Estebanillo González - A New Perspective on the Last Pícaro.

Estebanillo González is the last Spanish picaresque novel, but its eponymous protagonist rarely features in the discussions on the genre in the way other male characters, Lazarillo, Guzmán or Pablos do. In this article, drawing on earlier literary criticism and historical research concerning religious diasporas in Early Modern Europe, I offer a new analysis of the protagonist's possible converso origins. The protagonist's attitude towards his alleged hidalguía questions the relevance of social status. In the second part of the article, I argue that behind the protagonist's jokes and puns hides religious scepticism aimed in particular at Counter-Reformation techniques of casuistry. Both hidalguía and Catholic practices, fundamental aspects of Spanish society, are therefore undermined. Estebanillo, as the last picaro, offers his own original vision of the self in the world and as such should join the picaresque trio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]