Thomson and Saint-Lambert as Sources of Meléndez Valdés’s Rural Poetry

Abstract

This paper attempts to discuss the influence, often remarked by scholarly critics, of several foreign poets and moral philosophers on the poet from Extremadura and more specifically on the ideas Meléndez Valdés drew from Thomson and his French imitator, Saint-Lambert. The paper starts with a brief introduction to the type of poetry that would be successful in Europe the oncoming 18th century, which linked together the topic of Nature and the novel concept of sensibility put forward by Rousseau in Julie ou la nouvelle Heloise, which is followed by an insight into the panorama of the descriptive poetry in England before Thomson, and an assessment of Thomson‟s The Seasons, often translated, imitated and adapted in Europe I offer here the passages of the poem wherefrom Saint-Lambert and then Meléndez Valdés drew their work. This is followed by Saint-Lambert‟s own adaptation which is discussed at some length, where the author recognizes his imitative intention as well as the difference with his sources. Finally, I offer a brief analysis of the poem “Las vendimias” (208 octosyllabic lines) where a scarce influence, except for the topic, can be traced of the original source and its French imitator. There Meléndez Valdés draws on the local customs of the people from Extremadura when they go out to collect the vineyards harvest.