# The Book, Lazarillo de Tormes explained — The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes

> Chapter companion for The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes by Anonymous.

## What happens

This chapter discusses the publication history, translations, and critical reception of the Spanish classic 'Lazarillo de Tormes.' It highlights its satirical nature, its censorship by the Inquisition, the rarity of the first edition, and the various English translations, including the first by David Rowlands in 1586. The chapter also mentions spurious second parts by other authors, which are dismissed as inferior.

## Themes in this chapter

### Satire of Religious Hypocrisy

The chapter notes that the sketches of the friar and the seller of Indulgences were put under the ban of the Church, indicating the work's satirical attack on religious figures.

### Social Class and Mobility

The book is described as a 'pungent satire on all classes of society,' suggesting a critique of social hierarchy and the struggles of the lower classes.

## Character check-ins

### Lazarillo de Tormes

The protagonist of the work, whose story is the subject of the book discussed.

### David Rowlands

First translator of Lazarillo de Tormes into English.

### Abel Jeffes

Publisher of the first English translation in 1586 and a later edition in 1596.

### Juan de Luna

Author of a spurious second part to Lazarillo de Tormes.

## Key lines

> Its object is to give a pungent satire on all classes of society.

The purpose of the work is to sharply criticize every social class.

_Highlights the satirical intent of the book._

> Those of the friar and the seller of Indulgences were put under the ban of the Church.

The Church prohibited the sections about the friar and the seller of indulgences.

_Shows the Church's reaction to the satire._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se/chapters/the-book-lazarillo-de-tormes
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_life_of_lazarillo_de_tormes_se/chapters