Lazarillo de Tormes
(A famous character of Spanish literature)
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Lazarillo de Tormes. One of the most famous characters from Spanish literature is a boy called Lazarillo. The story of Lazarillo de Tormes was written around 1554 but nobody knows who the author was. It is an anonymous work.
When the book first appeared, it was banned because it was considered to be scandalous - mainly because the story criticises the priests and the Church of the time. Lazarillo de Tormes is a bit like Oliver Twist. It is about a young boy who works for various masters and it tells of his adventures and mishaps. In fact, Lazarillo de Tormes was the first published story of this kind. It is known as a picaresque novel - the boy is known as a pícaro, travelling between masters from one existence to another. The book is written in the 'first person' (as though the adult Lazarillo is telling the story of his childhood) and it is divided into an introduction and seven chapters called 'tratados.' Below is a painting by Goya, depicting Lazarillo. The Story of Lazarillo. Lazarillo was born in Salamanca (a famous Spanish city) on the banks of the River Tormes. That is why he is called Lazarillo de Tormes. He lived in poverty so he left his family to go to work. He found work as a servant for the following masters: Lazarillo ran away from all of his masters except for the squire. The surprising thing about the squire is that he appeared to be a wealthy man of the upper-class. He lived in a large house, dressed well and walked around the town with pride. But in reality, he was very poor and had no money, furniture or food. His existence was based on how he appeared to other people. He was too proud to beg so he used Lazarillo to beg for him. The squire was kind to Lazarillo, but he lived in hunger and that meant that Lazarillo was suffering from terrible hunger too. In the end, the squire abandoned Lazarillo - one day he just did not come home. The story ends with Lazarillo finding a permanent job as a town-crier, calling out the price of wine and selling it. He eventually marries a servant-girl. There are many famous and funny scenes throughout the story. In one scene, Lazarillo claims that mice are eating the bread stored in a chest. Instead, it is Lazarillo who is stealing the bread and even the cheese in the mouse-trap! In another scene, Lazarillo steals a sausage that is being grilled on a skewer and replaces it with a turnip. ---------------------------------- In the town of Salamanca (the boy's home-town), there is a statue of Lazarillo with his first master - the blind beggar, (below.)
A pícaro like Lazarillo, has to be the following things - 1. A young boy (or girl.) ------------------
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