Ramon Llull: A Pioneer of Catalan Prose and Medieval Thought
Ramon Llull: Life and Work
Ramon Llull was the first to write literary prose in Catalan. He was also the first writer to use a Romance language to discuss cultured issues, previously reserved for Latin, such as philosophy, theology, and education. He was born around 1232 in Mallorca, the son of a noble family from Barcelona who arrived on the island after the conquest of James I around 1229. He was educated as a knight. During his youth, he led a courtly life, married Blanca Picany, and had two children. He experienced a conversion to Christianity, which prompted him to abandon his former life, leave his family, and begin a religious life.
Three insatiable ideas guided his work:
- Missionary work and the conversion of the infidels.
- The composition of doctrinal books explaining the Christian faith, serving as a weapon against the arguments of unbelievers.
- Appeals to popes and kings for the founding of monasteries and schools for the education of future missionaries.
He dedicated nine years to his training, retiring to Mount Randa, where he lived as a hermit. There, he began the construction of his philosophical system and the book The Art Abbreviated to Finding Truth. Years later, he traveled tirelessly, spreading his Christian philosophy, even to Muslims. He dedicated himself to writing in Catalan, Latin, and Arabic. He died in Mallorca in 1316.
The importance of his work lies in its quantity (around 300 pieces), its literary variety, and his role as the first writer in Catalan to use the language for cultural purposes, making him a creator of Catalan literary prose. The intention of his doctrine was propagandistic. He sought to combine faith with reason, which often displeased ecclesiastical authorities.
Philosophical Work
The Tree of Science: A clear, convincing, and organized exposition of all human knowledge to demonstrate rationally the superiority of Christianity.
Narrative Work
Presents the ideal of Christian life in different states of man, recommending the religious life. Examples include Book of Evast and Aloma and of Blanquerna His Son. It has didactic aims towards new bourgeois social layers, as seen in Felix.
Mystical Work
Focuses on meditation and dialogue with God. Prose is full of metaphors, allegories, symbols, and poetic images. An example is the Book of the Lover and the Beloved.
Poetic Work
Expresses experiences and beliefs of his faith. Influenced by Provençal poetry and Arabic literature, as seen in The Consolation.
Medieval Chronicles
These prose works focus on the historical exploits of four kings of the Crown of Aragon. They were written during the 13th and 14th centuries, a period of territorial expansion in Mallorca, Valencia, and other parts of the Mediterranean. They are informative texts explaining the facts, with a predominance of objectivity. In these chronicles, legendary elements preserved through oral chivalric tradition are mixed, opening doors to mythical interpretations and subjectivity.
The two chronicles written by James I of Aragon and Peter of Aragon aim to justify the policies pursued during their respective reigns. Despite being written in the 13th and 14th centuries, all four chronicles share common characteristics:
- Elements of fiction from chivalric literature are added to the history, except in Peter of Aragon’s chronicle, which incorporates other external elements.
- Patriotism is very present in the chronicles, both in the exaltation of the spirit of justice and in the policies of the kings.
- Religious feeling pervades the discourse of the chronicles, including providentialism: the belief in divine providence, the belief that the king’s decisions respond to the will of God, and that God will help him find the best remedy for any problem or enemy.
- Medieval chronicles have moralizing and didactic aims.