Ramon Llull and the Four Chronicles: Medieval Catalan Literature
Ramon Llull: A Literary Master of Christian Doctrine
The master of the example, in his work, is primarily a teacher who wants to give lessons of Christian doctrine and behavior. To achieve this, he knows the most effective use of literary resources, including the specially highlighted example. An example is a short story that the author uses to convey a teaching to the reader.
Llull: Defender of the Established Order
The Book of Beasts is perhaps his most popular work. It is an apologue, featuring animals, that tells us about politics. In this fable, animals reproduce the behavior of human beings; they establish a correspondence between the virtues and vices of beasts and those of society.
Llull: Religious Poet
Ramon, who, in becoming resigned to troubadour poetry, left us some religious poems and a biography that reveals his poetic gifts.
The Four Chronicles: Medieval Catalan Literature
Medieval minstrels were in charge of disseminating the history of their ancestors. There were songs of deeds, some stories told in verse that mixed historical facts with legendary and even fantastic elements. Minstrels learned and recited them in castles and squares in order to inform and entertain.
Catalan Chronicles
- The Book of the Deeds of James I the Conqueror: This is the memoir of James I himself. Intimate and human aspects of the king appear next to the narration of the events of the conquest of Majorca and Valencia.
- The Book of Bernard Desclot, or King Peter’s Chronicle: This chronicle especially covers two major events: the conquest of Sicily and the invasion of Catalonia by the French and their release by King Peter II the Great.
- The Chronicle of Ramon Muntaner: This is the most ambitious, covering five kingdoms. The kings and protagonists are described by the author himself.
- The Chronicle of King Peter IV of Aragon: This chronicle does not tell songs of deeds, but tries to justify the events of his reign.
Ramon Llull: A Literary Master of Christian Doctrine
The master of the example, in his work, is primarily a teacher who wants to give lessons of Christian doctrine and behavior. To achieve this, he knows the most effective use of literary resources, including the specially highlighted example. An example is a short story that the author uses to convey a teaching to the reader.
Llull: Defender of the Established Order
The Book of Beasts is perhaps his most popular work. It is an apologue, featuring animals, that tells us about politics. In this fable, animals reproduce the behavior of human beings; they establish a correspondence between the virtues and vices of beasts and those of society.
Llull: Religious Poet
Ramon, who, in becoming resigned to troubadour poetry, left us some religious poems and a biography that reveals his poetic gifts.
The Four Chronicles: Medieval Catalan Literature
Medieval minstrels were in charge of disseminating the history of their ancestors. There were songs of deeds, some stories told in verse that mixed historical facts with legendary and even fantastic elements. Minstrels learned and recited them in castles and squares in order to inform and entertain.
Catalan Chronicles
- The Book of the Deeds of James I the Conqueror: This is the memoir of James I himself. Intimate and human aspects of the king appear next to the narration of the events of the conquest of Majorca and Valencia.
- The Book of Bernard Desclot, or King Peter’s Chronicle: This chronicle especially covers two major events: the conquest of Sicily and the invasion of Catalonia by the French and their release by King Peter II the Great.
- The Chronicle of Ramon Muntaner: This is the most ambitious, covering five kingdoms. The kings and protagonists are described by the author himself.
- The Chronicle of King Peter IV of Aragon: This chronicle does not tell songs of deeds, but tries to justify the events of his reign.