Medieval Iberian Literature: Mozarabic and Epic Traditions

Mozarabic Lyric

Mozarabic was the language of Christians living in Muslim-controlled territories. Preserved within this language are jarchas—brief compositions inserted at the end of poems known as moaxajas (Arabic or Hebrew). These poems focus on themes of love and are typically voiced by a woman lamenting the absence of her lover.

Galician-Portuguese Lyric

Emerging at the end of the twelfth century, this tradition primarily features profane content known as cantigas:

• Cantigas of love: Sung by a man, these develop the theme of courtly love.
• Cantigas de amigo: Voiced by a woman lamenting the absence of her beloved.
• Cantigas of derision: These ridicule specific defects, problems, or individuals.

Cantar del Mio Cid

Song of Exile

El Cid is banished by Alfonso VI of Castile and leaves Vivar. He leaves his family at the monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña and embarks on a path of exile, punctuated by battles in foreign lands. He sends gifts to the king as a sign of submission to seek forgiveness.

Song of the Wedding

This section recounts the conquest of Valencia. El Cid sends a new embassy to King Alfonso VI, and his gifts awaken the greed of the Heirs of Carrión, who ask for the hand of the Cid's daughters. The king speaks, solemnly and publicly forgiving the Cid. The song concludes with the marriage of the Cid's daughters to the infants.

Singing the Reproach of Corpes

The Heirs of Carrión quickly demonstrate their cowardice and plot revenge. They ask the Cid for permission to take their wives to Carrión's lands, but upon reaching the groves of Corpes, they abandon them. El Cid petitions the king for justice, leading to the Cortes of Toledo. A trial is held, and the infants are defeated in a duel. The song ends with the princes of Navarre and Aragon requesting to marry Doña Elvira and Doña Sol.

Epic Style and Rhetorical Devices

• Epic Epithets: Characterizing adjectives used to highlight the hero's traits.
• Pleonasm: Using unnecessary elements to add expressiveness to the text.
• Appeals to the Public: Techniques intended to maintain the attention of the reader or viewer.
• Use of the Arabic Particle: Used as an equivalent to the interjection "oh."
• Frequent Verb Suppression: The elimination of verbal forms to provide greater speed and dynamism.
• Rhetorical Repetitions: Reiteration of the same concept using different words.