Jorge Manrique, Romancero, Celestina and Renaissance Literature
Jorge Manrique and the Coplas
Coplas by Jorge Manrique were written in the second half of the 15th century. Manrique was a knight who died in action at the Queen's war, defending Isabel I. The Coplas are a lament on the death of his father, composed of 40 stanzas of sextillas with the structure 8a8b4c8a8b4c/8d8e4f8d8e4d.
Main Themes
- The concept of life
- The fugacity of life
- The equality of all social classes before Death
- The importance of eternal life above earthly life
The Romancero
During the 14th century, the longest epic narratives evolved into shorter forms. Jongleurs stopped reciting them in their entirety. The romance consists of an indefinite number of octosyllabic verses, in which the even verses rhyme, while the odd verses are free. The collections of medieval romances are known as the Romancero viejo.
Characteristics
- Narrative quality: many dialogues.
- Literary resources: anaphora, parallelism.
- Peculiar use: direct appeals to the listeners, calls to attention, dialogues that are brief and fast.
- Abrupt beginnings and endings.
La Celestina
Published in 1499, La Celestina (also known as the Tragicomedia de Calisto y Melibea) is a realistic work whose genre classification is difficult. On one side it has a structure evident of theater; on the other, it is extensive and detailed in its treatment of time and space.
Characteristics
In its 1502 edition, the tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea has 21 acts. The author, Fernando de Rojas, intends to warn about the danger of amorous passions. It presents a variety of characters belonging to different social classes, reflecting the crisis of 15th-century society, the coexistence of different conceptions of the world, and a diversity of linguistic resources.
Plot: Calisto is in love with Melibea. Advised by Sempronio, he seeks the help of the old procuress Celestina. Celestina manages to make Melibea fall in love with Calisto, in exchange for a gift of gold. Later, Sempronio and Pármeno, who want to share in the profit, kill her.
Renaissance Literature
Characteristics
The model of the cultured man is the cortesano, defined by elegance. Classical topics serve as inspiration for works that treat new themes, both secular (love, nature, mythology) and concerns about death, the brevity of life, and its fugacity. Popular and traditional religious culture coexists alongside Humanism, which seeks naturalness and rejects affectation.
Stages
- First stage: takes place during the first half of the 16th century and coincides with the reign of Charles I. Literature of a profane character is cultivated.
- Second stage: takes place during the last half of the 16th century, characterized by a period of social and economic difficulties.