This thesis will look to examine how the term picaresca initially emerged, and subsequently continues to re-emerge during periods of crisis and concern in Spain, when society finds itself at a crossroads of mistrusting the authority that leads it, an often humorous and witty means of escapism, and defiantly implementing their own mechanism of self-defense; a social construct perceived as la picaresca. From text to trait, this thesis explores the evolution of la picaresca in two parts: from earmarking its prolific irruption onto the literary scene during the decline which followed the boom of the Spanish Golden Age, to, by contrast, documenting its subsequent permutations and variations over the course of more recent periods of crisis, reshaping itself as a discursive device viewed as being used by Spaniards in the struggles of a perpetually troubled modern-day world, in an attempt to confront a flawed top-down system.
The overarching aim of this thesis is to contextually frame canonical picaresque texts and archival resources, demonstrating the use of the term picaresca in light of the social plight of the period it emerged from and by contrast, today’s contemporary world still very much at loggerheads with institutional and monarchial authorities. My research provides commentary on how the lexical meaning of picaresca has shifted over time, triggered by recent crises and periods of uncertainty in the 20th and 21st century. These include, but are not limited to: the transition to democracy after the fall of Franco, an array of political scandals, Spain’s position in Europe, 15-M, the economic crash of 2008 and the corruption ensnaring the Spanish Royal family, which culminated in the abdication of King Juan Carlos in 2014.
