Cervantes and Lope de Vega

Cervantes and Lope de Vega were the two most influential literary figures of early modern Spain. On the face of it, one might conclude that they complemented each other well and between them carved up the literary territories over which they were best suited to reign. However, as this chapter demonstrates, such a conclusion would be misleading and would mask an intriguing, deep, productive, and at times unsavoury relationship between the two men and their work. Throughout their respective writing careers, numerous references, both critical and praiseworthy, were reciprocated, and an equally complex personal relationship produced one of the great literary rivalries of European literature.