Jorge Manrique and the Mastery of Spanish Elegy

Jorge Manrique: A Pillar of Spanish Literature

Jorge Manrique is the most significant poet of the 15th century and one that has more significance in Spanish literary history. He wrote poetry of courtly love along the lines of the period. Although his short compositions have survived, some 50 in total, they would not have been sufficient to achieve the place of honor that his literature reaches with the Verses on the Death of His Father.

The Tradition of the Elegy

The death of Don Rodrigo (his father) inspires the poet's famous elegy that arises to mourn the loss and praise his virtues. However, it becomes a philosophical treatise on Christian thought, the transience of life, and the transcendence of death. The verses are poetry that invites moral reflection on the unconscious nature of earthly things. The poet adopts a judgmental attitude and an exhortative tone; he calls upon the reflection of whoever listens, urging that they be situated at the level of transcendence.

Medieval Elements and Themes

Manrique takes for this work an entire medieval tradition around the concern and mixed feelings that death aroused. The subject had already been cultivated in the literature of the ages above and is one of the major preoccupations of the 15th century; the elegy had been treated since the Archpriest of Hita (Book of Good Love).

The Rhetorical Question: Ubi Sunt?

The unanswered question, "Ubi sunt?" is a rhetorical device employed as a stylistic tool by which the poet asks about those who have enjoyed life in another time, leading to a transcendent plane. Likewise, these nuances are present in the verses of a century of transition, such as the 15th-century issues of Fortune and Fame.

The Originality of Manrique

His originality lies in having known how to treat the subject from the sincerity of his personal experience with a language and an approach that is very modern. The death of his father makes him talk excitedly, as if at that time he discovered its significance and reflections.

Language and Style

The language is doctrinal and solemn, yet it still captivates people today. His melodic and rhythmic voice moves away from bombastic ballads and the artificiality of other elegies of his time.

Metric and Internal Structure

The verses are composed of forty double sextuplets of broken foot (copla de pie quebrado), formed by pairs of octosyllabic verses followed by a tetrasyllable verse. In the internal structure, the poem shows a route from the general consideration of death as the final journey of life.