Literary Influences and Topics of the 15th Century

Literary Influences of the 15th Century

• Influence of Provençal Literature
• Themes of Courtly Love
• Influence of French Literature: Chivalry Novels
• Influence of Italian Humanism
• Allegorical and Rich Poetry, Romances, and Drama
• Influence of Classical Literature: Imitation of Authors and Numerous Translations
• Pre-Renaissance Literature

Noble Courtesans

Participation and dedication in many aspects of life and art. Notable figures include M. Santillana and Jorge Manrique.

Individualism

A collective anxiety disappeared as the courtly gentleman took precedence.

Obsessive Focus on Death

Dances of Death (Macabre) where death appears indiscriminately.

Shift from Anonymity

Reaffirmation of authorship.

Evolution of Purpose

Didactic purpose gives way to literature presented as a game.

Key Topics in 15th Century Literature

• Death: The nondiscriminatory final destination of all.
• Fame: "Only traces of man after death" (Jorge Manrique)
• Fortune: The goddess, changeable and unstable, that pulls the strings of worldwide destiny.
• Courtly Love: A romantic conception originating from the troubadours of Provence, extended throughout Europe.

Aspects of Courtly Love

• Irresistible Love: Towards a lady of higher rank, creating a servant-master dynamic.
• Secrecy: It must remain secret and is often frowned upon. The poet conceals the lady's name.
• Distant and Cruel: A topical theme, the "Beloved enemy."
• Far Away: Distant and insufferable. The poet suffers both in the presence and absence of the beloved.
• Inevitable: The poet has lost the freedom to "suffer, for suffering ennobles the spirit." This doctrine is often a pretext for poets to play with words and literary figures.

Structure of Coplas por la muerte de su padre

• Stanzas 1-24: Medieval elements, indiscriminate killing, transience of life.
• Stanzas 24-40: Elements dedicated to his father.

Each stanza has 3 lines: 2 of 8 syllables and 1 of 4 syllables (ABCABCA DEFDEF). Simple style and intent to transmit.

Characteristics of Traditional Lyric Poetry

• Oral Transmission: The people consider the creations as their own and transmit them orally, reworking them over time.
• Brevity: Preference for short compositions to capture ideas easily, eliminating the unnecessary and reaching extreme condensation.
• Simplicity: The literature is simple and does not have too many tricks, springing forth spontaneously.
• Anonymity: There is no collective creator; an individual expresses the general sentiment of the people.
• Variants: Anonymity + oral transmission = variants, a differentiating aspect from cultured literature.

Lyrical Style in Popular Poetry

Simplicity of resources, lack of artifice, and clear expression. Simple and repetitive vocabulary. Scarce use of adjectives and metaphors (symbolic). Emphasis, intensity, and exalted pathos, along with maximum simplicity, characterize the poetry.