History Literature / LazarilloDeTormes

* TheCity: The work takes place in various urban environments from 16th-century Spain.

* CrapsackWorld: 16th Spain.

* PoliticallyCorrectHistory: Seems to be a case with Lázaro having a black stepfather whose race nobody comments on, but this was actually TruthInTelevision in 16th Spain, where black slaves bought from the Portuguese (who bought them from the Congolese) were an usual presence and often became freed workers and citizens due to the lax, Roman-inspired Spanish slavery laws.

->''"Aprende, necio, que el mozo del ciego un punto más listo ha de ser que el diablo."''[[labelnote: Translation]]Learn, fool, that the blind man's servant must be smarter than the devil.[[/labelnote]]

* CorruptChurch: The entire work seems to be a critic against the Spanish Church's hypocrisy at the time, with two of Lázaro's masters (the Cleric and Papal Bull Vendor) being corrupt clergymen. Many scholars have suggested that this is why the book was published anonymously, with the writer (correctly) expecting the Inquisition to come out against it.

* DisproportionateRetribution: When the Blind Man finds out Lázaro was secretly stealing his wine, he smashes the heavy wine jar on the boy's face, breaking his teeth and probably a couple of bones too.

* LaserGuidedKarma: The Blind Man is surely wise in his interactions with his clientes, but he grabs the VillainBall with both hands by abusing Lázaro, who eventually turns against him.

* AntiHero: Lazaro.
* BattleOfWits: Lazaro has two with the Blind Man and Cleric, respectively.

* CorruptChurch: The entire work seems to be a critic against the Spanish Church's hypocrisy at the time, with two of Lazaro's masters (the Cleric and Papal Bull Vendor) being corrupt clergymen. Many scholars have suggested that this is why the book was published anonymously, with the writer (correctly) expecting the Inquisition to come out against it.
* CrapsackWorld: 16th Spain
* DisappearedDad: Lazaro's father went to war and never came back.
* GuileHero: Over the course of the first three chapters, Lazaro uses his wits to survive.
* ImpoverishedPatrician: Lazaro's third master, the ''Hidalgo'', is a nobleman who, while wearing decent clothing, is in far worse life conditions than Lazaro was at the time. Being unable to pay his rent makes the ''Hidalgo'' leave Lazaro and escape once his landlords come after him.
* InnocenceLost: One of the book main themes.
* SonOfAWhore: It's implied Lazaro's mother worked as a prostitute at one point.
* StreetSmart: Lazaro.
* TheDogBitesBack: Lazaro tricks the Blind Man to jumping to a column for all the mistreatment he has endured.
* TheTrickster: The Blind Man, and eventually, Lazaro as well.

* ZenSlap: One of the most iconic moments of the novel is when Lazaro arrives with his first master, the old blind man, to a bridge with a statue of a bull made of stone. The blind man then tells him to put his ear against the bull, because he will hear a great noise inside it. Lazaro does as he says... and then the blind man proceeds to bash his head against the stone. The blind man then tells him that he can't provide him with many luxuries, but he can give him ample lessons. And Lazaro also recalls this moment as the one that teached him the most important lesson in his live. To be smart about who to trust, and to make use of his guile to survive.

* ZenSlap: One of the most iconic moments of the novel is when Lazaro arrives with his first master, the old blind man, to a bridge with a statue of a bull made of stone. The blind man then tells him to put his ear against the bull, because he will hear a great noise inside it. Lazaro does as he says... and then the blind man proceeds to bash his head against the stone. The blind man then tells him that he can't provide him with many luxuries, but yes with ample lessons. And Lazaro also recalls this moment as the one that teached him the most important lesson in his live. To be smart about who to trust, and to make use of his guile to survive.

''[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]]'' (known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' for short) is an anonymous 16th-century [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]], written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554. In it, the titular Lázaro de Tormes, who's an adult at the present, tells his life from his miserable childhood until his wedding in a message to another person. It's considered the precursor of the picaresque novel and one of the greatest inspirations of Creator/CharlesDickens' Literature/OliverTwist.

* LongTitle: ''The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities''

''[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]]'' (known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' for short) is an anonymous 16th-century [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]], written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554. In it, the titular Lázaro de Tormes, who's an adult at the present, tells his life from his miserable childhood until his wedding in an autobiographical way. It's considered the precursor of the picaresque novel and one of the greatest inspirations of Creator/CharlesDickens' Literature/OliverTwist.

''Lazarillo de Tormes'' is an ironic and ruthless sketch of the [[CrapsackWorld society of the moment]], showing his vices and hypocritical attitudes, especially those of [[CorruptChurch clergymen and religious]]. There are different hypotheses about its authorship; the author was probably sympathetic to Erasmus ideas. This motivated the UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition to prohibit it and, later, to allow its publication, once it was expunged.

''[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]]'' (known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' for short) is an anonymous [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]], written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554. In it, the life of a child, Lázaro de Tormes, in the 16th century, from his birth and miserable childhood until his wedding, already in adulthood, is recounted in an autobiographical way. It's considered the precursor of the picaresque novel and one of the greatest inspirations of Creator/CharlesDickens' Literature/OliverTwist.

* CorruptChurch: The entire work seems to be a critic against the Spanish Church's hypocrisy at the time. Many scholars have suggested that this is why the book was published anonymously, with the writer (correctly) expecting the Inquisition to come out against it.

* TheTrickster: The Blind Man, and eventually, Lazarillo as well.

* BattlesOfWits: Lazaro has two with the Blind Man and Cleric, respectively.

* ImpoverishedPatrician: Lazaro's third master, the ''Hidalgo'', is a nobleman who, while wearing decent clothing, is in far worse life conditions than Lazaro was at the time.

* BattlesOfWits: With the Blind Man.
* TheCity: The work takes place in many urban environments from 16th Spain.

* ImpoverishedPatrician: Lazaro's second master, the '' hidalgo''.

''[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]]'' (better known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' ) is an anonymous [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]], written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554. In it, the life of a child, Lázaro de Tormes, in the 16th century, from his birth and miserable childhood until his wedding, already in adulthood, is recounted in an autobiographical way. It is considered the precursor of the picaresque novel and one of the greatest inspirations of Dicken's Literature/OliverTwist.

''Lazarillo de Tormes'' is an ironic and ruthless sketch of the [[CrapsackWorld society of the moment]], showing his vices and hypocritical attitudes, especially those of [[CorruptChurch clergymen and religious]]. There are different hypotheses about its authorship; the author was probably sympathetic to Erasmus ideas. This motivated the [[UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition Inquisition]] to prohibit it and, later, to allow its publication, once it was expunged.

* CorruptChurch. The entire work is a critic against the Church's hypocrisy.
** Many scholars have suggested that this is why the book was published anonymously, with the writer (correctly) expecting UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition to come out against it

* GuileHero: Lazarillo uses his wits to survive.

* SonOfAWhore: Lazaro

[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]] (better known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' ) is an anonymous [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]], written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554. In it, the life of a child, Lázaro de Tormes, in the 16th century, from his birth and miserable childhood until his wedding, already in adulthood, is recounted in an autobiographical way. It is considered the precursor of the picaresque novel and one of the greatest inspirations of Dicken's Literature/OliverTwist.

Lazarillo de Tormes is an ironic and ruthless sketch of the [[CrapsackWorld society of the moment]], showing his vices and hypocritical attitudes, especially those of [[CorruptChurch clergymen and religious]]. There are different hypotheses about its authorship. The author was probably sympathetic to Erasmus ideas . This motivated the [[UsefulNotes/TheSpanishInquisition Inquisition]] to prohibit it and, later, to allow its publication, once it was expunged.

!!This work provides examples of:
* AntiHero: Lazarillo.
* BattlesOfWits: With the Blind Man

* DisappearedDad: Lazarillo's father went to war and never came back.

* LongTitle: The life of Lázaro de Tormes and his fortunes and adversities.
* SonOfAWhore: Lazarillo
* StreetSmart: Lazarillo.

* TricksterMentor: The Blind Man, in a pretty harsh way.

[[LongTitle The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes and its fortunes and adversities]] (better known as ''Lazarillo de Tormes'' ) is an anonymous [[SpanishLiterature Spanish novel]] , written in the first person and in epistolary style (as a single, long letter), whose earliest known editions date back to 1554 . In it,the life of a child, Lázaro de Tormes, in the 16th century , from his birth and miserable childhood until his wedding, already in adulthood, is recounted in an autobiographical way. It is considered the precursor of the picaresque novel.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20200609_012301_google.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Aprende, necio, que el mozo del ciego un punto más listo ha de ser que el diablo]]

* CorruptChurch. The entire work is a critic against the Church hypocrisy.

* CorruptChurch. The entire work is a critic against the Church hipocrisy.

[[caption-width-right:350:Aprende, necio, que el mozo del ciego un punto más listo ha de ser que el diablo[[note]] Learn, you la with, that the blind servant must be a bit smarter than the devil]]