Galician-Portuguese Cantigas: Types, Themes, and Origins

1. Cantiga de Amigo

Short compositions voiced by an unmarried girl, typically lamenting the absence of her amigo (lover). Often, the speaker addresses a confidante. Nature elements acquire symbolic values: the deer represents the boyfriend, water sources serve as meeting places, the stormy sea symbolizes passion, and the wind represents masculinity.

2. Origins of the Cantiga de Amigo

The cantiga de amigo, like the Mozarabic kharjas, originates from a popular lyrical tradition. The kharjas were short compositions written in Mozarabic, representing the oldest written statements of Castilian lyric poetry.

3. Varieties of Cantiga de Amigo

• Dance-songs: The couple expresses joy in love and their commitment to companions.
• Pilgrimage songs: Related to festivals and pilgrimages to shrines and sanctuaries.
• Barcarolas: Characterized by the presence of the sea, often featuring a dialogue with the waves.
• Albas (Dawn songs): Set at the break of day.

4. Cantiga de Amor

An adaptation of the Provençal cançó. A knight expresses romantic feelings for a woman, often unrequited. Secondary themes include praise for the lady and symptoms of love—such as loss of sleep, appetite, and reason—leading the protagonist to suffer from amor de morte. The lover must follow the rules of courtly love: he must love a lady of higher social class who is already married.

The lover owes total submission and obedience. A good knight must practice two virtues: secrecy (never revealing the lady's name) and magnanimity (generosity through gifts). The ultimate reward is the joy of reciprocated love, known as joi.

5. Cantiga de Escarnio and Maldizer

The sirventés is the origin of these genres: songs of mockery and satire. Galician-Portuguese poetry features various cantigas where all social classes and trades are subject to cruel mockery, including sinful nuns, bad poets, ruined nobles, and libidinous women. Unlike the sirventés, which sought serious critique, these songs aim for hilarity.

6. Thematic Classification

• Political and Military Satire: Deals with contemporary events, such as the cowardice of Christians in war against the Moors.
• Social Satire: Ridicules different social estates or classes, especially the nobility.
• Satire of Habits: Mocks beliefs in omens, astrology, and fashion trends.
• Sexual Satire: Critiques priests, nuns, and others regarding sexual conduct.
• Moral and Religious Satire: Compositions similar to the Provençal sirventés, focusing on teaching and moralizing.

7. Formal Aspects

• Songs of Scorn: Always feature equivocation and double meanings.
• Songs of Maldizer: Characterized by two distinct styles of delivery.