Juan Manuel’s Work and 15th-Century Courtly Literature
Work and Style of Juan Manuel
He is the representative of the medieval Castilian tale. He assumed an aesthetic volunteer and got his own style.
Literary Production of Juan Manuel
- Book of the Knight and the Squire: Based on books of chivalry, an old knight advises a young squire who wants to reach the order of chivalry.
- The Book of States: Discusses living religions at that time in Spain, concepts like life, death, or social order.
- Book of Count Lucanor, or Patronio: Composed of 51 short stories. The argument is as follows: Lucanor has doubts and fears, he asks Patronio for advice, who tells him a story in which Lucanor is reflected. The structure is as follows: request for advice before an account of the problem, story, and formulation of the sentence.
15th-Century Courtly Literature
Political power was ceded in favor of military pacts and alliances between peoples. The nobility ceased to struggle and dedicated themselves to leisure. Luxury impersonates rustic palaces and castles. Increased trade relations, there were new trades; craftsmen formed guilds occupying the outskirts of new towns or villages.
- Reign of John II: The bourgeoisie flowers and nobility becomes courtesan.
- Reign of Henry IV: Satire appears in our literature.
- Reign of the Catholic Monarchs: Political and social stability facilitates the appearance of a higher quality literature.
The Singers
The Troubadours, palace artists, replaced the epic themes of the lyrics. The songs fit the accompanying music and were composed of a number of stays (stanzas). Some have a group of poems called border poems. Among the most important are: the Cancionero de Baena.
Marqués de Santillana
Has two great exponents: the Charter Preface to Constable Don Pedro of Portugal, considered the first critical test in Castilian. It is divided into two groups: works of didactic moral character and Provençal and Italian influences.
The Serranillas
There are ten short compositions of great musicality and lyricism formed by eight-line stanzas with alternating rhyme.
J. Mena
Moves away from the influence of the church and took refuge at the court of patron princes; this will be reflected in his work, Labyrinth of Fortune, with couplets of high art and argument in allegorical form. His style is reflected in employment of neologisms.
Jorge Manrique
Known for his satirical and loving compositions, such as Verses on the Death of his Father, which is a reflection on death and the transience of life.
The Ballads
Changing tastes of the warrior nobility for other courtiers and people becoming middle class are the formation of the Romance. Romancero: chunks are octosyllabic assonance rhyming pairs in the lines and freeing the odd.
Thematic
- Historical Romances: Collected facts from the history of Spain.
- Subject to Fail: Are inspired by Carolingian theme songs.
- Novelesque: Love or romantic affairs.
- Lyrical: Refer to the feeling of love and are notable for their brevity.
- Frontier: Relations between the border towns.
Trend of Romance
Stopped writing in the 15th century and became so through specifications written loose collections named ballads.
Amadis of Gaul
Written by Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, it tells the story of Amadis of Gaul, son of King Perión and Princess Elisena. He fights knights, giants, and wizards in the name of Oriana. Beltenebros takes the personality of the final wedding. Meets requirements of chivalry books: impossible love, whom he adores from a Platonic form, and pursuit of an unattainable ideal.