Fernando de Rojas was a Spanish author about whom little information is known. He possibly attended the
University of SalamancaThe University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. Although his family was of Jewish ancestry, they were
conversos, or
JewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
who had converted to
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
under pressure from the Spanish crown. Nevertheless, his family was suspected of continuing to practice Judaism in secret, and Rojas appears as a defendant in the
InquisitionThe Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
, as do other members of his family.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Fernando de Rojas' Start a new discussion about 'Fernando de Rojas' Answer questions from other users |
The use of riches is better than their possession.
Act II
The first step towards madness is to think oneself wise.
Act II
Riches do not make one rich but busy.
Act IV
No one is so old that he cannot live yet another year, nor so young that he cannot die today.
Act IV
When God wounds from on high he will follow with the remedy.
Act X
When one door closes, fortune will usually open another.
Act XV
Fernando de Rojas was a Spanish author about whom little information is known. He possibly attended the
University of SalamancaThe University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. Although his family was of Jewish ancestry, they were
conversos, or
JewsThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
who had converted to
ChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
under pressure from the Spanish crown. Nevertheless, his family was suspected of continuing to practice Judaism in secret, and Rojas appears as a defendant in the
InquisitionThe Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
, as do other members of his family.
Fernando de Rojas is known for writing
La CelestinaLa Celestina , actually called Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea or Comedia de Calisto y Melibea, in English Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea), is a work composed entirely in dialogue published by Fernando de Rojas in 1499...
(originally titled
Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea) in 1499. It describes a tragic love affair, and is seen as the beginning of Spain's literary Renaissance. Although the work was published anonymously, the author revealed his name and famous birthplace in an acrostic code at the beginning of the second edition in the year 1500. No other work is known by him, nor is he mentioned by any of his contemporaries.
External links