Miguel de Cervantes undervalues his own poetic talent

In Spain, the literary contributions of Miguel de Cervantes, known primarily for his novel 'Don Quixote', are examined in a new book by José Manuel Lucía Megías, who asserts that Cervantes was also a significant poet. Despite Cervantes stating that 'heaven denied me the poet's grace' and considering himself 'better versed in adversity than verses', Megías aims to challenge this self-assessment by highlighting the acclaim Cervantes's poetry received during his lifetime. The scholar posits that Cervantes's poetic talent was overshadowed by that of his contemporary, playwright Félix Lope de Vega, whose works gained more prominence in the realm of Spanish literature. Through this analysis, the book intends to shed light on the complexities of Cervantes's literary identity, arguing that his poetry holds an essential place within the context of Spain's Golden Age of literature and should not be overlooked. This scholarly work seeks to reshape the narrative surrounding Cervantes, proving that his contributions to poetry were substantial and deserving of recognition alongside his novelistic achievements.