Mester de Clerecía: Medieval Spanish Poetic Tradition
The Mester de Clerecía: Characteristics and Purpose
The Mester de Clerecía emerged in the 13th century and encompasses a series of works with common characteristics:
- They are narrative, religious, or heroic, although some minor pieces offer a lyrical tone, often with a prevailing moral or didactic intent.
- The authors express their erudition, alluding to written sources from the outset.
- They are written in verse and use a regular meter, typically the cuaderna vía: an Alexandrine stanza of four monorhyme lines in consonance.
The works of the Mester de Clerecía were intended for individual or collective reading, by both religious and lay audiences, and spread through oral transmission by minstrels or sermons by clerics.
Anonymous Works of the 13th Century
A group of Mester de Clerecía works are anonymous. Among these are:
- Libro de Alexandre, whose hero is Alexander the Great.
- Libro de Apolonio, a story of love and adventure that follows the life of Apollonius, King of Tyre.
- Poema de Fernán González, epic in character, which exalts the figure of the Castilian count who achieved the independence of Castile from León.
Gonzalo de Berceo: The First Castilian Poet
Within the Mester de Clerecía, authorship emerged. Gonzalo de Berceo, the first Castilian poet, abandoned the anonymity characteristic of the age and proudly proclaimed his name. Like other Mester de Clerecía productions, Berceo’s texts reflect a plan aligned with the Church: the Fourth Lateran Council determined the need for change in the education of both clergy and laity. Berceo’s poems are addressed to monks, priests, and novices, teaching those who convey Christian doctrine to the faithful through preaching in the vernacular language. Three types of works are distinguished:
- Hagiographic Works:
- Vida de San Millán de la Cogolla
- Vida de Santo Domingo de Silos
- Marian Works:
- Loores de Nuestra Señora (Praises of Our Lady)
- El Duelo de la Virgen (The Virgin’s Grief)
- Milagros de Nuestra Señora (Miracles of Our Lady)
- Doctrinal Work:
- El Sacrificio de la Misa (The Sacrifice of the Mass)
Miracles of Our Lady: Berceo’s Marian Masterpiece
In the 13th century, devotion to the Virgin Mary was widespread, and pilgrimages to Marian shrines were frequent. This devotion left a strong imprint on the iconography and literature of the period, within which Milagros de Nuestra Señora by Gonzalo de Berceo is inscribed. In this work, Berceo exalts the intercessory power of the Virgin in the salvation of souls. The book is structured into two parts: an introduction and a set of 25 miracles.
- Introduction: The protagonist is the narrator, who is identified with Berceo. He presents himself as a pilgrim entering a garden described as a locus amoenus. This locus is associated with the Virgin Mary, symbolizing the recovery of Paradise. The rosemary, in turn, symbolizes fallen man searching for lost grace.
- Miracles: The 25 stories demonstrate Mary’s merciful action and intercessory power before Christ, serving as a demonstration of the doctrine set forth in the introduction. The Virgin Mary is characterized in human terms: she is maternal, although she can be authoritarian, strong, and severe. In each story, she rewards and punishes or brings relief to her devotees in danger. The earthly characters are friends or enemies, mostly individuals linked to the Church.