Figuras de la pobreza en la escritura quevediana

The series of types and situations present in Quevedo's prose, poetry and comic theater shows that the motif of poverty is one of the most fertile in relation with the author's capacity to create both ingenious and witty neologisms and caricatures. At the same time, it offers many features that harmonize with the cultural misogyny of the writer and his time. According to the many examples collected, the beggar's figure can be assimilated to that of the pedigüeña, while the beggar is looking for sexual charity. In both cases, the relationship between men and women offers to Quevedo's satirical pen the opportunity of adapting the poor's type to a materialistic and degenerated vision of love. Moreover, even some philological and moral comments encourage original metaphors of the type or features of the poor.