El parto (feliz) y la Oda IV de fray Luis de León

Abstract

Fray Luis de León's "Canción al nacimiento de la hija del marqués de Alcañices" (Ode IV) has sparked certain discrepancies among critics. Despite the undeniable brilliance of its style, some argue that it is merely a product of circumstances rather than one of the master's most valuable and personal odes. Part of this divergence stems from the fact that the poem belongs to an unusual genre in modern times, the genethliacus, composed to commemorate a birth or birthday. While much attention has been paid to the poem's style, imitation, and intertextuality, less focus has been given to the circumstances surrounding its creation: the birth of doña Tomasa, the seventh daughter of the Marquis of Alcañices. This study examines the historical context of the poem's composition using letters exchanged between San Francisco de Borja and his sister, the marchioness doña Juana, shedding light on the societal values and concerns of the time.