Medieval Catalan Literature
Curial e Güelfa
Summary:
This book tells the story of Curial, a young man who falls in love with Güelfa. The story follows their relationship through various trials and tribulations, including Curial’s capture and enslavement in Africa.
Characteristics:
- Combines diverse literary traditions of Romance literature.
- Blends realistic and sentimental elements.
- Features delicate and subtle eroticism.
Authorship:
The author is anonymous, but it was potentially written by Manuel Milà i Fontanals.
Tirant lo Blanc
Summary:
This novel is divided into five parts and follows the adventures of the knight Tirant lo Blanc. His journey takes him from England to Sicily, the Greek Empire, North Africa, and finally back to Constantinople.
Parts:
- England: Tirant participates in tournaments and gains recognition.
- Sicily and Rhodes: He aids in the relief of sieges and falls in love with the princess of Sicily.
- Greek Empire: Tirant assists the Emperor against the Turks and develops romantic interests in several princesses.
- North Africa: He fights against the Moors and converts many to Christianity.
- Constantinople: Tirant returns to defeat the Turks, is named heir to the Empire, but falls ill and dies.
Espill
Summary:
This novel tells the story of Joanot Martorell, a young nobleman who faces various challenges, including a legal battle with his cousin and financial ruin.
Plot:
- Joanot’s father dies, leaving him as heir.
- He faces a legal challenge from his cousin and seeks the King of England’s judgment.
- Joanot experiences financial difficulties and refuses to marry for dowry.
- He engages in a duel and is ultimately ruined and imprisoned.
Jordi de Sant Jordi
Summary:
This poet’s work exemplifies the Catalan poetic tradition. He wrote in a hybrid of Occitan and Catalan, often expressing personal subjectivity and melancholy.
Life:
- Born in Valencia in the late 15th century.
- Served Alfonso the Magnanimous as a royal waiter.
- Knighted during a military campaign in Sardinia.
- Died in 1424.
Ausiàs March
Summary:
This poet’s work marks a departure from the troubadour tradition. He wrote in Catalan and explored themes of love, death, and spiritual conflict.
Life:
- Born in Valencia between 1400 and 1401.
- Participated in military campaigns in Italy and North Africa.
- Married twice and had four illegitimate children.
- Died in 1459.
Work:
- Advanced the use of Catalan in poetry.
- Offered a complex portrayal of women.
- Employed introspection and explored different facets of love.
Novel of Chivalry vs. Novel of the Rose
Places:
- Novel of Chivalry: Imaginary and fantastical settings.
- Novel of the Rose: Recognizable and realistic locations.
Characters:
- Novel of Chivalry: Superhuman beings with extraordinary powers.
- Novel of the Rose: Ordinary individuals with relatable qualities.
Fantastic Elements:
- Novel of Chivalry: Abundant use of magic, mythical creatures, and supernatural events.
- Novel of the Rose: Limited or satirical use of fantastical elements.
Joan Roís de Corella
Summary:
This writer produced a vast and varied body of work in both prose and verse. He explored religious and secular themes, often focusing on love and drawing inspiration from Greco-Roman authors.
Life:
- Born in Valencia in 1435 and died there in 1497.
- Belonged to the minor nobility and had ties to the court of Gandia.
- Studied theology and obtained the title of Master.
- Never married but had two children.
Work:
- Explored themes of love, mythology, and religion.
- Characterized by rich metaphors, allusions, and hyperbole.
- Employed techniques of poetry in his prose.
Jaume Roig
Summary:
This writer is known for his satirical work “Espill” (Mirror), which criticizes women and their perceived vices.
Life:
- Born in Valencia in the early 15th century and died there in 1478.
- Fled Valencia during an epidemic and took refuge in Callosa d’En Sarrià.
Work:
- “Espill” is a long poem consisting of 16,359 verses.
- It presents a misogynistic view of women, portraying them as arrogant and deceitful.
Isabel de Villena
Summary:
This writer is known for her religious work “Vita Christi,” which focuses on the life of Jesus Christ and his mother, Mary.
Life:
- Born in Valencia in 1430.
- Daughter of the nobleman and writer Enrique de Aragón.
- Educated at the court of Queen Mary.
- Became a nun and served as abbess of the convent of the Holy Trinity in Valencia.
- Died in 1490.
Work:
- “Vita Christi” aims to create an emotional connection between the reader and Jesus Christ.
- It emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and Mary.
Polycentric Language
This term refers to the use of all the richness and variations within a language, including regional dialects and different registers.
Mediation
This is the process of transferring meaning from one language to another. It involves understanding the nuances of both languages and cultures to accurately convey the intended message.
Characteristics of Colloquial Language
- Orality: Features of spoken language, such as repetition, unfinished sentences, and pauses.
- Expressiveness: Use of augmentatives, diminutives, interjections, and humor.
- Spontaneity: Unplanned and informal language use.
- Contact with the Speaker: Use of idioms, phrases, greetings, and personal addresses.
Debate
A structured discussion where participants present different perspectives on a topic, typically moderated by a neutral party.
Discussion Group
An informal conversation among a group of people who share common interests.
Expert Panel
A discussion where a group of people interacts with a specialist on a particular topic, often following a lecture or presentation.
Interview
A conversation between a journalist and an interviewee, typically planned in advance but with room for spontaneous questions and answers.
Characteristics of Written Language
- Graphic Resources: May include drawings, photographs, or other visual elements.
- Structured Presentation: Follows a specific format and organization.
- Complex Syntax: Can use more intricate sentence structures than spoken language.
- Prepared and Revised: Typically undergoes editing and proofreading.
- Connectors and Lexical Items: Uses a wider range of vocabulary and connecting words.
Text Classification
By Purpose:
- Argumentative: Essay, thesis, report.
- Explanatory: Manual, monograph, exam.
- Narrative: News article, chronicle, story.
- Predictive: Horoscope, weather forecast.
- Instructional: Recipe, instructions.
- Descriptive: Description of objects or scenes.
By Language Function:
- Appeal: Parliamentary question, petition.
- Expression: Opinion article, poetry.
- Social Contact: Greeting, congratulation.
- Information: News report, scientific article.
- Metalinguistic: Dictionary, grammar book, poetics.
By Social and Cultural Context:
- Academic: Review, thesis, report.
- Administrative and Legal: Application, license, law.
- Scientific and Technical: Article, monograph, instruction manual.
- Literary: Poetry, novel, play.
- Journalistic: Editorial, chronicle, news article.
- Political: Speech, electoral program, advertisement.
- Everyday: Letter, note, sign.
- Religious: Sermon, catechism.
Verb Tenses
Deictic Tenses:
These tenses relate to the moment of speaking (now).
- Present: Action simultaneous with the moment of speaking.
- Preterite Indefinite: Action prior to the moment of speaking, but within the same time period.
- Preterite Simple and Periphrastic Perfect: Action in a time period prior to the moment of speaking.
- Future Simple: Action after the moment of speaking.
Anaphoric Tenses:
These tenses relate to a past moment mentioned in the text.
- Imperfect: Action simultaneous with a past moment.
- Pluperfect: Action prior to a past moment.
- Conditional: Action that would have happened after a past moment.
Connectors
Space:
Inside, outside, within, without, behind, in front, right, left, middle, bottom, top, up, down, above, below, where, wherever, nearby, far, next to.
Time:
- Before: Before, shortly before, long before.
- After: Then, later, afterwards, subsequently.
- Simultaneity: Simultaneously, at the same time, while.
- Repetition: As long as, whenever, every time.
- Periodicity: Often, sometimes, usually, always, rarely.
Cause:
Because, since, as, due to.
Purpose:
In order to, so that.