15th-Century Spanish Literature: Origins & Evolution
Lyric Poetry
The Jarchas
The jarchas are short songs from the 11th and 12th centuries written in Mozarabic. They represent the earliest form of lyric poetry in Spain.
Galician-Portuguese Lyric
This form of lyric poetry was influenced by learned poetry and courtly love that developed in Provence, France. It flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Castilian Popular Lyric
Evidence suggests that before the 15th century, there was a Castilian lyric tradition connected to Arabo-Andalusian and Galician-Portuguese poetry. It included love songs, serranillas (mountain songs), wedding songs, May songs, and more.
Origins of Theater
European theater in the Middle Ages originated within a religious context, particularly in Christian liturgical rites. These centered around the celebration of the birth and resurrection of Christ.
The only surviving text in Castilian from this period is an incomplete religious play from the mid-to-late 17th century: Representation of the Magi Kings.
Origins of the Epic
Epic poetry emerged with the Spanish epics, which recounted the exploits of great medieval heroes. Orality was a key characteristic of these poems, which were spread by juglares (traveling performers).
These poems were typically anonymous, lengthy, and featured long, irregular lines with assonance rhyme. They were meant to be recited or sung and often remained faithful to historical events.
In Spain, we have preserved the Cantar de Mio Cid.
Cantar de Mio Cid: Date and Context
The Cantar de Mio Cid is the most significant epic poem in Spanish literature. It is the only one that has survived almost entirely, with nearly 4,000 lines.
The existing manuscript is a 19th-century copy. The original song is believed to have been written in the 17th century by two anonymous minstrels from the Soria region.
Content and Structure
The song narrates the exploits of the Castilian hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid. It draws inspiration from real events but blends them with legendary elements and poetic invention.
Structure:
- Cantar del Destierro (Song of Exile): El Cid, unjustly exiled by King Alfonso VI, bids farewell to his family and leaves his castle with loyal followers. He embarks on his first conquests.
- Cantar de las Bodas (Song of the Weddings): El Cid conquers Valencia, where his wife Jimena and daughters Doña Elvira and Doña Sol join him. The greedy Infantes of Carrión marry the hero’s daughters, bringing shame upon Castile.
- Cantar de la Afrenta de Corpes (Song of the Outrage at Corpes): The Infantes of Carrión, humiliated by their cowardice, mistreat their wives in the oak forest of Corpes. El Cid seeks revenge and triumphs. His daughters remarry to the Infantes of Navarra and Aragon, further elevating the hero’s glory.
The Metric
The poem consists of series or stanzas with varying numbers of lines that share the same assonance rhyme. The lines are irregular, ranging from 10 to 20 syllables, with a predominance of Alexandrines (14 syllables).
They are typically divided into two hemistiches by a pause or caesura (e.g., 7+7, 7+8, 6+7).
Origins of Prose
Works written in Castilian prose appeared later than epic and lyric poetry. The prestige of Latin among educated individuals and the abundance of Latin prose works contributed to this delay.
The desire of some kings to promote the use and development of Castilian prose over Latin played a crucial role in its emergence.
Alfonso X, the Wise
King of Castile during the second half of the 13th century, Alfonso X demonstrated a strong commitment to promoting Castilian writing and knowledge. Under his direction, the Toledo School of Translators flourished.
Scientists, thinkers, and writers from various cultures collaborated in Toledo. The production of prose in all areas of knowledge was encouraged, including legal documents and historical records.
Works of Alfonso X:
- History: Chronicles, General History
- Law: Siete Partidas
- Science: Books of Astronomy, Lapidary
- Games: Books of Chess, Dice, Tables
Mester de Clerecía
From the 13th century onward, a new style of learned poetry and writing known as mester de clerecía developed.
Characteristics:
- Aesthetic awareness and intentionality
- Educated religious inspiration and influence
- Didactic purpose
- Educated writers, primarily clerics, well-versed in Latin and classical culture
- Use of consonant rhyme with regular stanzas (typically four lines)
- Frequent use of Alexandrine verses (14 syllables)
- Meant to be recited
The mester de clerecía often incorporated satire, parody, and apologues alongside religious themes. The verses often carried a moralizing or philosophical message.
Juan Ruiz, also known as the Archpriest of Hita, is the most important author of this period.
Mester de Juglaría
While many verses of mester de juglaría are beautiful compositions, they do not adhere to strict rules or aesthetic standards. Juglares sang about secular subjects, traveling from place to place and castle to castle.
They possessed good memory and strong public speaking skills but often lacked formal training. In mester de juglaría, the verse was typically irregular and used assonance rhyme, unlike the consonant rhyme favored by the clergy in mester de clerecía.
Compositions of mester de juglaría were intended to be sung.
During the 13th century, the mester de clerecía introduced innovations in form and content. Alongside the Alexandrine verse, it also employed the octosyllable (8 syllables). Religious motifs were common, but satire, parody, and apologues also appeared. The verses often acquired a moralizing or philosophical purpose.
Don Juan Manuel
Don Juan Manuel, a nobleman and writer, is best known for his book Count Lucanor, which has achieved lasting fame.
Count Lucanor
This work comprises fifty-one stories, proverbs, arguments, and one hundred eighty moral or doctrinal teachings.
Structure of the Stories:
- The narrator introduces Count Lucanor and his advisor Patronio.
- The Count presents a problem and seeks advice.
- Patronio offers general advice and then prepares to tell a story.
- The narrative unfolds.
- After the story, Patronio provides specific advice related to the story’s lesson.
- The Count accepts the advice and intends to implement it.
- Don Juan Manuel, as the author, intervenes and summarizes the teaching in a two-line stanza.