El Estudiante de Salamanca

A literary piece of work usually falls under the category of whatever movement or century it is in. The poem El Estudiante de Salamanca is usually recognized as a poem of the Romanticism era. However, I feel as if this is an error and the poem is more Gothic. In the first three parts of the poem Don Felix is seen as the villain. He is a typical Don Juan who plays Elvira and makes false promises of love and marriage. Elvira believes him, but eventually commits suicide. However in the fourth part of the poem, the poem takes a turn. It is evident that the roles of the victim-villain switch. This gender switching role/ protagonist-antagonist role is a very typical gothic element. Therefore, Espronceda 's peom should be credited as a Gothic poem because it is those Gothic elements that build character and enhanced to his poem.