AP Spanish Literature Unit 2: The 16th Century (Renaissance & Conquest)

Siglo de Oro

The Golden Age of Spain covering the cultural splendor from the early 16th century to the late 17th century.

Imperial Expansion

The process of encountering and conquering the Americas during the 16th century.

Cultural Renaissance

The shift from Medieval Teocentrism to Humanist Anthropocentrism, influenced by Italian aesthetics.

The Unification

The unification of Spain under the Catholic Monarchs following the Reconquista, which ended in 1492.

Carlos V

Also known as Charles I, he was the emperor during whose reign Spain became a global superpower.

Felipe II

Philip II, the successor of Charles I, who further established Spain's status as a global superpower.

Counter-Reformation

The Catholic Church's response to the Protestant Reformation, which included censorship and the Inquisition.

Limpieza de sangre

A concept referring to blood purity, requiring no Jewish or Muslim ancestry for social status.

Anthropocentrism

A focus on human reason and potential rather than a God-centered worldview.

Classicism

The imitation of Greek and Roman models in art and literature during the Renaissance.

Locus Amoenus

An idealized and harmonious portrayal of nature prevalent in Renaissance literature.

Carpe Diem

The theme urging to 'seize the day' due to the fleeting nature of youth and beauty.

Visión de los vencidos

A compilation by Miguel León-Portilla that records the indigenous perspective on the Spanish conquest.

Miguel León-Portilla

The 20th-century compiler of Visión de los vencidos from 16th-century sources.

Crónica

A literary genre combining narrative and historical accounts, often used in accounts of the conquest.

Fatalism

The belief in a predetermined outcome, as shown in the Aztec worldview regarding their fall.

Se ha perdido el pueblo mexica

An elegiac poem lamenting the fall of Tenochtitlan found in Visión de los vencidos.

Hernán Cortés

The Spanish Conquistador who wrote Segunda carta de relación to justify his actions in the Americas.

Tenochtitlan

The capital of the Aztec Empire, described by Cortés as comparable to Seville or Cordoba.

Unreliable Narrator

A narrator, such as Cortés, whose credibility is compromised, often exaggerating or misrepresenting events.

Enumeración

A detailed listing or enumeration used in literature to convey the vastness or complexity of a subject.

Garcilaso de la Vega

Considered the prince of poets, he was influenced by Italian poetry during the Renaissance.

Soneto

A literary form consisting of 14 lines, typically with endecasílabos and a specific rhyme scheme.

Descriptio Puellæ

A classical description of female beauty using metaphors drawn from nature, as in Garcilaso's poetry.

Volta

The turn in a sonnet where the tone or argument shifts, seen in Garcilaso's work.

Metaphor

A figure of speech comparing two unlike things, prominently used in Renaissance poetry.

Pícaro

The main character type in the picaresque novel, characterized by low birth and survival instincts.

Novela Picaresca

A genre of Spanish literature centered on the adventures of a crafty protagonist from a lower social class.

Las apariencias

The theme of appearances versus reality explored in works like Lazarillo de Tormes.

El hambre

The motif of hunger in Lazarillo de Tormes, driving the protagonist's actions and moral corruption.

Apostrofe

A rhetorical device where a character addresses someone absent or an abstract idea.

Cromatismo

The use of colors in literature to convey ideas or emotions.

Narratario

The specific audience or recipient addressed in a fictional text.

Polisíndeton

The use of multiple conjunctions in close succession, often to create emphasis.

Censorship

The suppression of literature and ideas, particularly prominent during the Counter-Reformation in Spain.

Humanism

An intellectual movement during the Renaissance emphasizing the value of human beings and reason.

Epistolary Novel

A novel written as a series of letters, like Lazarillo de Tormes.

Treatment of Clergy

The criticism of corruption and immorality among religious figures found throughout picaresque novels.

Sociedades en Contacto

An AP theme focusing on the interactions and consequences between different societies.

Censura

The act of suppressing or prohibiting literature, particularly evident in the Spanish Inquisition.

Honor

A social construct in Spain during the Golden Age, closely tied to social status and reputation.

Reflexivity

The consideration of the narrator's perspective and reliability in literary interpretations.

Cynicism

A thematic element in Lazarillo de Tormes reflecting skepticism about societal norms and morals.

Social Criticism

The examination and critique of societal norms and issues, prominent in the picaresque genre.