Medieval Literature and Troubadour Poetry
Medieval Literature
Medieval Literature spans between the 5th century (476) and the 15th century (1453).
- High Middle Ages: Formation of the Romance languages (11th and 12th centuries).
- Late Middle Ages: Appearance of relevant literature (12th to 15th centuries).
General Characteristics
- Feudalism: The system of social, political, and economic organization. It was based on a class division, bound by vassalage contracts. The three basic classes were nobility, clergy, and the common people. The feudal pact involved the vassal pledging allegiance and services to the lord in exchange for protection.
- The Christian Church: Established societal values like theocentrism (God as the center of reality) and social hierarchy. Christian knights defended Christianity against Islam. Monasteries served as centers of culture and education.
- From the 13th century, cities grew, forming a new social class: the urban bourgeoisie, with a new conception of life.
- The Catalan counties (origin of modern Catalonia) were organized over the 8th, 9th, and 10th centuries under the sovereignty of the Frankish king. They were born as a border mark (Hispanic March) and had close cultural and political ties with the territories of Aquitaine (11th and 12th centuries).
- From the 12th century, the Count of Barcelona was also King of Aragon, and from the 13th, King of Valencia. Together, they formed the Crown of Aragon. The fight against the Saracens was a cornerstone of the crown’s policy.
- In the art world, there were two main movements: Romanesque and Gothic. Medieval literature presented different content: religious (Christianized society) and profane (feudal).
Medieval Poetry
- Troubadour Lyric: The first example of learned poetry expressed in a Romance language, Occitan. It enjoyed much prestige and spread throughout Romania. Catalan poets adopted the language and the troubadour tradition due to the poetry’s prestige, geographic proximity, linguistic affinities, and political ties between the Catalan and Occitan courts.
- Cultured Lyric Written in Latin: The clergy wrote educated poetry in Latin.
- Lyric Written in Catalan: The common people, who did not have access to the poetry of the monasteries or the feudal courts, had a tradition of folk songs: cradle songs, songs of joy, Christmas carols, etc. This folk lyric was transmitted orally and was collected in songbooks.
Troubadour Poetry
- Origin: Aquitaine.
- Date: 12th and 13th centuries were the period of maximum exposure, but its cultivation extended to later centuries.
- The Art of Finding:
- Finding meant to invent or create poems in Occitan.
- Troubadours were the composers of both the text and music of the poetry (although sometimes they used known melodies). The verses were written in Occitan by the troubadour, and poet was used for those writing in Latin.
- Women who cultivated troubadour poetry were called trobairitz.
- Information about the troubadours has come through the vidas (biographies) and razos (explanations of poems) collected in songbooks along with their work.
- Minstrels were lyrical performers who interpreted the songs of the troubadours. They were not considered to have the same social standing or training as the troubadours.
- Style: Strict, rigid formal consonant rhyme, precise meter. Verses often included refrains (repeated verses).
- Trobar clus: Obscure concepts, difficult text.
- Trobar leu: Simple and understandable text.
- Genres:
- The canso: The genre par excellence of troubadour poetry, with a love theme.
- The sirventes: A vehicle for attack, anger, controversy, or political and literary moralizing discourse.
- The planh: A text expressing grief over the loss of an important character.
- The alba: An expression of disgust by lovers who had to separate after spending the night together.
- The pastorela: Love poetry describing the meeting between a knight (troubadour) and a shepherdess.
- The tenso or partimen: Narrative exchanges between troubadours.