criticised at the first opportunity that he was able to do so.
The use of the word “paz” demonstrates that he has chosen the easier route, the
priest gives his wife wheat, meat and bread and he does not have to continue to
fight for his survival as he previously did when he was following the path of
honour in providing for himself. In 16th Century Spain, a man’s
honour was very important as it was one of the few things that the poor people
could call their own. The use of the word “paz” also suggests that he has
totally rejected his earlier ideas and has made his own peace with the way that
his life has become. The book was also written in double narration, an older
Lanzarillo is describing the actions of his younger self. He would have
specifically chosen the word “paz” to portray his actions in the most positive
manner because he does not want to admit that he has become morally corrupt.
The passage also contains anti- Catholic themes by exploring
the moral and economic corruption of the Catholic Church. It was written as a
protestant reformist piece at a time when Spain had not decided which religion
it wanted to officially follow. Hanrahan describes it as “not a positive
doctrine of the spirit[2]”,
especially in relation to the priest and the archbishop. Priests were not
supposed to engage in sexual activities. The maid is committing adultery but
neither one of them is punished for those sins, suggesting that the Catholic
Church is hypocritical.
The archbishop makes a mockery of the sacred ritual of
marriage, “sino a lo que te toca, digo, a tu provecho.[3]”
There is no reference to love or feelings, “provecho” has connotations of a
business exchange. This can be linked to the sale of indulgences, mentioned
earlier in the text. Protestantism rejected this idea because they thought that
God was the only one that was able to make the decision who went to heaven or
hell which was not through the exchange of money. The word “provecho” also
suggests that Lanzarillo is aware of his wife’s affair but his whole life has
been consumed with attempting to find financial security that he is able to
overlook it. Lanzarillo should have been able to trust the judgement of the
Archbishop who was responsible for the marriage but he was the one that put him
in an immoral situation. Lanzarillo’s name can be linked to Lanzarus in the
bible who was led astray by the very figures that were supposed to lead him,
suggesting that one should not put their faith in the people of the Catholic
Church.
The author uses a humanist style, allowing the audience to
form a greater connection and understanding with Lanzarillo because he has
greater freedom of expression. It emphasises the value of human beings, using
critical thinking instead of relying on superstition.[4]
This further criticises religion because it allows him to have his own thoughts
and opinions that have not been formed by the Church. For example, his master
that had been selling the indulgences was a con and only wanted to make money
and not help the people. However, Lanzarillo’s change in morality portrays him
as a weak character and one can’t help but feel disappointed in his actions. He
no longer becomes unique (his ability to criticise the rich had been one of his
sole talents, otherwise he was a dishonest and rough character); his story can
be applied to any other poor member of Spanish society.
The cyclical closing line of the book reflects the themes of
the passage, “en este tiempo estaba en mi prosperidad y en la cumbre de toda
buena fortuna.[5]” There
was great moral misery among the people of Spain during a time of great
imperial glory when Charles II had established the Spanish Empire. Lanzarillo
has come a full circle in his life as well. He started out poor yet he was able
to become rich at the end but at the great cost of his own personal views which
can also be applied to the process of Spain conquering its territories. Spain
was a powerful force, but the people continued to be poor. Essentially, the
passage criticizes the society that Lanzarillo lived in, including its
religious views, putting pressure on the existing system to change.
Bibliography:
Primary
sources:
ed, Rico, Francisco (1987), Basanta, Angel (1985) y Navarro Durán,
Rosa (2006), La vide de Lanzarillo de
Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades (Spain, 1554)
Secondary sources:
Hanrahan,
Thomas “Lazarillo de Tormes: Erasmian Satire or Protestant Reform?” Hispania, Vol. 66, No. 3 (1983)
Robbins,
Jeremy ‘Renaissance and Baroque: continuity and transformation in early modern
Spain’ Chapter in Early modern Spain:
Renaissance and Baroque ed, David T Gies, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005)
[1]ed, Francisco Rico (1987), Ángel
Basanta (1985) y Rosa Navarro Durán (2006), La
vide de Lanzarillo de Tormes y de sus fortunas y adversidades (Spain,
1554), p. 60
[2] Thomas Hanrahan, “Lazarillo
de Tormes: Erasmian Satire or Protestant Reform?” Hispania, Vol. 66, No. 3 (1983), p. 333
[4]
Jeremy Robbins, ‘Renaissance and Baroque: continuity and transformation in
early modern Spain’ Chapter in Early
modern Spain: Renaissance and Baroque ed, David T Gies, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
2005), p. 137
[5] Lanzarillo de Tormes, p. 60
Comments
Post a Comment