Key Figures and Literary Works of Medieval Spanish Literature

Essential Latin Literary Topoi

• Carpe Diem: Enjoy the moment.
• Ubi Sunt: A rhetorical question lamenting the passing of people and things, famously utilized by Jorge Manrique.
• Tempus Fugit: "The time that was" – a reflection on the fleeting nature of time.
• Memento Mori: Remember death, the moment of death.
• Locus Amoenus: Description of a pleasant, ideal, or perfect place or scenery.
• Beatus Ille: Happy is he who praises country life over city life.
• Death Equality: Establishes equality between all men, without distinguishing between social classes.
• Descriptio Puellae: Description of the beloved, whether ideal or imaginary.

Gonzalo de Berceo and Mester de Clerecía

Gonzalo de Berceo initiated the Mester de Clerecía, which comprises narrative poems written by educated authors. It had a moral and didactic purpose. The stanza used is the cuaderna vía – four lines of 14 syllables each. Minstrel expressions are used to combine learned themes with popular tradition. He is considered the primary Castilian author whose subject matter was religious works. Born in La Rioja, he is best known for his *Milagros de Nuestra Señora*. His style is notably simple.

Juan Ruiz: The Book of Good Love

Juan Ruiz wrote the *Libro de Buen Amor*. Its themes, including vitalism, reflect a sensibility far removed from didacticism. His highly acclaimed work reflects a vibrant personality: he was a fun and vital man with sincere religiosity. It is written in verse, in the first person, depicting an attempt to win a woman's love, using religious elements as intermediaries. Themes include love and vitalism. It blends the profane with the serious tone, a playful air, and courtly love with a rich, varied, and often colloquial language.

Novels of Chivalry

The great achievement of the Novels of Chivalry, despite their relative anonymity, lies in their cross-narrative novel form.

Don Juan Manuel: El Conde Lucanor

Don Juan Manuel is the author of *El Conde Lucanor*, a collection of stories linked by two characters: Count Lucanor and his servant Patronio. It is considered one of the first significant works of Castilian narrative prose. Its structure involves Count Lucanor raising a problem to his servant Patronio, who replies by telling a story. After the story, it is stated that the Count applied the advice successfully, and the author concludes with a moral (moraleja). The issues addressed reflect the concerns of the aristocrats of the time.

15th Century Prose and La Celestina

The 15th century saw the rise of various prose forms, including the idealistic novel, the satire of manners, and *La Celestina*.

La Celestina: A Masterpiece of Spanish Literature

*La Celestina*: Its author was Fernando de Rojas. It offers a pessimistic vision and is considered a modern work. Rojas, a university-educated writer, published the first edition in 1499 in an urban setting. The initial book appeared without the author's name; an expanded edition was published in 1502. It is a dialogue-based work, rich in sentimental and psychological depth, combining features of both theater and novel. The characters are realistic and evolve throughout the work. *La Celestina* combines three central themes:

• Fortune
• Love
• Death

Its style is highly varied, reflecting the educated speech of the upper class and the colloquial language of the street. Celestina, the matchmaker, converses and moves between these two social environments, adapting easily to different situations.