Ramon Llull: Medieval Mystic, Philosopher, and Literary Pioneer
Ramon Llull: Life and Spiritual Journey
Ramon Llull, born on Mallorca in 1232, lived until 1316. His lifespan of 84 years was remarkable for his era, as most people lived only until around 50. His father was a nobleman, and Ramon Llull himself experienced a profound spiritual awakening, often described as being ‘born again’. He was educated at the court, where, to become a knight, one had to learn and be an Occitan troubadour.
At age 31, he was married and had two children. He was known to have written a poem for another woman. It was during this period that he experienced five separate visions of Christ crucified. Following these visions, he underwent a profound conversion. He then abandoned his wife and children, living a life that he later considered sinful, before dedicating himself to God. Legal proceedings were initiated regarding the wealth he shared with his wife. He embarked on a completely different life; though not formally religious (i.e., not a priest or monk), he lived as a secular tertiary, dedicating his life entirely to God.
Llull sought to learn Latin and Arabic, aiming to convert others to Catholicism. He purchased a Muslim slave to teach him Arabic; this slave allegedly attempted to kill him on several occasions, without success. Once he had acquired this knowledge, his primary goal was to travel and teach others. During a stay in Africa, he was stoned in Bougie and, severely wounded, died shortly after returning to Mallorca.
Ramon Llull’s Extensive Work: Three Periods
Ramon Llull’s extensive work can be divided into three distinct periods:
First Period: Encyclopedic Knowledge
- He wrote an encyclopedic work, aiming to be a comprehensive compendium of all medieval knowledge.
- This monumental Book of Contemplation of God spans over 10,000 pages and was translated into Catalan, Arabic, and Latin.
Second Period: The Art (Ars Magna)
- He developed his Art (Ars Magna), a system influenced by Syriac logic and Jewish Kabbalah.
- This ‘Art’ integrated Aristotelian logic (received through Greek sources) with elements of Jewish Kabbalah, creating a unique philosophical and theological method.
- Ramon Llull is considered a predecessor of computer science.
- His Art was initially based on a quaternary system (consisting of four main ideas). He attempted to explain this at the University of Paris, but it was not well understood.
- He then simplified its foundational principles into a ternary system (based on three main ideas).
- His books on science and philosophy are known by two names: Tree of Science (because it organizes knowledge through conceptual trees) and Arbor Scientiae (the Latin name for the ‘Tree of Science’ he created).
Narrative Works: Precursors to Modern Novels
Llull also created works with a narrative framework, precursors to modern novels:
Blanquerna
In this work, Blanquerna’s parents, Evast and Aloma, wish to retire to a monastery for a religious life. They arrange for their son, Blanquerna, to marry Natana. However, Blanquerna desires a religious life. He convinces Natana to become a nun, while he himself becomes a hermit. He gains a reputation as a saint, is elected Pope, and eventually accepts the role. As Pope, he advocates for peaceful crusades to convert ‘infidels’. His vision for these crusades aimed at the universalization of Christianity. He later resigns from the papacy and once again becomes a hermit, following a threefold path of mysticism: asceticism of the body, spiritual illumination, and communion or fusion with God. From this experience, he writes The Book of the Lover and the Beloved (Llibre d’Amic e Amat), where the Lover is Blanquerna and the Beloved is God.
Felix, or The Book of Wonders
Felix, the son of a king, is educated to become a prince through various means. The work is divided into ten books, each exploring a different theme. Felix travels the world, marveling at how men often fail to follow God’s path. The seventh book, considered the most important, is The Book of Beasts (also written by Llull). Felix recounts the story of the animals of the forest who gather to elect a king. Felix narrates the story, observing it unfold. The story is a fable with an apologetic purpose: the lion is elected king thanks to the cunning strategies of the fox. However, the fox, untrustworthy, betrays the king. He conspires against the lion to replace him. The lion discovers the plot and has the fox killed. The moral of the story is that a good king benefits from good advice, while a bad king suffers from poor counselors.
Book of the Gentile and the Three Wise Men
It features a gentile who encounters three wise men representing Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The gentile seeks to understand which religion offers the most convincing truth. Each wise man argues for his own religion, but the gentile is left to decide for himself.
Ramon Llull’s Poetic Contributions
Religious Songs and Hymns
- Dedicated to God and the Virgin Mary.
More Personal Poetry
- Lo Desconhort (The Discomfort/Grief): Written during a period of moral crisis and despondency, yet ultimately finding reasons for hope and perseverance.
- Cant de Ramon (Ramon’s Song): Also written during a time of moral crisis, either concurrent with or later than Lo Desconhort, but this work offers consolation and is not pessimistic.
Third Period: Refinement and Final Years
In this period, Llull revisited and refined his earlier Art and produced a ‘sketchbook’ of reflections on philosophy, theology, and logic. Key works include:
- Liber de Phantastico: This work, possibly Petri Clerici et Raymundi disputatio, criticizes the ‘phantastic’ (imaginary or misguided) aspects of clerical life, with Peter representing a good life despite these challenges.
- Crusade Song: Llull attended the Council of Vienne to advocate for new crusades. He wrote this song to promote his vision, though his proposals were not fully adopted.
He was stoned in Bougie (Africa) and, severely wounded, died shortly after returning to Mallorca.