Traditional and Courtly Poetry of 15th Century Castile
Traditional Lyric Poetry
The lyrical, traditional, oral, and popular poetry of Castile has its first written records in the late 15th century. These popular songs, primarily carols (villancicos), express emotions and ideas in a stylized and expressive manner. It is difficult to distinguish authentic traditional poetry from learned imitations, as the imitation of popular lyric was common practice from the 15th to the 17th centuries. Traditional lyric is characterized by a variety of styles, nature imagery with symbolic value, intensity, repetition, wordplay, contrasts, short verses, and a predominantly female voice. It embodies simplicity, tenderness, intimacy, and grace. The traditional lyric is symbolic, using symbols like the sea, fresh water, plants, animals, wind, and dawn to suggest a vital world and a call to the enjoyment of love.
Courtly Poetry
In the 12th century, a new kind of poetry emerged in Provence, influencing all of Europe. Created by troubadours, this poetry focused on the theme of love. The lady is seen as a superior being, worshipped by the lover. This type of love, known as courtly love, involves the poet declaring himself a servant to his lady, whom he calls his master. The lady is characterized by perfection (beauty, honesty, etc.). This love ennobles the lover’s spirit, and its purpose is to achieve an award (a token or gesture, ultimately sexual consummation) deserved through loyalty. However, the lady’s virtue prevents her from acceding to his wishes (leading to accusations of cruelty). This frustration turns love into suffering and pain, endangering the lover’s life and making him long for death. This Provençal poetry heavily influenced the Galician-Portuguese lyric of the 13th and 14th centuries, medieval Catalan poetry, and Italian poets like Petrarch, whose influence extended throughout Europe and gave rise to Petrarchism.
The Castilian and Aragonese songbooks of the 15th century are collections of poetry kept under the protection of kings or nobles, reflecting the new tastes of the court. In a time before the printing press, these songbooks, some very luxurious, circulated among different social strata, from kings to the bourgeoisie. Important songbooks include the Cancionero de Baena and the Cancionero de Estúñiga. While containing political, satirical, and entertaining compositions, the dominant theme is courtly love. This poetry idealizes love, but often hides eroticism and sexual passion.
Famous Poets of the Songbooks
Marqués de Santillana
Íñigo López de Mendoza, Marqués de Santillana, was a powerful aristocrat, a representative of the nobility influenced by pre-Renaissance humanism. He possessed a large library and surrounded himself with scholars. His poetry includes works inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, such as Infierno de los Enamorados and Comedieta de Ponza, as well as popular-inspired poems like the serranillas. His literary activity was intertwined with his political life.
Juan de Mena
Juan de Mena, secretary to King Juan II, was a humanist dedicated to literature. He traveled to Rome, where he came into contact with humanism. His poetry, however, is far from the Renaissance ideal of clarity and simplicity. His most notable work is the long poem Laberinto de Fortuna (also known as Las Trescientas).
Jorge Manrique
Jorge Manrique belonged to a powerful Castilian family. His life and literary work were marked by his father, Rodrigo Manrique (Master of the Order of Santiago), and his uncle, the poet Gómez Manrique. He dedicated himself to politics and war, participating in Castilian conflicts. He died in battle in La Mancha. His literary education was influenced by his uncle and his experiences in court, particularly in Toledo. He wrote courtly love poetry following the Galician-Portuguese tradition. His surviving works (around 50) are mostly love poems, along with burlesque and moral poems. His most famous work is Coplas a la Muerte de su Padre. His love poetry continues the courtly tradition but shows a distancing from earlier styles, abandoning exaggerated expressions. He incorporates his experiences in the legal world and military life. Like other poets of his time, he shows innovations linking him to Petrarch and Italian Renaissance aesthetics, such as the use of antitheses and paradoxes. Manrique’s poetry contributed to a poetic renewal that resonated for centuries.
In 15th-century Castile, disputes between the monarchy and nobility led to protest poems directly targeting the aristocracy and kings. Three satirical poems stand out: Coplas del Provincial, Coplas de Mingo Revulgo, and Coplas del Panadero. These poems use the popular octosyllabic verse and their direct expression contrasts with the style of courtly poetry.