Castilian Society, Culture, and Literature in the 15th Century
Castilian Society in the 15th Century
The 15th century in Castile was marked by civil wars, conflicts, rebellions, and revolts involving both the nobility and the peasantry. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, united the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, imposing an authoritarian and centralist monarchy. They liquidated feudalism, dominated the nobility and the Church, and completed the Reconquista in 1492, expelling the Jews and establishing the Inquisition.
Later, *conversos* or *nuevos cristianos* appeared, who were Jews or Muslims that converted to Christianity to remain in the Iberian Peninsula.
Culture in 15th Century Castile
The culture of this period was characterized by the influence of humanism, which focused on the human and rational knowledge. With the invention of the printing press, humanist ideals spread more easily. New universities were also created.
Jorge Manrique: *Verses on the Death of His Father***
Jorge Manrique was a poet known for his songs. His poetry shows a love of personal *voces*, but he is best known for the poem *Verses on the Death of His Father*.
The Author
Manrique belonged to one of the great families of the Castilian nobility. He participated in various battles and died in battle at the age of 39. He was one of the last representatives of the warrior aristocracy. His *Verses* is an elegy, a composition that expresses the pain of the poet.
The Theme
The stanzas develop the theme of death. They begin with a general meditation on the transience of life and eventually address the death of the poet’s father. The theme of death was very frequent at that time. Death was seen as liberating, as it led to eternal life. However, in the 14th and 15th centuries, death became something scary and was represented as a skeleton with a scythe.
Meaning of the Couplet
The couplet reflects the sensitivity of the end of the Middle Ages, while the play’s protagonist embodies the virtues of chivalry and medieval Christianity. Manrique shows other pre-Renaissance features, such as the valuation of fame and the delicacy and elegance with which he addresses the subject of death.
The Romance
The prestige of the *romances* is linked to the traditional valuation that was born from the influence of humanism. Songs incorporated orally were only shown in musical form, which were used to sing in the courts. They are collected as traditional lyrical songs and *romances*.
Old Romances
These are anonymous ballads that were transmitted orally, presenting variants of the same poem. They deal with the same issues as the epic poems. *Romances* come from songs that would be broken off into fragments that remained in popular memory, especially the most intense parts. Other scholars emphasize the similarity of the old *romances* with traditional lyric and consider them the product of an anonymous author.
New Romances
These are compositions written by known perpetrators in imitation of the old *romances*. Romance novelists include both old and new *romances*.
Characteristics of Romance
Romance is a lyric-narrative composition created to be sung. This form uses octosyllabic verses that rhyme in assonance in pairs, while odd-numbered verses are loose. Its rhyme scheme is: 8- 8a 8- 8a.
A Lyrical-Epic Composition
It tells a story combining its own resources and epic poetry. The lyrical root is expressive or emotive language and simple synthesis. At the same time, like the epic, romance employs language far from colloquial. There are appeals to the public, changes in the narrative point of view, epic epithets, special use of tenses, and so on.
- The romance has a fragmentary nature, meaning it is a little story. The context is a fragment of a longer story where the beginning and end are known. The essentials will remain without introductions and usually end abruptly.
*La Celestina* by Fernando de Rojas
This is the most famous work reflecting the spiritual climate of the 15th century. It is a period of transition marked by pessimism. The first modern sensibility manifests, yet it is pessimistic, and the characters are driven to death.
The Author and His Era
Fernando de Rojas was a converted lawyer. He found the first act of the play already written and finished it in 15 days that he had on vacation. In the late 15th century, cities had a vital Renaissance climate. *La Celestina* offers a pessimistic view, which was common to writers of the time. Fernando de Rojas represents the modern writer.
The Argument
Calisto falls for Melibea…
Intention of *La Celestina***
Fernando de Rojas says he wrote the work to prevent crazy people from falling in love and to warn of the deceptions of pimps and bad servants. It also has other aspects that reflect the influence of the Renaissance and the pessimism of the 15th century.