El crédito del yo en el Persiles

This article documents and analyzes the use of the word ‘credit’ and its derivatives in the Persiles . It presents the hypothesis that the frequent and sophisticated use of this word in Cervantes’ last novel is related to the constitution of the subject and the constructions of the self in the early modern period. First, it offers a diachronic and thematic overview of the use of the word in the period 1500-1750, signaling its increase in the era of Cervantes and a notable decrease towards the end of the Golden Age. Secondly, it examines how the hero of the Cervantine novel constitutes and constructs himself relating to his fellow characters through the key word ‘credit’ and its derivatives. We conclude that the author made use of this vocabulary in constructing his characters precisely because it was charged with multiple meanings from fields of discourse of great actuality, like religion and economy.