is a Spanish novel by

Baltasar Gracián Baltasar Gracián y Morales (; 8 January 16016 December 1658), better known as Baltasar Gracián, was a Spanish Jesuit priest and Spanish Baroque literature, Baroque prose writer and philosopher. He was born in Belmonte de Gracián, Belmonte, n ...

. It was published in three parts in the years 1651, 1653 and 1657. It is considered his greatest work and one of the most influential works in

Spanish literature Spanish literature is literature ( Spanish poetry, prose, and drama) written in the Spanish language within the territory that presently constitutes the Kingdom of Spain. Its development coincides and frequently intersects with that of other ...

, along with ''

Don Quixote , the full title being ''The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha'', is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is of ...

'' and ''

La Celestina ''The Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea'' (), known in Spain as ''La Celestina'', is a work entirely in dialogue published in 1499. Sometimes called in English ''The Spanish Bawd'', it is attributed to Fernando de Rojas, a descendant of conv ...

''. collects and expands his previous works. The work takes the form of an

allegory As a List of narrative techniques, literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a wikt:narrative, narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political signi ...

covering the life of Andrenio, representing two facets of his life: his impulsiveness and lack of experience. It outlines the philosophical vision of Gracián's world in the form of an epic tale. Gracián produced a work of romance meant to summarize his thoughts and expanding his skills as a writer at the same time. The novel was written during his later years and contains his ultimate vision of the world and human life. Its worldview is pessimistic and desolate, although the two virtuous protagonists represent hope. They escape mediocrity and reach eternal fame.

English translation

The novel was translated into English by Sir

Paul Rycaut Sir Paul Rycaut FRS (23 December 1629 – 16 November 1700) was an English diplomat, historian, and authority on the Ottoman Empire. Life Rycaut's Huguenot father was held in the Tower of London, during the English Civil War, for his Cavalier ...

in 1681 as ''The Critick''.

English translation

References

Further reading