15th Century Spain: Society, Culture & Literature
Society and Culture of the 15th Century
The 15th century was a period of significant change, marking a transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. During these hundred years, Castile became the political axis of the Iberian Peninsula. The marriage between Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon united several kingdoms. This era also witnessed two major events: the discovery of America and the expulsion of the Jews. Individualist sentiment grew in importance, leading to the anthropocentrism of the Renaissance. The nobility became increasingly courtly, with the ideal knight being skilled in both arms and letters.
Literature of the 15th Century
To understand 15th-century literature, it is crucial to consider Humanism. This movement fostered a new sensibility, emphasizing the importance of the individual, their dignity, and a return to the classical world. The great Italian writers Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio contributed to the dissemination of classical texts. The invention of the printing press played a significant role. Admiration for the classics led to interest in Romance languages. Castilian literature underwent a process of Romanization, making frequent use of hyperbaton, placing the verb at the end of the sentence. Proverbs and idioms were also common.
Traditional Poetry: The Ballad
Ballads (Romances) are compositions written in eight-syllable lines with assonance rhyme in even lines. The collection of anonymous and traditional old ballads is distinguished from later writings. The oldest ballads date from the 15th century. Multiple versions of these ballads exist due to their oral transmission.
Characteristics of Ballads
- Two types of structure:
- Romance story: Presents an action and its outcome.
- Romance scene: Reflects a specific moment of the action.
- Fragmentary: The action often begins and ends abruptly, with a truncated ending.
- Dialogue: Frequently uses direct style.
- Resources: Employs parallelism, enumeration, comparisons, and other literary devices.
- Tenses: Combines past, present, and future tenses.
- Archaic language.
Subject Classification of Ballads
- Epic romances: Organized in cycles related to historical events and heroes.
- Border romances: Written during the Reconquista.
- Lyrical and romantic romances: Deal with diverse subjects, such as mythology and love.
Jorge Manrique and Coplas
Jorge Manrique’s literary work is scarce, though he wrote love poetry in the courtly love tradition. His verses on the death of his father, Coplas por la muerte de su padre, are the poem that brought him fame.
Themes and Topics in Coplas
- Death: Personified, yet featureless and terrifying. It is accepted with a Christian attitude.
- The transience of life: The rapid passage of time leads inexorably to death.
- Fame: Achieved through personal merit and a life of honor, allowing one to be remembered after death.
Structure of Coplas
The poem is divided into three parts:
- Part 1: A reflection on life, the passage of time, and death.
- Part 2: Uses concrete examples, citing the author and contemporary characters, and employing the ubi sunt? motif in some verses.
- Part 3: Focuses on the figure of his father. It first discusses his career as a knight and then his encounter with death.
Metrics of Coplas
The poem consists of forty stanzas called coplas de pie quebrado. Each stanza has twelve lines grouped into two sextets of eight-syllable and four-syllable lines, rhyming 8a8b4c8a8b4c / 8d8e4f8d8e4f (consonant rhyme).
Significance
Coplas por la muerte de su padre demonstrates Manrique’s ability to combine tradition with some Renaissance aspects, while still maintaining some medieval elements.