14th-15th Century Catalan Literature and Society
14th and 15th Century Catalan Literature
The 12th Century
Culture resided in monasteries and was limited to copying texts. It expanded to universities, and the first translations of classic Greek texts appeared. Spoken languages began to take formal shape. Theocentricism was dominant.
The 14th Century
Humanism brought a change in mentality: Humans are great because they are the creators of culture (Anthropocentrism). This new vision of society posited that humans have the power to change their destiny.
The 15th Century
Moralists represented two opposing currents: Theocentricism and Anthropocentrism.
Key Authors and Works
- Arnau de Vilanova: Defended the purest Christian orthodoxy. Notable works include *Confession of Barcelona* and *Reasoning d’Avinyò*.
- Francesc Eiximenis: A writer with a solid medieval university education. He presented his thinking in great detail, interspersing stories for entertainment. His language was both cultured and straightforward. Important works include *Lo Crestià* and *Vita Christi*. Key themes in his work are customs, nationalism, and anti-erudition. He is important for his descriptions of 14th-century society.
- Vicent Ferrer: A preacher protected by the powerful. He employed oratory and *reportadors* (repeaters). His sermons always followed the same structure: enunciation of the sermon in Latin, recitation of an Ave Maria, introduction, explanation, and development. He was anti-humanist and used plain, colloquial language. Jews and Moors were forced to attend his sermons, which were aimed at the humble.
- Anselm Turmeda: The clearest example of the spiritual crisis of the era, representing both Christian and Muslim perspectives. He wrote in both Catalan and Arabic. Notable works include *Dispute de l’ase*, *Llibre de bons amonestaments*, and *Thufa*. He presented a pre-Renaissance vision.
- Bernat Metge: A writer influenced by Humanism. Notable work: *Lo Somni* (The Dream).
The Valencian School
A moralistic current composed of bourgeois authors, including Jaume Roig, Bernat Fenollar, Jaume Gasull, Narcís Vinyoles, Joan Moreno, Valentí Fuster, and Pere Martines. It is characterized by misogyny, anti-clericalism, and social criticism of imperfections. It used a register close to colloquial language, with the purpose of entertaining and promoting collective intelligence.
Key Authors of the Valencian School
- Jaume Roig: A doctor and author of *Espill* (Mirror), written in verse. The protagonist tells his life story, from being driven away from home by his mother to dying in solitude after numerous marriages. Women are presented as anti-heroes.
- Isabel de Villena: Author of a single known work, *Vita Christi*. She narrates from a feminine standpoint, offering a feminine apology. This alternative vision often contradicts misogynistic themes. Women welcomed and understood Jesus better than anyone; women are not the cause of sin, but are virtuous, kind, and charitable. She selects only passages from the Gospels where women appear, intending to boost women’s self-esteem and respond to the medieval tactics of Jaume Roig’s *Espill*.
Themes and Concepts
- Misogyny: A worldview that does not consider women as fully human and sees them as subordinate to men.
- Spelling: Graphical representation of phonemes and grammatical words of a language. Categories: Monemes and morphemes.
- Speaking: Guiding people using theatrical resources, similar to minstrels, with apocalyptic sermons.
- Controversy: Oral discussions with Jews and heretics to demonstrate the superiority of Christian religious conceptions.
- Anti-Jewish and Anti-Muslim Sentiment: (Lull, Peñafort, Vilanova).
- Morality: Learning objectives, prose filled with examples, proverbs, and biblical quotes.
- Exegesis: Lives of Saints, the Mother of God, and Jesus Christ.
- Religion: Focused on joys and popular religion in current events, reflected in poetic themes.