Medieval Era: History, Characteristics, and Literary Figures
The Middle Ages: Definition and Scope
The Middle Ages is a historical period beginning in 476 AD, marked by the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and concluding in 1492, the date of the discovery of America.
Key Areas of Study in the Medieval Era
- Medieval Society
- Cultural Periods (High and Late Middle Ages)
- Literary Expressions
- The Middle Ages in Spain
Cultural Periods and Social Structures
Within the cultural periods, we distinguish:
- High Middle Ages: Often associated with the rise of feudalism and courtly/chivalric culture.
- Late Middle Ages: Characterized by the rise of the bourgeoisie and urban centers.
Literary Expressions
Major literary expressions include the epic and the lyric.
The Middle Ages in Spain
This era culminated in Spain with the Reconquista and the conquest of Granada (1492). Three distinct cultures coexisted: Christian, Jewish, and Muslim.
The Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy) became prominent. The Song of My Cid stands out as a key epic poem.
Key representatives of the lyric tradition include the Marqués de Santillana and Juan de Mena.
Key Characteristics of the Medieval Period
1. Dominance of Christian Culture
- Faith: Theocentric worldview.
- Language: Latin (scholarly/ecclesiastical).
- Art: Gothic style.
- Method: Scholastic teaching.
2. Strict Social Hierarchy
Society was structured hierarchically: God → King → Church → Nobility → Common People.
3. Feudal Society
4. Classification of Literary Genres by Social Class
- Church: Moral and religious literature.
- Nobility:
- Warrior Aristocracy: Epics (Gestas).
- Courtly and Chivalric: Novels of adventure and love.
- Wifey: Poetry and satirical tales.
- Common People: Romances and legends.
5. Ecclesiastical Hierarchy
The Church hierarchy consisted of: God the Father, Jesus Christ, Peter (Vicar), bishops, priests, religious orders (monks), and the laity.
6. Popular Language and Origins
Epic and lyric poetry, as well as early theater, show evidence of medieval origins and the use of popular language.
7. Themes of Escape
Literature often provided an escape from everyday life.
8. Realism and Style
Realism was employed, sometimes even using a sublime style.
9. National and Local Trends
The Middle Ages saw the birth of new nationalities, reflected in national and local trends.
10. Anonymity and Collectivism
The vast majority of medieval works were anonymous or collectivist in nature.
The Role and Techniques of Minstrels (Juglares)
The Minstrel’s Life
The minstrel was often persecuted by the Church. He wandered from village to village and from castle to castle to amaze and amuse the audience, singing the exploits of national heroes.
Resources Used by Minstrels
- Irregular lines (mostly 15-16 syllables), divided into two hemistiches, using assonance rhyme, contrasting with regular verse and consonant rhyme.
- Predominant realism and historicity, contrasting with more legendary characteristics.
- Use of expressions designed to demand the attention of the audience.
- Abundant use of verse, where action dominates the narrative.
- Suppression of formulas introducing dialogue, in order to expedite the story.
- Use of brief descriptions, full of plasticity (vividness).
- Use of epic nicknames to characterize figures and aid the reciter’s memory.
- Use of paragogic endings (addition of a sound or syllable to the end of a word).
Key Literary Figures and Tropes
Hyperbole
Hyperbole is a trope involving extreme exaggeration, increasing or decreasing the truth of what is spoken, giving more importance to the action itself rather than the quality of that action.
Personification (Impersonation)
This consists of attributing human qualities to inanimate objects or abstract ideas. Example: The city was pink and smiled sweetly.
Anaphora
The repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses or sentences. Example: The girl does not laugh. She does not cry.
Metonymy
Metonymy is often defined as substituting the name of an attribute or adjunct for that of the thing meant (e.g., the part for the whole).
Circumlocution (Periphrasis)
The idea is presented indirectly or in a roundabout way. Example: For our iniquities, you who took the form of man… (referring to Jesus Christ).
Conversion (Epistrophe)
A figure that repeats a word or group of words at the end of a verse or clause. Example: “I hurt the hair and the yearning, Oh, burn me! More, more, yes, yes, more! Burn me!”
Reduplication
A figure of speech that repeats the same word, thought, or sentence multiple times. Example: “So high, so high that it passed the roof of my house. If I could save it folds, or in the attic could be large ark.”
Chronography
The description or depiction of an important moment or period in history.
Prosopography
The description of the outward appearance of an animate being or human. Example: “Even now, with his tall, curly beard and well cut, and bright animated eyes and unlined skin, would be accepted by many women.”