He who resorts to cunning to obtain a benefit, without worrying about the morality of his actions, can be classified as a rogue.
Pícaro can be used as a noun or as an adjective . The concept refers to the subject of dubious morals who appeals to his cunning to obtain certain benefits or to take advantage of a certain circumstance.
For example: “Donato managed to grow in this company because he is mischievous and always knows how to be in the right place, at the right time” , “That man acted rogue and did not respect the line like all of us” , “I like the people” . "rogue who takes advantage of her opportunities."
Different uses of the term rogue
It should be noted that the notion is not always used with a negative charge. Sometimes, the description of rogue is applied to someone who acts with liveliness , perhaps bordering the limits of ethics , but without actually carrying out a negative action or worthy of condemnation: “The striker, rogue, took advantage of a distraction by the goalkeeper and “He scored the first goal.”
The adjective, on the other hand, also mentions someone who acts shamelessly , in a libidinous manner or with lascivious intentions: “Don't be naughty and take your hand away from there,” “Why are you looking at me with those naughty eyes?” .
Someone who appeals to liveliness can be mentioned as a rogue.
The picaresque novel
In the classical literature of Spain , a very popular genre is the picaresque novel . It developed especially in the so-called Golden Age , as the end of the Renaissance approached and the Baroque era began.
This genre parodied epic stories and tales of chivalry, featuring protagonists who were antiheroes and who revealed typical problems of Spanish society at the time.
The roguish characters
By extension, other artistic genres whose central characters were rogues are known as picaresque. Thus, one can speak of a picaresque comedy when its humor revolves around sexuality and double meanings .
In the picaresque genre, the protagonist belongs to a very low social stratum. He usually comes from a family that has lost honor, given over to crime, or openly marginalized. This rogue is an antihero, the opposite of a respectable gentleman, a figure that had ceased to exist in the society of the time. He has the goal of improving, although to achieve it he does not hesitate to use his cunning and resort to acts such as fraud and deception.
The rogue's treasure is his own freedom , since he is outside the codes imposed by contemporary high society.
Other characteristics of these works
The structure
It can be said that it is a false autobiography narrated by the rogue himself from the present, telling his adventures, trying to give lessons about good customs based on his own mistakes and taking a journey through his genealogy, which is opposed to the supposed lineage of knights . The protagonist, who is an author and actor, clearly shows regret for his actions.
Determinism
The rogue seeks to climb on a social level but never succeeds, and relies on the fact that he cannot stop being a rogue . The structure of the picaresque genre novels is based on this paradigm, which is especially appreciated in " The Life of Lazarillo de Tormes ." However, various authors of the genre (among whom are Francisco de Quevedo, Mateo Alemán and Miguel de Cervantes) did not share this impossibility of improvement since it opposed the concept of free will, of great importance for Catholicism in the counter-reformation.
The ideology
The picaresque genre had a pronounced influence from contemporary sacred rhetoric, which generally preached examples through the narration of inappropriate behavior that led to inevitable punishment or repentance. It is a pessimistic ideology (since the cycle of sin and consequence is shown systematically) but, at the same time, moralizing (because it seeks to give a constructive message).