Lazarillo de Tormes - Criticism By The Author

Criticism By The Author

The author criticises many organisations and groups of persons in his book, most notably the Catholic Church and the Aristocracy.

These two organisations are clearly criticised through the different masters that Lazarillo serves. Characters such as the Cleric, the Friar, the Pardoner, the Priest and the Archbishop all have something wrong either with them as a person or with their character. The self-indulgent cleric concentrates on feeding himself, and when he does decide to give the "crumbs from his table" to Lazarillo, he says, "toma, come, triunfa, para tí es el mundo" "take, eat, triumph - the world is yours" a clear parody of a key communion statement.

The reader is led to believe that not only does the friar arrange to meet "unas mujercillas" or prostitutes, being more focused on worldly matters and being "un gran enemigo del coro" "an enemy of the choir", but also it is speculated that he possibly sexually abuses Lazarillo.

In the final chapter, Lazarillo works for an Archpriest, who arranges his marriage to the Archpriest's maid. It is clear that Lazarillo's wife cheats on him with the Archpriest, and all vows of celibacy are forgotten.

In Chapter 3, Lazarillo becomes the servant of an "Escudero" or squire. In this chapter, the author criticises how the sons of rich noblemen do nothing for themselves, but live off their parents.