Abstract

This thesis explores the concept of Baroque allegory in a comparative study of two representative Spanish Byzantine novels: Cervantes’ "Los trabajos de Persiles y Sigismunda" and Gracián’s "Criticón" . While pertaining to the same epic tradition of the Spanish novela bizantina, the two texts employ allegorical language in very different ways. Gracián’s allegorical text resembles more a philosophical treatise than a work of fiction, whereas in Cervantes’ novel, allegorical language is barely discernable to the contemporary reader. The purpose of this project is to find a definition of Baroque allegory that can be applied to the literature and cultural production of the Spanish Baroque as a whole. The study therefore attempts to reconcile conventional definitions of allegory as a rhetorical device with Benjamin’s notion of Baroque allegory as a form of speech. Revisiting Walter Benjamin’s extensive study on the "Origin of the German Tragic Drama", the thesis challenges traditional historical approaches to the early modern novel and its development in 17th century Spain. After tracing allegorical speech in the broader context of Spanish Byzantine fiction, its discursive and ideological function in these texts is examined. A complementary study of contemporary emblems and ekphrastic imagery further explores the importance of affect for allegorical language and representation in the Spanish Baroque period