Medieval Spanish Literature: Lyrical and Epic Poetry
Medieval Spanish Lyrical Poetry
Lyrical poetry served as a medium for poets to express their subjectivity, inner feelings, and personal experiences. Popular lyrical texts were often anonymous and transmitted orally. Written texts are preserved in Mozarabic, derived from the Latin language spoken by Christians within the territory occupied by Muslims.
Mozarabic Lyrical
Some folk songs were collected at the end of longer poems written in Arabic or Hebrew. These compositions were called moaxajas. The shorter poems were known as jarchas. The preserved jarchas were written between the 10th and 14th centuries.
Galician-Portuguese Lyrical
Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the corpus of Portuguese-Galician lyric consisted mainly of ballads: cantigas de amigo (friend songs), love songs, and songs of derision.
Castilian Lyrical
Castilian lyrical poetry reached its peak in the 15th century, with many songbooks being written. Common forms included May songs, harvest songs, wedding songs, procession songs, and albadas (dawn songs). The most characteristic strophic form is the zéjel, featuring a repeated chorus, a section of three monorhyming verses, and a final verse rhyming with the chorus.
Medieval Spanish Epic Poetry
Epic poetry was used by writers to tell, usually with objectivity, the story of one or more characters in specific locations. In its original sense, it refers to verse narratives of courageous and extraordinary events carried out by heroes.
Epic Poetry Characteristics
Epic poetry was oral in nature, recited by minstrels in Romance languages (not Latin). An epic is an extensive poetic composition that narrates a fact worthy of memory for a people. The chanson de geste were historical stories written by minstrels that, in verse, sang the exploits of a knight. They have Germanic origins but were influenced by the French epic, which entered Spain by way of Santiago. Prosified versions of epics are preserved in chronicles, prose historical narratives built on the early epics.
Stages of Epic Poetry Development
- Training (12th century, little French influence)
- Height (2nd half of the 12th century and 13th century, very long with noticeable French influence)
- Prosifications (from 1236 to 1350, in prosified chronicles)
- Decline (15th century, more fantastic elements)
General Characteristics
- Irregular metric
- Expressive language and popular realism
- Narration of historical facts
- Heroic themes
Cantar de Mio Cid
Cantar de Mio Cid is unique in Castilian epic poetry, preserved in an original manuscript. It is likely a 14th-century copy of a text written by someone named Per Abbat. The song consists of 3730 verses of sixteen syllables, divided into two hemistiches of eight syllables each, with assonance rhyme.
Origin
There are two theories regarding its origin: either it had two minstrel authors, or a single author who was an expert in classical literature.
Content of the Work
- Song of Exile: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (El Cid) is banished from Castile due to false accusations. With his troops, he engages in wars and recovers his lost honor.
- Song of the Wedding: El Cid conquers Valencia, sends gifts to the king, and the king grants permission for the Infantes of Carrión to marry El Cid’s daughters.
- Song of the Affront of Corpes: The Infantes’ repeated cowardice leads to mockery from El Cid’s men. The Infantes mistreat El Cid’s daughters. El Cid calls for justice, and the Infantes are killed in a duel against El Cid’s men.