El Cantar de Mio Cid and Mester de Clerecía
El Cantar de Mio Cid
Date and Authorship
The Cantar de Mio Cid (The Song of My Cid) is the most important epic poem in Spanish literature and the only one that has survived almost entirely, with nearly four thousand lines.
The song was written in the 12th century by two anonymous minstrels from the land of Soria.
Content and Structure
The song tells of the exploits of the Castilian hero Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid. It is a historical work, but also literary and artistic. Events are inspired by real events, but the poem mixes real elements with others characteristic of folk tales and poetic invention. The structure is as follows:
- Song of Exile: The Cid, unjustly banished by King Alfonso VI, and after saying goodbye to his family, leaves Castile in the company of his faithful followers. He achieves his first victories.
- Song of the Wedding: He conquers Valencia, where he is joined by his wife, Jimena, and their daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol. The Infantes of Carrión, who are greedy, marry the daughters of the Castilian hero.
- Song of the Affront of Corpes: The heirs of Carrión, mocked for their cowardice, decide to take revenge by mistreating their wives in the oak grove of Corpes. The Infantes are defeated by the Cid’s men. The Cid is vindicated, and his daughters celebrate their wedding with the princes of Navarre and Aragon, which is the ultimate glorification of the hero.
Metric
It consists of series or runs of a very different number of lines that share the same assonance rhyme. The lines are irregular, varying between ten and twenty syllables, predominantly Alexandrine (14 syllables). They are usually divided into two hemistiches.
Language
The language often fits the needs of a minstrel who recites his story to an audience that must remain interested and attentive.
The language is sober and austere, with great force and vividness of expression, both in descriptions of people and places and in the account of events. Various linguistic resources typical of epic poems are used. These include:
- Appositions.
- Invocations to the audience.
- Variety of tenses.
- Pleonasm.
- Absence of an introductory verb.
Mester de Clerecía
From the 13th century, a new wave of educated and written poetry developed, known as Mester de Clerecía (trade or clerical work).
The authors include Gonzalo de Berceo and the anonymous works Libro de Apolonio and Libro de Alexandre.
The characteristics of Mester de Clerecía must be understood in opposition to the traits that defined the Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy):
- Aesthetic awareness and educated intention.
- Religious inspiration and influence. Didactic purpose.
- Writers are mainly educated clergy.
- Choosing a type of rhymed verse that has the same number of syllables (cuaderna vía).
- The verses are meant to be read.
During the 14th century, the Mester de Clerecía introduced innovations in both form and content:
- Along with the cuaderna vía and the Alexandrine verse, the octosyllabic verse is also used.
- Along with religious motives, there can be satire, parody, and apologetics.
- The verses take on a moralistic and philosophical purpose.
The Archpriest of Hita is the most important author of this period.