Key Figures & Literary Forms of Medieval Spanish Literature

Key Figures in Medieval Castilian Literature

Alfonso X: Consolidator of Castilian Prose

Alfonso X, known as "the Wise," played a pivotal role in consolidating Castilian prose. His extensive works are generally classified into several categories:

• Historical Works: Including the General History of Spain and the Estoria de España.
• Legal Works: Such as the Setenario Legal and the Siete Partidas (Seven Games).
• Scientific Works: Notably the Tablas Alfonsíes (Alfonsine Tables) and the Libro del saber de astronomía (Book of Knowledge of Astronomy).
• Recreational Works: Including the Libro de ajedrez, dados y tablas (Book of Chess, Dice, and Tables).

Don Juan Manuel: Master of the Exemplum

Don Juan Manuel, nephew of Alfonso X and a distinguished writer, is best known for his work El Conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor). This masterpiece is structured in five parts:

• Part 1: Comprises 51 exemplos (moral tales) that reflect the teachings of the master, Patronio, to his young lord, Lucanor. Each story presents a problem, offers a solution, and concludes with a moral in a rhyming couplet.
• Parts 2, 3, and 4: Contain deeper, often hidden, judgments and philosophical reflections.
• Part 5: Functions as a conclusion to the entire work, reflecting on Christian life and salvation.

Gonzalo de Berceo: Miracles of Our Lady

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the Virgin Mary held immense importance in both iconography and literature. This significance inspired Gonzalo de Berceo to write Milagros de Nuestra Señora (Miracles of Our Lady).

• Purpose: Berceo exalts the power of the Virgin as a mediator for the salvation of souls.
• Style: The work is written in cuaderna vía, a poetic form consisting of stanzas of four monorhymed alexandrine verses (14 syllables), each separated by two hemistichs.
• Introduction: The narrator, Berceo himself, introduces the work by presenting a symbolic garden (locus amoenus), representing the Virgin Mary.
• Characterization of the Virgin: Mary is portrayed in human terms—maternal, authoritarian, and at times severe. In each story, she rewards, punishes, and aids her devotees in distress.

Jorge Manrique: Coplas por la Muerte de su Padre

Jorge Manrique, a prominent Castilian lyric poet of the 15th century, is celebrated for his profound work, Coplas por la muerte de su padre (Verses on the Death of His Father). Written in pie quebrado (broken foot) verse, the poem humbly describes death not as macabre, but as a minister of God.

• Part 1 (Stanzas 1-14): A reflection on the transience of all earthly things, emphasizing that only spiritual matters endure over time. Key themes include tempus fugit (time flees) and the locus amoenus (pleasant place) as a metaphor for fleeting life.
• Part 2 (Stanzas 15-24): Exemplifies the transitional nature of the mundane through the ubi sunt (where are they?) motif, lamenting the loss of past glories and figures.
• Part 3 (Stanzas 25-40): An exaltation of the figure of his father, Rodrigo Manrique, highlighting his virtues and legacy.

Medieval Lyrical Forms

Cultured Lyrical Forms

These forms often reflect more sophisticated poetic traditions:

• Canso: A Provençal lyrical form, often dealing with courtly love (HM - homo masculinus, SV - senhal or pseudonym).
• Sirventes: A satirical or political poem, often used for personal attack or social commentary.
• Cantigas de Amor: Galician-Portuguese lyrical poems, typically expressing a man's sad tone of love for a lady.
• Muwashshah: A strophic poem written in Arabic or Hebrew, often dealing with themes of love, including homosexual love. It is always followed by a jarcha.
• Zejel: A strophic poem written in colloquial Arabic dialect, similar to the muwashshah but often more popular in tone.

Popular Lyrical Forms

These forms emerged from popular traditions and often express more direct emotions:

• Jarcha: Short, final stanzas of muwashshahat, typically in Mozarabic dialect. They express a woman's suffering love for her habib (beloved), often confiding in her mother, friends, or sisters. Jarchas always consist of four verses.
• Cantigas de Amigo: Galician-Portuguese lyrical poems where a woman expresses her feelings of love and longing, often in connection with nature. Each stanza typically consists of two couplets.
• Villancicos: Short, popular Spanish lyrical poems, often featuring a maiden lamenting her love situation. They typically deal with three main themes: love, work, and social life.