Rinconete y Cortadillo is a novel written by Miguel de Cervantes. Rinconete y Cortadillo tells the story of two young men who become professional gamblers in Seville. The novel is notable for its realistic portrayal of life in 16th century Spain. Rinconete y Cortadillo is considered one of the greatest works of Spanish literature.
Rinconete y Cortadillo is told in a variety of ways that add interest, movement, and variation to the tale as a whole. All of the information about Rinconete and Cortadillo is presented to us by the third-person narrator, who is omniscient and descriptive, at the start of the story. The boys are described in great detail before we learn who they are.
“Rinconete y Cortadillo” is a short story written by Miguel de Cervantes. Rinconete and Cortadillo are two young men who have chosen to live a life of crime. The story follows them as they go about their everyday lives, committing various crimes and getting into all sorts of trouble. Along the way, we learn about their backgrounds, their personalities, and what motivates them to lead such dangerous lives. “Rinconete y Cortadillo” is an enjoyable read that provides insight into the criminal mind.
The narrator then starts a conversation with each other, and the following section is almost entirely comprised of dialogue in which the narrator steps back and only adds brief comments to let us know who is talking, for example: El presidente preguntó al director. The narrator does not name the boys till they self-identify through their own direct discourse with one another.
Rinconete says:
“En esto, vinieron otros dos chicos por el camino de la ribera, uno era delgado y menudo y el otro gordo y grandullón. A este último yo le conocía de vista, pero no al flaco, aunque sí me sonaba haberlo visto antes.”
Cortadillo says:
“Pues si quieres que te diga la verdad, Rinconete, aquel delgado es un tal Cortadillo, natural de Toledo, vecino nuestro y compañero tuyo en estas andanzas.”
Rinconete and Cortadillo are two young thieves who operate in Seville. Rinconete is the older and more experienced of the two, while Cortadillo is younger and still learning the ropes. Throughout the course of their adventure, the two will face many challenges and obstacles, but they will always stick together.
Cervantes tells their story in a very unique way, through a mixture of dialogue and narration. We are first introduced to Rinconete and Cortadillo by the narrator, who gives us a brief description of them.
Rather than being referred to as el mayor, el menor, el preguntado, el pequeño, and el mediano, which are derived from the narrator’s observations as an onlooker of the discussion, they are known as el mayor, el menor, etc. The narrator does not know their names because he believes it is more realistic for him to narrate facts essential to the tale in a natural style.
Rinconete and Cortadillo are two young Spanish card-sharpers who, after plying their trade in various Italian cities, end up in Seville. Rinconete is the more experienced of the two and takes the lead in conversation, while Cortadillo is younger and more impressionable. They are both streetwise urchins who have been forced into a life of crime to survive.
The story is set in Seville in the early 17th century, at a time when Spain was a major world power with a vast empire including possessions in Italy, North Africa and the Americas. Rinconete and Cortadillo represent the lowest rung on the social ladder, but they are not without ambition. Their dream is to make enough money to retire to a life of luxury, and they are always on the lookout for ways to make a quick profit. Rinconete is the more level-headed of the two, while Cortadillo is easily led astray.
This is evident in the way that Rinconete tries to caution Cortadillo against getting involved with a group of Gypsies who have recently arrived in Seville, while Cortadillo is eager to join them. Rinconete’s suspicions are eventually proven correct when the Gypsies rob them, leaving them penniless. The story ends with Rinconete and Cortadillo being arrested and condemned to death for their crimes.
Rinconete y Cortadillo is a classic Spanish novela picaresca, a genre of literature that tells the story of a young rogue or pícaro who lives by his wits in a corrupt society. Rinconete y Cortadillo is one of the best-known examples of this genre, and its author, Miguel de Cervantes, is considered one of the most important writers in Spanish history. Rinconete y Cortadillo was first published in 1613, and it remains one of the most popular Spanish novels to this day.
The narrator interrupts this lengthy monologue to inform us of Rincón’s activities. Rincón has been describing his youth and, with this intervention, brings us back to the current moment while also adding action to his words and reminding us of the narrative voice outside Cortadillo and Rincón’s. Rinconz has been telling us how he and Cortadillo, two young Seville conmen, ended up in Naples.
He has just finished recounting an adventure in which they managed to steal a considerable amount of money from a local gambler. Rinconte’s soliloquy is again interrupted by the authorial voice which provides us with more information about the city of Naples and its customs. The narrator tells us that there are many types of thieves in Naples and that they all have their own specialities. Rinconte and Cortadillo, for example, are experts in pickpocketing.
Rinconte resumes his story and tells us how they met a man called Peralta who was also a professional thief. Peralta told them about a man called Don Gonzalo who was looking for two young men to work for him. Rinconte and Cortadillo decided to apply for the job and, after some initial difficulties, they were successful in convincing Don Gonzalo to take them on. Rinconte then proceeds to recount how they carried out their first theft for their new employer.
Rinconete y Cortadillo is a short story by Miguel de Cervantes that tells the story of two young conmen from Seville who come to work in Naples. The story is narrated by Rinconte and includes many interruptions by the authorial voice which provide additional information about the city of Naples and its customs. Rinconte and Cortadillo are experts in pickpocketing and their first theft is carried out for their new employer, Don Gonzalo. The story provides a detailed account of their theft, as well as Rinconte’s thoughts and feelings about the situation.
The story of Rinconete y Cortadillo is interesting because it provides a detailed account of the inner workings of a pickpocketing operation. It is also significant because it is one of the earliest examples of a short story that includes interruptions by the authorial voice. This technique would later be used by many other writers, including Jorge Luis Borges and Julio Cortázar.