The Evolution of Medieval Castilian Prose (13th to 15th Centuries)

Medieval Prose: Origins and Development

Until the 13th century (s. XIII), Castilian literary prose emerged after verse. Poetry was orally transmitted, but prose demanded reading. This process found its biggest driver in Alfonso X, who undertook important cultural activity that earned him the nickname "the Sage."

His great contribution was making the Castilian language of culture capable of transmitting information on materials previously reserved for Latin and Arabic. This enrichment provoked lexical and syntactic changes. Alfonsine works are largely translations of Latin and Arabic references, carried out by a group of wise experts in different disciplines. Alfonso X employed Castilian as the official language in the drafting of royal documents and laws, notably the compilation Las Siete Partidas, which influenced law until the 19th century (s. XIX).

Alfonsine Works and Scope

Works covered historical, legal, scientific, and entertainment topics. The most important are:

• The General Chronicle
• The Grande e General Estoria

Early Prose Fiction (13th Century)

Prose fiction sourced in the 13th century (s. XIII), when the first tales were written in Castilian. These were translations or adaptations of several collections of short stories and fables of Oriental origin. These stories served to illustrate or exemplify a rule, a behavior, or a trait of character, and were therefore called enxiemplos.

The Prose of the 15th Century (S. XV)

Prose reached a remarkable development in the 15th century.

Characteristics of 15th Century Prose

Biographies, chronicles, historical works, didactic books, and travelogues were written. Most of these works are characterized by ornate syntax and a glossary plagued by Latinisms and cultural allusions.

Sayings, quaint expressions, and imitation of everyday speech are present, such as in El Corbacho (or Reprobación del amor mundano) by Alfonso Martínez de Toledo, a satire about love from a Christian perspective.

Triumph of Fiction

A highlight of the prose of this era is the triumph of fiction, which is channeled through two main genres. This development was new and broke with the medieval moralizing principle:

• Sentimental Novel
• Romance of Chivalry

Sentimental Novels

These focus on the detailed analysis of the feeling of love, often manifested by exchanging love letters. Love is described through allegorical and abstract language and usually ends in an unhappy love affair. A key example is Cárcel de Amor by Diego de San Pedro.

Chivalric Romances

Topics from chivalric epics resurfaced in the 15th century and gained great acceptance. They feature the adventures and love of a knight errant. The hero is always an exceptional figure who traverses forests and castles in search of extraordinary adventures. Heroism and love for a lady allow him to triumph over all kinds of obstacles.

Key Works of Chivalric Romance

• Amadís de Gaula
• Tirant lo Blanch (by the Valencian Joanot Martorell). This last novel, noted for its great agility, exciting adventures, and comic episodes, is one of the crowning achievements of Peninsular medieval literature.