Curial e Guelfa & Tirant lo Blanc: A Comparative Analysis
Curial e Guelfa: A Fifteenth-Century Romance
Curial e Guelfa: Written in the fifteenth century by an anonymous author, possibly a Valencian secretary of the court of Alfonso the Magnanimous, this is a story of love and war. Curial is made a knight and nobly struggles for Guelfa. Rooted in Greco-Roman classical tradition, the work is divided into three books:
- Book 1: The Theme of Love: A young, humble Curial enters the court where Guelfa, a widow, falls in love with him. Curial travels to Austria, has an affair, and a jealous Guelfa retires to a convent.
- Book 2: Military Prowess: Curial becomes the world’s best knight. Guelfa does not accept his love and stops protecting him. Curial asks for forgiveness.
- Book 3: Knowledge and Science: Curial travels to Jerusalem and Greece to do penance and tries to win back Guelfa. Finally, he marries Guelfa after defeating the Turks.
The protagonist is a bourgeois hero with a complex, evolving psychology. The story features historical characters and recognizable geography. The language is well-crafted but includes popular idioms and phrases, creating a realistic and believable description.
Tirant lo Blanc: A Chivalric Romance
Eisner: This work involves a gentleman thrown into extreme conflicts. The book was incomplete due to the death of Joanot Martí, but Joan de Galba finished and printed it in 1490 as Tirant lo Blanc. It combines three elements: chivalry, with tournaments and military actions; historical reality and characters; and a realistic depiction of fifteenth-century everyday life. It is a complex novel, chivalric, fantastic, erotic, and social. The author presents his stories in a credible way, making it a modern novel.
Theme and Argument Structure
- The English: The knight’s adventures on the way to the King of England’s celebrations. William of Varoic teaches him about chivalry, and the King knights him. The parties are best explained as a knight’s.
- Sicily and Wheels: Tirant is accompanied by Philip, who falls in love with Ricomana in Sicily. Tirant frees Wheels and goes to the Holy Land to help Philip at his wedding.
- Greek Empire: Tirant comes to Constantinople to fight the Turks. The Emperor makes him captain general. There are many love scenes between Tirant and Plaerdemavida. Finally, Carmesina and Plaerdemavida are on a sinking ship in North Africa.
- North Africa: Tirant is imprisoned and then released to combat the Turks. He converts people to Christianity. Tirant finally returns to Constantinople.
- Back to the Greek Empire: Tirant marries Carmesina and is named Cesar. He falls ill and dies, followed by Carmesina and her father. Hipòlit becomes emperor.
Characters and Style
The characters have modern psychology because they are complex and evolving, showing humanity and contradictions. The style reflects the way the nobility expressed themselves, using agile Valencian. The colloquial dialogue between characters and the erotic elements are presented without prejudice.