Juan Ruiz and the Masterpiece The Book of Good Love

The Legacy of the Book of Good Love

In the 14th century, the Mester de Clerecía began to decline. However, one of the masterpieces of Spanish literature belonging to this movement was composed during this period: The Book of Good Love, written by the Archpriest of Hita.

Structure and Narrative Framework

The Book of Good Love is presented as a structured autobiography consisting of a series of love affairs. These are usually unsuccessful despite the mediation of a third party. Among the amorous episodes, the story of Don Melón and Doña Endrina stands out, in which a mediator called Trotaconventos involves herself.

Between these episodes, the female protagonists include:

• Nuns
• A Moorish woman
• Mountain girls (serranas)

The latter are depicted as grotesque and bizarre ladies whom the author parodies. The protagonist provides unity to the amorous experiences he introduces. Interspersed within the text are didactic or moralistic digressions intended to convince his interlocutors. The work also features lyrical pieces and two wide allegorical compositions:

1. The discussion between the protagonist and Don Amor (Sir Love).
2. The battle between Don Carnal (Sir Carnal) and Doña Cuaresma (Lent).

Most of the work is written in cuaderna vía, although some poems present sixteen syllables. One of the two prologues appears in prose.

The Meaning and Purpose of the Work

In the prose preface, the author presents two main purposes: to teach and to collect his poetic compositions. He justifies the didacticism of the affairs and the introduction of a songbook framed by the narration. The author states that his intention is to induce the reader toward "Good Love" (the love of God), while the amorous cases are proposed as examples of "Crazy Love" to be avoided.

This didacticism is associated in many passages with humor, although serious fragments are not lacking. The work is characterized by a constant ambiguity, which may be based on the thought of St. Augustine, who believed that one should not impose a point of view but offer possibilities for the student to choose. Some critics emphasize this didactic nature, while others consider it a manifestation of the joy of life.

Literary Style and Expressive Resources

The Book of Good Love introduces the vernacular, which is particularly evident in the use of proverbs, direct appeals to the listener, and the use of sexual euphemisms. The expressive resources of the work highlight:

• Rhetorical questions
• Anaphora
• Bimembrations
• Antithesis
• Comparisons and metaphors
• Hyperbole and word games