Expostulatio spongiae

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This book offers the most comprehensive examination of the literary controversy ignited by the publication of the Spongia, which profoundly impacted Madrid during the early 17th century. It presents new data and insights derived from a complete translation of the Expostulatio Spongiae, a text previously unavailable in full, which is included in this volume. One of the most intriguing episodes in Lope de Vega's life is the so-called 'Aristotelian controversy,' which erupted in 1617 with the clandestine release of the Spongia and reached its peak with the Expostulatio Spongiae (1618), a work that is often cited yet seldom read by specialists. The term 'Aristotelian controversy' is misleading, as the understanding of this literary conflict has been marred by analytical errors that have persisted since Joaquín de Entrambasaguas presented his doctoral thesis in the 1930s. These misunderstandings are somewhat justifiable, given the lack of a complete translation of the Expostulatio until now, which has hindered critics' ability to grasp the full scope of the controversy. This new work not only clarifies the true nature of the debate, challenging the perspectives held for the past eighty years, but also unveils a wealth of information that will take time to fully assess, marking this book as just the initial step in that exploration.