Catalan Literature: Humanism and Chivalry
1. Humanism: Bernat Metge
Medieval culture transitioned with the emergence of Humanism. Ausiàs March contributed with Catalan poetry, and chivalric novels marked a turning point.
Humanism is the cultural movement that emerged in Europe at the end of the Middle Ages, characterized by:
- Revaluation of Greco-Roman antiquity.
- A new attitude towards life, valuing human beings (anthropocentrism).
Italian cities were the cradle of Humanism, with authors like Dante (Divine Comedy), Petrarch (Sonnets to Laura), and Boccaccio (Decameron).
1.1. Bernat Metge: Life and Work
Bernat Metge (1340-1413) is a key figure in Catalan prose. Born in Barcelona, he worked at the Royal Chancellery and as secretary to John I and Martin I. He was accused of embezzlement.
His early works had medieval features, while later ones showed Italian influence. Lo Somni (“The Dream”) is his most important work.
Written in prison to defend himself against allegations, it takes the form of dialogues:
- Book 1: Metge dreams of John I, discussing the immortality of the soul.
- Book 2: John I in purgatory with Tiresias and Orpheus.
- Book 3: Tiresias’s satire against women.
- Book 4: Defense of women and critique of men. The dream ends.
This philosophical dialogue, with humanistic appeal, critically discusses various topics.
2. The Golden Age: Ausiàs March
2.1. Historical Context of the Fifteenth Century
The fifteenth century saw political and economic changes impacting Catalan literature:
- King Martin’s death without an heir led to the Trastámara dynasty in Aragon.
- A civil war and peasant crisis occurred in Catalonia.
The Middle Ages ended literarily, with authors like Ausiàs March, Joan Roís de Corella, and Joanot Martorell (author of Tirant lo Blanc).
2.2. Ausiàs March: Life and Work
Ausiàs March (1400-1459), born in Gandia to a knightly family, participated in military campaigns. Retiring in Valencia, he wrote poetry characterized by:
- Sincerity: Expressing virtues, flaws, and anxieties.
- Evaluation of human love: Presenting love physically, intellectually, and sensually, unlike the troubadours’ portrayal of women.
- Absence of Occitanisms: Using everyday Catalan vocabulary.
- Use of decasyllabic verses: Eight-verse stanzas with caesura (4+6), and frequent comparisons.
He used pseudonyms like Plena de seny (Full of wisdom), Llir entre cards (Lily among thorns), and Amor, amor, mon darrer bé (Love, love, my last good).
3. Chivalric Novels
3.1. Characteristics of Chivalric Novels
Chivalric novels, popular in medieval Europe, are characterized by:
- Oral traditions and legends.
- Cycles of legendary characters like King Arthur.
- Marvelous elements.
Humanism’s influence led to more credible narratives, showing knights’ strengths and weaknesses, valuing women’s intelligence, and introducing eroticism.
Differences between Medieval Romances and Chivalric Novels:
- Medieval Romances: Improbable hero, superhuman characteristics, unknown time and exotic space, formal style.
- Chivalric Novels: Believable hero, human characteristics, specific time and place, formal style with humor and irony.
3.2. Catalan Chivalric Novels
- Curial e Güelfa: An anonymous work (1435-1456) narrating the love story of a humble knight and a lady who helps him rise socially and economically. It has a happy ending.
- Tirant lo Blanc: A major Catalan chivalric novel by Joanot Martorell (1460-1468). It depicts adventures, travels, battles, and the love story of Tirant and Carmesina. The work is credible, lacking fantastic elements. Tirant dies of illness. The courtly life (with eroticism) and war (with military wit) are prominent themes.
4. Petrarch
Petrarch (1304-1374), an Italian poet, was a key figure of the Trecento. His work shows Humanist features (naturalistic landscapes, personal glory, Roman greatness).
His style, dolce stil nuovo, presents an idealized, angelic woman. He used vernacular language and the sonnet form.
In Catalonia, he was known for his Latin philosophical works and poetic innovations, influencing Bernat Metge’s Lo Somni.
Il Canzoniere (The Songbook), with sonnets dedicated to Laura, is one of his most famous works.