Medieval Literature: Poetry, Epic Traditions, and History

15th-Century Lyric Poetry

Courtly poetry refined the themes of this period, focusing on love, society, death, song, verse, and decir. Notable authors include Jorge Manrique, Juan de Mena, and the Marquis of Santillana.

The Epic Tradition

The chanson de geste is an epic written in verse, detailing the life of a famous figure who risks everything in battle.

Origins and Classifications

• Origins: French, Arabic, and Germanic influences.
• Traditional: Based on ancient poems.
• Individual: Poems attributed to a specific author.
• Neo-traditional: Recreations of earlier poems.

Evolution and Cycles

The genre evolved into romances, historical prose, and books of chivalry. The thematic cycles include:

• 1st Cycle: Don Rodrigo
• 2nd Cycle: Counts of Castile
• 3rd Cycle: The Cid
• 4th Cycle: Carolingian

Features and Metrics

Characterized by realism and tradition, the metrics are irregular, with lines of 12 to 16 syllables divided by hemistichs. It utilizes monorhyme assonance, epithets, and epic formulas.

Cantar de mio Cid

The oldest Castilian epic, anonymous and consisting of 3,730 verses, was first published in 1779.

• Themes: Restoring lost honor, desire for power, wealth, and justice.
• Structure: Divided into three parts: the Song of Exile, the Wedding, and the Insult/Revenge.
• Style: Historical value, realism, epic tone, troubadour character, and stylistic simplicity.

The Middle Ages: Historical Context

The Middle Ages covers the period from the 6th to the 15th century.

Social and Historical Situation

Feudalism was implemented based on the dependence between lords and vassals, consisting of three hierarchical strata divided into two groups: the privileged and the underprivileged. The era is divided into the High and Low Middle Ages.

Cultural Situation

The peninsula was home to three cultures: Andalusi, Jewish, and Christian.

Lyric Poetry Traditions

Popular Lyric

Developed by the common people to express joy or sadness regarding events such as weddings, deaths, spring, and labor.

Castilian and Galician-Portuguese Lyric

• Cantigas de amigo: Themes of love and longing.
• Mozarabic Lyric: Moaxajas and jarchas written in Arabic or Hebrew.
• Castilian Popular: Anonymous, traditional songs including May songs, wedding songs, albadas (dawn songs), and work songs.

13th and 14th-Century Literary Schools

Mester de Juglaría (Minstrelsy)

Poets were comic characters who entertained and informed. Features include anonymity, oral transmission, realism, epic themes, love poems, irregular metrics, assonance, and simple resources.

Mester de Clerecía (Clergy)

Religious authors who knew Latin and aimed to teach and indoctrinate. Features include written dissemination, religious subjects, Alexandrian quatrains divided by hemistichs with rhyme, and complex resources like metaphors, irony, and allegory.