Sentimental Novel Example

It narrates affective conflicts of its protagonists that, in some cases, follow one another by putting religious and moral dogmas into discussion. A few lines from El siervo libre de amor, by Juan Rodríguez de la Cámara, make us see clearly this subgenre of the novel.

"Juan Rodríguez del Padrón, the younger of the two friends equal in loving well, the eldest of him Gonzalo de Medina, judge of Mondoñedo, requires peace and 'health. The faith promised to the intimate and clear love, and the instance of your epistles, today makes me write what fear and shame were never granted to reveal, not less to save me from fearful death, than to save that which, out of beauty, discretion, praise and highness, love sent me follow, continue; Because serving the excellence of the state and the greatness of love, they would show in me the great forces of fear. And I, a fearful lover, lacking the goods that induced me to love, I was more and more afraid and ashamed of saying it. And thus ashamed, with the pain of fear, I write to you, whose request is a commandment, and prayer disciplines me not able to flee from you. The very sour account of the case, the sad and joyous past acts and elusive contemplations, and unknown and various thoughts that time contracted did not consent to put into effect by scriptures, demanded to know. " (Cf. Complementary bibliography, N9 46)