Medieval Spanish Literature: Origins and Development
1. First Literary Texts in Castilian
1.1 Origins of Lyric Poetry
Jarchas: Short ditties written in Mozarabic, representing the oldest manifestation of Romance lyric in Spain.
Galician-Portuguese Lyric: Influenced by educated and courtly poetry from Provence (13th-14th centuries). Topics include:
- Cantigas de Amigo: Love poems with an intimate tone.
- Cantigas de Amor: Love poems from a male perspective, often with a tone of suffering.
- Cantigas de Escarnio e Maldizer: Satirical, festive, and burlesque poems.
Castilian Popular Lyric: Existed before the 15th century, comprising love songs, serranillas (mountain songs), and wedding songs. From the 15th century, cultured poets drew inspiration from these popular forms, characterized by brevity, suggestion, and the use of parallelism.
1.2 Origins of Theater
Medieval European theater originated in a religious context, particularly around the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Short liturgical dramas were performed by clergy within the church. Later, lay people began to participate, leading to the birth of vernacular theater.
Documents show the existence of secular theater in pre-Castile. The only preserved piece from before the 15th century is the Auto de los Reyes Magos (Play of the Magi), composed of 147 verses of varying length.
1.3 Origins of the Epic
The epic genre emerged with the chanson de geste. Its most important feature is oral tradition, with poems transmitted by juglares (minstrels). Characteristics include:
- Anonymous authorship
- Extensive length
- Long verses recited or sung
- Basis in real-life events, though often embellished
2. The Cantar de Mio Cid
The Cantar de Mio Cid is the most important epic poem in Spanish literature and the only one preserved in its entirety. The existing manuscript is a 14th-century copy, but the work was composed earlier, likely in the 12th century by two juglares from Soria. The first poet adopted a more realistic style, while the second leaned towards a more romantic approach.
The poem narrates the exploits of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid. Despite its basis in real events, it is not a historical work but a literary one, blending historical inspiration with poetic invention.
Structure: The poem is divided into three parts: the exile of El Cid, his daughters’ weddings, and the affront to his daughters. It consists of irregular verses ranging from 10 to 20 syllables, with a predominance of Alexandrine verses (14 syllables) divided into two hemistichs. The language is sober and austere, employing linguistic resources such as appositions, invocations, a variety of verb tenses, pleonasms, and the omission of the introductory verb.
3. Origins of Prose
Prose developed later than lyric and epic poetry. Some kings promoted the use and development of Castilian prose over Latin. Fernando III adopted Castilian as the language of the chancery, and all legal documents were written in Castilian. Alfonso X, known as the Wise, fostered the Toledo School of Translators, one of the most important in the Middle Ages. He promoted the writing of prose in all fields, as well as the translation of existing works.
3.1 Alfonso X, the Wise
King of Castile in the 13th century, Alfonso X aimed to promote and expand Castilian writing across all fields of knowledge. Under his supervision, the Toledo School of Translators was established. He encouraged the writing of prose for all official documents and the translation of various texts. His works encompass history, law, science, and games.
4. Mester de Clerecía
From the 13th century, a stream of cultured poetry known as mester de clerecía developed. Its most important authors and works include Gonzalo de Berceo and anonymous works.
Characteristics of Mester de Clerecía:
- Conscious and deliberate artistry
- Religious inspiration and influence
- Educated, often clerical, authors
- Use of regular verse forms, intended for recitation
Characteristics of Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy):
- Compositions that do not follow strict rules or aesthetic standards
- Secular themes
- Oral transmission by minstrels with good memory and strong public engagement
- Limited formal education
- Irregular verses, assonance rhyme, intended for singing
4.1 Gonzalo de Berceo
The first poet in Spanish whose name is known, Gonzalo de Berceo was born in Berceo in 1196 and died in 1265. He was a cleric, and his works are characterized by their religious, didactic, and moralistic nature. In addition to hymns and liturgical works, he wrote lives of saints and is the author of the Milagros de Nuestra Señora (Miracles of Our Lady), a collection of 25 short stories inspired by legends.
Style: Berceo was a conscious artist who chose to write in Castilian rather than Latin, aiming to reach a wider audience. He used simple and clear language, sometimes incorporating dialectal elements. He employed humor and addressed his audience directly. His poems are notable for their lyricism and depiction of the rural environment.
4.2 Arcipreste de Hita
The most important author of the 14th-century mester de clerecía, the Arcipreste de Hita is known for his major work, the Libro de buen amor (Book of Good Love). Few details are known about his life, but his work reveals a cheerful and love-focused poet. The Libro de buen amor presents a variety of themes and genres, written in stanzas of seven-line verses. It can be divided into several parts: a preface, a narrative, stories or examples, satires, moral reflections, and lyrical poems on both religious and secular subjects.
Intention: There has been much debate about whether the work’s intention was didactic or not. The author writes in various styles, claiming to both condemn and celebrate love, adding to the complexity of interpretation.
Features: The work is characterized by metrical irregularity, casual and comical characters, and a direct engagement with the audience.
5. Don Juan Manuel
Don Juan Manuel, a nobleman, is best known for his book El Conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor), a collection of 51 stories, proverbs, and a treatise on moral and doctrinal matters.
5.1 El Conde Lucanor
The stories are framed within a fictional context, which, although short and simple, serves to unite the various narratives.
Structure of the Stories: The narrator introduces Count Lucanor and his advisor, Patronio. Count Lucanor presents a problem, and Patronio offers advice through a story, concluding with a lesson derived from the narrative.
Sources and Influences: The stories draw inspiration from Arab and Oriental tales, as well as from the European Christian storytelling tradition.
Intentionality of the Work: Don Juan Manuel intended to impart a didactic message through his work. The moral tradition of storytelling was the most common form of expression, and he also aimed to amuse and entertain his readers.