Baroque Literature
The Baroque movement follows the Renaissance (s. XVII) The Baroque movement follows the Renaissance (s. XVII). Term used to describe architecture. Style: Forms get more complex. Baroque writers seek to startle by the unusual and unexpected (sometimes leading to the grotesqueness). Pessimism, disillusion (these are the years of the pest, hunger, increased social inequalities and the uselessness of human grandour. Picaresque novels Topics Some of the renaissance topics continue to be central, but the vision is more negative. Some typical topics are how fast life goes by, mortality, the complexity of the world. A common topic is sacrifice and renouncing to worldly pleasures. In Spain this is the “Siglo de Oro” (Gold Century). Great poetry and plays are written during this period.
Juan Ruiz de Alarcón (1581?-1639) He was preocuppied with topics of ethics and morality. He wrote 20 comedies. Two of the most famous: La Verdad Sospechosa (1634) El Tejedor de Segovia
Miguel de Guevara (Nueva España 1585?-1646?) A Jesús Crucificado No me mueve, mi Dios No me mueve, mi Dios, para quererte, el cielo que me tienes prometido, ni me mueve el infierno tan temido para dejar por eso de ofenderte. Tú me mueves, Señor: muéveme el verte clavado en una cruz y escarnecido, muéveme el ver tu cuerpo tan herido, muéveme tus afrentas y tu muerte. Muéveme en fin tu amor, de tal manera que aunque no hubiera cielo yo te amara y aunque no hubiera infierno te temiera. No me tienes que dar porque te quiera, porque aunque lo que espero no esperara lo mismo que te quiero te quisiera.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695)