Medieval Narrative Verse & Prose: A Literary Journey
Medieval Narrative Verse and Prose
Narrative Verse
Narrative verse, typically composed in rhyming eight-syllable lines, offered a rich channel for storytelling. These verses allowed for complex plots, diverse characters, and interwoven subplots. Drawing inspiration from legends, they fueled the imagination with tales of King Arthur, Merlin, and other fictional characters. The primary aim was entertainment and pleasure, though exemplary values were often incorporated.
The Romance genre featured knights embarking on adventures, proving their valor, and seeking love. This theme connected the Romance with the tradition of love poetry.
Epic Song
Epic songs, recited publicly, employed vivid language and dramatic presentation. These songs celebrated historical figures like Charlemagne, Roland, El Cid, and James I, extolling their heroism and exemplary deeds. The epic hero, a warrior fighting for country or religion, valued honor and life above all else.
Novel of Reality
The Valencian writer Jaume Roig authored popular verse works, including the “Spill” or “Book of Women.” Roig drew inspiration from his own life, but presented a pessimistic and subjective view of reality.
Books of Chivalry
Prose chivalry novels, such as the 12th-century French trilogy “Lancelot,” “Quest of the Holy Grail,” and “Death of King Arthur,” featured fantastical elements and extraordinary knights-errant. These knights, skilled in arms, championed honor and virtue. The narratives unfolded in distant times and exotic locations, far removed from reality. A representative work is the 14th-century “Amadis de Gaula,” written in Spanish.
Chivalric Novels
In the 15th century, chivalric novels shifted in style. Knights became more human and relatable. Plots grounded in realism depicted actual battles and familiar settings. Notable examples include “Tirant lo Blanc” and “Curial e Güelfa.”
Humanism
Emerging in the late 14th century, Humanism advocated a return to Greek and Latin classics. This cultural movement, reaching Catalonia in the 14th and 15th centuries, emphasized themes of life and beauty. As society evolved, religion’s importance diminished. Humanist writers adopted a sophisticated syntax, influenced by Latin. They embraced an anthropocentric and secular perspective, characterized by skepticism, irony, and elegance. Their literary style mirrored Latin, with longer, more rhythmic sentences, influenced by authors like Bernard and Cicero.
Bernat Metge
Bernat Metge, a prominent humanist writer, served as a royal advisor. When the king died under mysterious circumstances, Metge was wrongly accused and imprisoned. He wrote “The Dream,” in which the deceased king appears, absolving Metge and revealing the true culprit.