La Araucana

Ercilla's epic poem La Araucana was inspired by his experience in America. It contains stanzas and is divided into three parts. The text is mentioned in Quixote and is one of the first European poetic works to utilize America as a literary theme. In it, the author recounts the bloody struggles between native customs and Spanish influence. With accurate descriptions of landscapes and battles, well drawn character portraits, and digressions into other areas, this epic follows the standards for lyrical poetry of the era. It features stories of the battles of Lepanto and San Quintin, descriptions of famous cities, and the legend of Dido. Although the author claimed to have witnessed all the scenes depicted, the historical narrative displays signs of literary training.