El Buscón is a novel by Francisco de Quevedo that was first published in Spain in 1626 under the title "Historia de la vida del Buscón, llamado Don Pablos, ejemplo de vagamundos y espejo de tacaños" which literally translates to "History of the life of the Swindler, called Don Pablos, model for hobos and mirror of misers". The novel is largely a fictional work but did contain some elements that were inspired by de Quevedo's personal life experiences. It tells the story of Don Pablos, the titular swindler, whose, ironically, only two goals in life are to become an upstanding individual and to become a true gentleman.
The novel espouses the then prevailing ideas on social class and standing and critiques Spanish social mobility, or rather the lack thereof, at that time. In the novel, de Quevedo also showcases his literary genius with his use of wordplay and ambiguity to convey certain ideas and to provide a sarcastic critique of Spanish society.
Quevedo's narrative was adapted into a film most recently in 1979 and was directed by Luciano Berriatúa.
