«Mi madre vino a darme un negrito muy bonito»

Familias de esclavos y libertos en la novela picaresca

Abstract

The protagonists of picaresque prose frequently interact with enslaved characters, thereby providing an insight into the lives of these unfree individuals in early modern Spain. In Lazarillo de Tormes, Zaide, a black character, is depicted as a benefactor to Lazaro and his mother, providing them with sustenance and firewood. However, the unscrupulous way in which he obtains these goods has serious consequences. Conversely, in La hija de la Celestina, the roguish protagonist recounts the tale of her mother Zara, a freed Moorish slave. Despite being forced to convert, Zara maintains her faith in a more or less disguised form, exploiting the appearances of Christianity for her own ends. The narrative emphasises the relative freedom of movement of the slaves and the complexity of their integration into Christian society. These works reflect the different ways in which the society of the time treated slaves. Therefore, picaresque literature offers insight into the reality of slavery in that era, with nuances of freedom and oppression.