Which Spanish literary work was expurgated in 1632 and fully banned by the Inquisition in 1790? The answer is La Celestina.
La Celestina is a late-medieval Spanish prose drama traditionally associated with Fernando de Rojas. First published around the turn of the sixteenth century, it follows the tragic consequences of Calisto’s pursuit of Melibea, aided by the scheming go-between Celestina. Its sexual frankness, moral ambiguity, and vivid depiction of greed made it controversial.
The Inquisition did not immediately suppress the work outright. In 1632, passages were removed or altered through expurgation, allowing a censored version to circulate. Later, the work was prohibited completely, reflecting a harder line against literature judged capable of corrupting morals.
Readers sometimes confuse this case with Don Quixote or Amadis of Gaul, both of which also faced censorship or controversy. La Celestina is the work specifically linked to the 1632 expurgation and the later full prohibition.