The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes · Chapter
Endnotes explained
The endnotes provide historical, geographical, and textual annotations to the novel, clarifying references, locations, and the historical context of events and characters mentioned in the narrative.
What happens
The endnotes provide historical, geographical, and textual annotations to the novel, clarifying references, locations, and the historical context of events and characters mentioned in the narrative.
Themes in this chapter
Poverty and Hunger
The endnotes clarify the value of coins like the maravedi and blanca, underscoring the economic hardships depicted in the novel.
Satire of Religious Hypocrisy
Notes on the Pardoner and the sale of indulgences highlight the satirical critique of religious corruption.
Characters to notice
- Lazarillo de Tormes
Referenced in notes about his age and the Gelves expedition.
- Don Garcia de Toledo
Commander of the expedition against the Moors in 1510.
- Don Diego Lopez de Pacheco
Second Duke of Escalona, mentioned as the owner of Escalona in Lazarillo's time.
- Cervantes
Noted as knowing Lazarillo well and quoting it in Don Quixote.
Key passages
“Doubt has been thrown on the authorship, but without sufficient reason.”
Some have questioned who wrote the book, but there is no good reason to doubt the traditional attribution.
The endnotes affirm the authorship of Lazarillo de Tormes.
“They have killed the horse of thine, Save thy life and mount on mine.”
They killed your horse, so take mine to save yourself.
A quote from a poem, likely referenced in the endnotes.