Curial e Güelfa: A 15th-Century Chivalric Romance

The Novel

The novel Curial e Güelfa, written in the mid-fifteenth century, is an anonymous work. The author might be from the Valencian court of Alfonso V of Aragon in Naples. It is a story of love and arms that follows Curial, a knight, and his feats and deeds on behalf of the noble Güelfa, driven by a desire for personal promotion. The book contains numerous references to the classical Greco-Roman literary tradition, including Plato and Ovid. It also draws inspiration from Italian authors of that time, such as Dante and Boccaccio, as well as Catalan writers like Ramon Muntaner and Ramon Llull. The novel is divided into three books.

Book One: The Theme of Love

Curial, a young man of humble origins, enters the court of the Marquis of Monferrat, where he begins his training in chivalry. He is aided by the Marquis's sister, Güelfa, a young widow who falls in love with him. Curial travels to Austria, where he is offered the hand of Laquesis in marriage. Güelfa, feeling betrayed and jealous, retires to a convent.

Book Two: The Theme of War and Military Prowess

Curial participates in a tournament in Melun, France. There, he fights alongside the Catalan King Peter the Great and becomes known as the "best knight in the world." In Paris, Curial experiences episodes of love, which convince Güelfa of his infidelity, leading her to abandon her protection of him. Curial begs for forgiveness.

Book Three: The Theme of Knowledge and Science

Curial travels to Jerusalem and Greece in repentance. On his return, he is shipwrecked off the coast of North Africa and imprisoned. In Tunisia, he meets a girl named Camara, who falls in love with the hero. Upon his release, Curial rejects Camara out of fidelity to Güelfa, and Camara commits suicide. Curial returns to Monferrat to try and recover Güelfa's love. Finally, Curial defeats the Turks, obtains Güelfa's forgiveness, and they marry.

Themes and Style

Besides the theme of love, the novel develops the theme of chivalry: it is the medium that enables the protagonist's social rise. Therefore, there are abundant tournaments, courtly events, and chivalric adventures. The love episodes also feature characteristics of the sentimental novel: passion, jealousy, hatred, and forgiveness.

In line with the characteristics of chivalric novels of the fifteenth century, which represent the new bourgeois values, the protagonist is a hero who acts within human limits. He has a complex psychology that evolves throughout the piece. From a humble origin, Curial attains honor, fame, and becomes a good knight. Historical figures such as King Peter the Great appear, the action takes place during the 13th century, and the geography is known. Regarding the style, the language is crafted to be both accessible and lively, incorporating popular idiomatic expressions, invocations, etc. The descriptions are realistic and credible.