14th-Century Spanish Literature: The Book of Good Love & Don Juan Manuel

14th-Century Spanish Literature

The Book of Good Love and the Archpriest of Hita

Juan Ruiz, the Archpriest of Hita, wrote the brilliant and original Book of Good Love in the 14th century. While its structure could be categorized within the mester de clerecía (clerical verse tradition), its themes stray from the didacticism typical of that style.

We know very little about the author beyond his name. However, his work reveals a vital, humorous individual with sincere piety. This suggests a strong autobiographical element, allowing the reader to connect with an author deeply familiar with both popular and learned literature.

Book of Good Love

Theme:

Written in verse with a predominantly narrative style, the Book of Good Love shares characteristics with the mester de clerecía. However, it departs from this tradition through its lack of overt didacticism. The book narrates various love episodes, potentially autobiographical, as the author attempts to win the affection of a woman.

The text also includes Lenten and moral digressions, burlesque compositions, poems about money, serranillas (pastoral poems), and more.

Originality:

The most innovative aspect of the Book of Good Love is its blend of contradictory elements: religion and vitality, seriousness and farce, particularly regarding love. This complexity makes interpreting the author's intentions challenging. The prologue condemns mad love, yet hints at its allure.

Style:

The Book of Good Love showcases a rich and varied language. It employs colloquial and liturgical registers, along with a wide-ranging vocabulary that includes popular expressions. Beyond the predominant cuaderna vía (four-line stanzas), it also incorporates the zéjel, a form of folk poetry.

Narrative Prose in the 14th Century

The 14th century witnessed the development of Castilian narrative prose, encompassing chivalric tales and other genres.

Romances:

Originating in the 13th century, the anonymous, verse-based romances are considered a precursor to the novel. The first known work of this kind is El Caballero Cifar (c. 1304) by Ferrand Martínez.

Collections of Parables or Exempla:

These are collections of short stories with a didactic purpose, often summarizing a moral lesson at the end. They enjoyed widespread popularity throughout Europe, with notable examples like Boccaccio's Decameron and Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

Don Juan Manuel and El Conde Lucanor

Don Juan Manuel, a prominent nobleman, is the author of El Conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor), a collection of stories connected by two recurring characters: Count Lucanor and his advisor, Patronio. This 14th-century work is considered the first example of Castilian prose fiction with a clear author.

El Conde Lucanor has a didactic purpose, aiming to impart moral lessons.

Structure:

• Count Lucanor presents a problem to Patronio.
• Patronio responds by relating a story that addresses the issue.
• The Count applies Patronio's advice and achieves a positive outcome.
• The author summarizes the moral of the story.

Topics:

The stories reflect the concerns of the aristocratic class, such as maintaining prestige and wealth, and the proper conduct for nobles.

Don Juan Manuel also authored other works, including Libro del caballero y del escudero (Book of the Knight and the Squire) and Libro de los estados (Book of the Estates).