Lazarillo De Tormes

Towards the end of the 15th century, the general public was becoming increasingly literate and books more readily available due to cheap printing. Although the normal reading tendencies leaned toward history, biographies and travel books, there is a sign that an interest was emerging in a more realistic presentation of society and its problems. Not surprisingly, when Lazarillo de Tormes was written, albeit anonymously, it was a popular book with reprintings, additions of extra parts and even other editions. The picaresque figure, which featured in this slapstick comedy, intertwined with a number of themes ranging from hypocrisy, deceit, religious satire, poverty and hunger through to corruption, fortune and honour. Whether it represented an
At this time there existed the Limpieza de Sangre, whereby the real Christians and the Jews were at loggerheads. These racial tensions were due to the real Christians (Cristianos viejos) were claiming to be better than other groups, and that the only ways Jews would be allowed to stay in Spain would be to covert to Christianity (los conversos). These conversos, so as to escape persecution would change their surnames, creating them from the place where they came. Therefore, when Lazarillo tells us his name comes from the river in which he was born, it may instead deliberately have been used to represent this view on Jews(ironically this would give him away as many Jews were born in Tormes). There are those such as David Rowland and A.Deyermond who may have us believe that Lazarillo 's first name can be associated with the biblical story of Lazarus the beggar, who lay at the rich man 's gates, and that he may have been Christian, but the way in which Lazarillo relates God with fortune, rather than any religious or Christianic sense, gives us the idea that he was not exactly a devout church goer and therefore more likely to be a
This is excellently illustrated by the two situations in which Lazarillo finds himself, one at the start and the other at the end of the novel. His mother 's lover guarantees him food and lodging, his wife 's lover does the same, his end is in his beginning. A very ironic point being made here by the author.

Another theme which takes a shot at society comes from e remark made by Lazarillo 's little stepbrother - remove the beam from your own eye, before removing the splinter from the eye of your brother, in other words judge not lest ye be judged. When the Lazarillo 's stepbrother flees from his father shouting "coco", he doesn 't realise that he is as black as his father. It causes society to question its actions and attitudes towards others, by firstly examining the virtue of oneself.

The themes of deceit and immorality shine through brightly when it comes to his first amo, the beggar. Being blind he will use any form necessary to get what is needed for him. The church is also drawn into this as the blind man orates psalms and prayers to those who believe it will cure them of their