TYPES OF NOVEL – PICARESQUE

 Picaresque novel denotes a type of novel that relates the adventures of a picaro, which is Spanish for ‘rogue’ or ‘rascal’. Originally emanating in Spain during the 16^th century, it made its entry into English literature famously in the Elizabethan prose romance The Unfortunate Traveler or The Life of Jack Wilton by Thomas Nashe published in 1594. It is however noteworthy that not until the 18^th century that picaresque novels proper started appearing in England. The novelist Tobias Smollett could be identified as by far the most successful exponent of this type of fiction. His works such as The Adventures of Roderick Random (1748), The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle (1750), The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom (1753), and The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771) are some noteworthy instances of picaresque novels that helped establish the genre in English literature.

 

1.       The hero of a picaresque novel is not someone who could be called a hero in the traditional sense, in that all the conventional virtues attributed to such a person as goodness of heart, nobility of character, and morality of conduct are not just conspicuously lacking but violated in a picaro. A picaro is typically a person of low birth or disreputable background, who has no regard for scruples, social norms or regulations. He is characteristically someone who is extremely self-centered, concerned only about his wants, to attain which he would not hesitate to perpetrate any degree of deception. His most redeeming quality is perhaps his ability to think on his toes, to be able to extract himself from tight situations by his quick wittedness. He is a confidence trickster par excellence, whose basic mode of operation involves inspiring trust in the people around and eventually exploiting their gullibility. He is charming, witty, ruthless, in short, someone who cannot be trusted but hard to resist.

 

2.       The plot in a picaresque novel is typically episodic in character, in that it basically presents the picaro as constantly moving from one adventure to another. This of course is only natural because the picaro cannot afford to stay in one place or become attached to a fixed set of people, as it increases the probability of him being exposed. A picaro thus is required to be constantly on the move, relocating from one scenario to another, so as to keep himself from being caught.

 

3.       The language of a picaresque novel tends to be characteristically common place and colloquial, which is of course very much in keeping with the life and background of the picaro. As mentioned above, the picaro is a man of low birth most probably born to parents who were disreputable people themselves. Therefore he is not a properly educated person, whose tastes invariably take him to shady places such as brothel houses, gambling pubs and notorious taverns. He is also invariably disposed to fraternize with shady characters as pick pockets, prostitutes and others of the like, both to obtain assistance for carrying out his schemes, and for company. All of these naturally mean that he would often be conversing in a tongue that is slangish, using phrases that are bawdy and blatantly crude. It must however be remembered that in keeping with his persona, a picaro could at will turn on his charm by shifting to a tongue that is sophisticated and eloquent when required.

 

4.       The point of view in a picaresque novel is often first person or autobiographical, with the plot being frequently narrated from the perspective of the picaro himself. This of course is a strategy that is quite appropriate, for the mind of the picaro is something that only he can reveal considering how his success relies on concealing his true intentions from others. The autobiographical point of view also makes the novel more interesting in that on top of the enthralling events that the picaro often triggers with his witty and unscrupulous actions, the perspective provides an insight into the inner working of his mind, which could offer probable reasons for his doings.