Medieval Spanish Literature: A Journey Through Lyric, Epic, and Religious Poetry
Medieval Spanish Literature
Origins of the Lyric
Lyric poetry emerged early across cultures as a natural expression of human emotions. Daily activities like work, celebrations, and gatherings were often accompanied by poetry and music, aiding memorization and cultural transmission.
Mozarabic Lyric
Jarchas: Composed in the Mozarabic language by Christians residing in Muslim-controlled territories, jarchas are considered the oldest form of European literature in a Romance language.
Moaxajas: Short compositions incorporated at the end of Arabic or Hebrew poems, often with a lyrical or thematic connection.
Galician-Portuguese Lyric
Primarily secular in nature, Galician-Portuguese lyric poetry is known for its cantigas, which can be categorized as:
- Cantigas de amor: Sung by a man, exploring themes of courtly love.
- Cantigas de amigo: Sung from a woman’s perspective, lamenting the absence of her beloved.
- Cantigas de escarnio: Satirical songs mocking flaws, issues, or individuals.
Castilian Lyric
Preserved in songbooks and collections from the 15th and 16th centuries, Castilian lyric poetry encompasses various forms, including:
- Villancicos: Strophic poems with a chorus and verses elaborating on the chorus’s theme, often centered around love.
- Serranillas: Pastoral poems with realistic and descriptive elements, influenced by Provençal pastorelas.
The Epic Narrative
Epic poetry narrates the heroic deeds and adventures of legendary figures, often reflecting historical and cultural values.
Characteristics of Epic Poems
- Historicist Character: Epic poems depict a world of warriors and battles, with heroes possessing extraordinary abilities.
- The Hero: Embodies the destiny of their people and upholds the ideals of their social class.
- Structure: Long verses with assonance and rhyme, grouped into thematic units called tiradas.
Castilian Epic
- Cantar de Roncesvalles: Dating back to the 13th century, with only around 100 verses remaining.
- Mocedades de Rodrigo: From the 14th century.
- Cantar de Mio Cid: A nearly complete epic poem from the 13th century.
Lyric Narrative: The Ballads
Romances are poems of varying lengths, typically with eight-syllable verses and assonant rhyme schemes. Their structure reflects their connection to the chansons de geste.
Themes
Ballads can be classified based on their content:
- Historical Ballads: Based on political events in the history of the Christian kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula, often focusing on specific figures or disseminating news.
- Epic and Literary Ballads: Derived from epic poems, particularly those of the Carolingian cycle.
- Romantic and Lyrical Ballads: Exploring themes of love and its various manifestations.
Old Ballads: Texts from oral tradition, anonymous in origin.
New Ballads: Composed by known authors with artistic intent.
Style
Ballads often employ the following stylistic features:
- Emphasis on action over description.
- Dialogical structure, leading to conversational ballads.
- In medias res beginnings, starting in the middle of the action.
- Abrupt endings.
- Archaic language and grammatical forms.
- Use of repetitions for emphasis and lyrical effect.
- Exclamations to heighten drama.
Mester de Clerecía
A literary movement led by clerics and intellectuals, the Mester de Clerecía produced works with didactic and moral purposes, often drawing inspiration from Latin texts.
Classification of Works
Works are categorized based on their metrical form:
- Anonymous Works in Alexandrine Verse:
- Libro de Alexandre: Introduces the legend of Alexander the Great to Spanish literature.
- Libro de Apolonio: A Byzantine-style adventure story about Apollonius of Tyre.
- Libro de Fernán González: Chronicles the life of Fernán González, the first Count of Castile.
- Anonymous Works in Couplets:
- Vida de Santa María Egipcíaca: Based on legends surrounding Mary Magdalene.
- Disputa del alma y el cuerpo: A poem reflecting on death, a common theme in medieval literature.
Mester de Clerecía: Gonzalo de Berceo
Gonzalo de Berceo was a prominent figure in medieval Spanish literature, known as the most significant writer of the Mester de Clerecía in the 13th century and the first Castilian poet with a known name.
Works
Berceo’s works can be grouped into three categories:
- Hagiographies:
- Vida de Santo Domingo de Silos
- Vida de San Millán de la Cogolla
- Martirio de San Lorenzo
- Vida de Santa Oria
- Doctrinal Works:
- El sacrificio de la misa
- De los signos que aparecerán antes del Juicio
- Marian Works:
- Loores de Nuestra Señora
- Duelo que fizo la Virgen el día de la Pasión de su Hijo
- Milagros de Nuestra Señora
Style
Berceo’s writing is characterized by:
- Simple and accessible language aimed at a wider audience.
- Adherence to written sources.
- Tendency to romanticize and engage the reader through the use of the first person.
- Incorporation of elements from oral literature.
- Use of the Rioja dialect of the 13th century.
- Employment of rhetorical devices such as metaphors, anaphora, and comparisons.
- Syntactic structures influenced by oral storytelling traditions.
Milagros de Nuestra Señora
Berceo’s most extensive and renowned work, Milagros de Nuestra Señora, is a collection of miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary, highlighting her role as an intercessor for humanity. The work consists of:
- Introduction: An allegory referencing the fall of man and the promise of salvation through devotion to the Virgin Mary.
- 25 Miracles: Each miracle demonstrates the Virgin Mary’s intervention on behalf of her devotees, following a similar structure: introduction, narration of the miracle, and exhortation to venerate the Virgin Mary.
Medieval Spanish literature offers a rich tapestry of lyrical, epic, and religious expressions, reflecting the cultural and historical context of the time. From the early Mozarabic lyric to the didactic works of the Mester de Clerecía, these literary forms provide valuable insights into the beliefs, values, and artistic achievements of medieval Spain.