Question

What is the definition of a picaresque novel? Why was Lazarillo banned by the Spanish Crown and included in the Index?

Answer 1

Answer:

A picaresque novel depicts the hero of the story as someone who comes from a low social rank, finding ways to survive in a corrupt world.

The Spanish novella Lazarillo de Tormes was banned by the Spanish Inquisition and rather included in the Index of the Forbidden Books of the Spanish Inquisition for its heretical contents and the depiction of the young boy Lazaro's upbringing by a blind beggar after the death of his thief father.

Explanation:

A picaresque novel is a book of prose that tells the adventures of a 'hero" who is not the typical hero type, but rather roguish and mostly from the lower ranks of the society. The protagonist of this type of novel comes from the low social rank, and has to survive using his wits and conscience to survive in a corrupt world.

Lazarillo de Tormes, a Spanish novella published anonymously that tells the story of a poor boy Lazaro, was banned by the Spanish Crown for its depiction of the boy's life in a picaresque way. The novella was instead included in the Index of the Forbidden Books of the Spanish Inquisition for its heretical contents. The story dealing with the upbringing of the poor boy by a blind beggar after the death of his thief father was 'unethical' of a novel, thus the ban. The very nature of a picaresque novel on delineating the numerous professions and social statuses is also evident in this novel, leading to it being deemed 'unfit' to be read. And even when published, the Crown made sure to omit Chapters 4 and 5.