Evolution of Castilian Language and Medieval Literary Forms

Origins of Castilian Prose

Castilian prose works emerged later than lyrical and Latin epic works. Due to the prestige of cultured men and the abundance of works written in Latin prose, authors, fundamentally religious, did not initially express the need to use Castilian. It was the kings who boosted the use and development of Castilian prose over Latin prose.

Key Figures in Castilian Prose Development

• Fernando III: He abandoned Latin as the administrative and notarial language, making Castilian the kingdom's official language.
• Alfonso X the Wise: He was the driving force behind the School of Translators of Toledo and a huge body of historical and scientific works, which contributed to establishing a written standard for Castilian prose.
• The Primroses: Collections of tales or fables of Castilian origin, translated from the Arabic East.
• Don Juan Manuel: Not only did he draw inspiration from Oriental and Christian traditions for his stories, but he also produced an original work of great perfection, comprising more than 50 tales, advocating for Castilian.

Alfonso X the Wise

Alfonso X reigned in Castile during the second half of the 13th century. He voluntarily boosted Castilian writing across all areas of knowledge: legislative, cultural, and literary.

He created the School of Translators of Toledo, where scientists and thinkers (Jews, Christians, etc.) coexisted. He promoted the edition of prose works from previous legal and historical documents, as well as the translation of many writings belonging to the Eastern tradition.

Notable Works of Alfonso X

• Of History: Crónica General (History of Spain)
• Of Laws: Las Siete Partidas (reflects various aspects of medieval societies)
• Scientific Treatises: Books on astronomy, lapidary
• Of Games: Books on chess, dice, and tables

Mester de Clerecía: Cultured Poetry

From the early 13th century, a new trend of cultured poetry developed, known as Mester de Clerecía, meaning "work of the clergy." Its characteristics are understood in opposition to those that defined Mester de Juglaría.

Characteristics of Mester de Clerecía

• Aesthetic: Conscious and voluntary, cultured, with religious inspiration and ideology.
• Form: Monorhyme quatrains of Alexandrine verses (14 syllables), forming a new stanza type (cuaderna vía).
• Purpose: The verses of Mester de Clerecía were made to be recited.

Mester de Juglaría: Popular Poetry

• Form: Their compositions obeyed no strict rules or patrons. The measure of the verses was not regular, and assonance rhyme was commonly used.
• Aesthetic: The juglares sang profane poems (e.g., love poems).
• Performance: The juglares traveled from square to square, from castle to castle. They typically had a good memory and great command of improvisation, but often had scarce formal public education.
• Purpose: The compositions of Mester de Juglaría were made to be sung.