Forbidden by the Inquisition because of critical statements: one of the first picaresque novels in literary history
Life of Lazarillo de Tormes

Life of Lazarillo de Tormes
This work was published simultaneously in the cities of Alcalá de Henares, Burgos, and Antwerp in 1554
The story revolves around Lázaro, who takes the reader on a tour of 16th century society from a “worm’s eye view”
Equally critical of the Catholic Church and the Spanish aristocracy, it was banned by the Spanish Inquisition
Life of Lazarillo de Tormes
- La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes
- Leben von Lazarillo de Tormes
Short Description
The antihero is far from being a modern invention, in fact, the roguish hero was a popular archetype of late medieval literature and an agent for social critique. It is considered to be the first so-called picaresque novel, which took on the hypocrisy and corruption of the Late Middle Ages through a humorous and scathing depiction of society. This novel is both an important piece of Spanish literature and a useful artifact for cultural historians.
Life of Lazarillo de Tormes
Published anonymously due to its anticlerical content, this Spanish novella is considered to be the founding work of the picaresque novel, a literary genre with comedic and satirical elements that depicts the adventures of a roguish hero who usually comes from a lower class and survives by his wits in a corrupt society. The work was published simultaneously in the cities of Alcalá de Henares, Burgos, and Antwerp in 1554. The story revolves around Lázaro, a boy of humble origins from Salamanca who is accused of stealing by his stepfather and is forced to become an apprentice of sorts to a blind beggar. He develops his cunning through this experience and others while serving a priest, squire, friar, pardoner, chaplain, and an archpriest. This story takes the reader on a tour of 16th century society from a “worm’s eye view” and is written in straightforward prose as opposed to the more fanciful poetry of other works. Unsurprisingly, the scathing work, equally critical of the Catholic Church and the Spanish aristocracy, was banned by the Spanish Inquisition and an unabridged version did not appear in Spain until the 19th century. It is a cornerstone of the Golden Age of Spanish literature that was translated into various languages during the 16th and 17th century. The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes continues to be influential today, inspiring the popular antihero of modern film and television.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- La vida de Lazarillo de Tormes
Leben von Lazarillo de Tormes - Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Life of Lazarillo de Tormes“
La Vida de Lazarillo de Tormes
- Publisher
- AyN Ediciones – Madrid, 2004
- Commentary
-
1 volume by Bienvenido C. Morros
Language: Spanish - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Matching Works
Aesopus - Vita et Fabulae
One of the earliest prints in book history: famous fables with style-forming, colored woodcuts
Experience MoreHamza-Nama
An Indian art treasure: 140 masterful miniatures show life under a Mughal Emperor
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Literature
Much like today, medieval readers were looking for stories full of excitement and adventure that would take them out of...Experience moreRenaissance
What does the word “Renaissance” bring to mind for you? Art, science, and culture of course! It was a "rebirth" and...Experience more16th Century
When did the Middle Ages end and the Early Modern Period begin? Most agree it was sometime in the course of the 16th...Experience more
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Aboca Museum
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- De Agostini/UTET
- DIAMM
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Egeria, S.L.
- Extraordinary Editions
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Helikon
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- La Meta Editore
- Leo S. Olschki
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lumen Artis
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Manuscriptum
- Millennium Liber
- Nova Charta
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Popyläen Verlag
- Prestel Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Reichert Verlag
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Salerno Editrice
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- Styria Verlag
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- Trident Editore
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Yushodo