Medieval Spanish Literature: Characteristics, Works, and Authors

Medieval Period (476-1492)

The Medieval Period, extending from 476 to 1492, was marked by the Arab presence (711-1492) and diverse religious influences.

Features of Medieval Literature

• Oral Transmission: Transmitting stories through singing or recitation.
• Anonymity: Most works were anonymous.
• Didacticism: Literature often had a didactic function.

Traditional Lyric Poetry

Early medieval lyrical manifestations included ditties sung by people on holidays.

The Jarchas

Written in Mozarabic (11th century), these were brief lyrical compositions of 2-4 verses. Arab and Jewish poets of the peninsula included them at the end of poems written in Hebrew or Arabic. The theme was often a woman's lament to her lover.

The Cantigas de Amigo

Galician-Portuguese poets (13th century) collected these folk songs of women expressing regret at the absence of their beloved.

Mester de Juglaría

12th-century epics are narrative poems recounting heroic deeds. Minstrels recited them, entertaining the public. Key features of Mio Cid include:

• Realism: Stories set in concrete and real scenarios.
• Irregular Meter: Verses written in different series or tiradas.
• Fixed Formulas: Poems repeat certain expressions and epithets.

Mester de Clerecía

13th-century works written by cultured religious authors, using examples and stories written in a stanza called cuaderna vía with consonant rhyme. Notable authors include Juan Ruiz and Gonzalo de Berceo.

Medieval Prose

In the early centuries, Latin was used for legal texts. Alfonso X the Wise introduced Castilian.

Significant Works and Authors

Mio Cid

A chanson de geste telling the story of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Cid, a noble Castilian of the late 11th century. It narrates the loss and recovery of the Cid's honor, unjustly tarnished by Alfonso VI. It comprises approximately 3730 lines and is divided into three parts.

Gonzalo de Berceo: Milagros de Nuestra Señora

Gonzalo de Berceo (12th century), the first known author in Castilian, developed his work in a monastery. His principal work, Milagros de Nuestra Señora, comprises 25 stories starring the Virgin Mary. The structure is consistent: a person commits a sin, the Virgin appears, and saves their soul.

Juan Ruiz, Archpriest of Hita

Wrote Libro de Buen Amor (1350), a key work in medieval Spanish literature. It recounts a series of affairs in the form of an autobiography, using a narrative frame, fables, allegories, and diverse stories. The book is playful, employing parody and irony frequently.

Don Juan Manuel: El Conde Lucanor

Lived from 1282 to 1348, a nephew of Alfonso X. He authored one of the fundamental works of the period, El Conde Lucanor, a collection of 51 short stories. The stories follow a pattern: Lucanor presents a problem to Patronio and asks for advice.

Grammar Notes

Subject: A noun or pronoun that maintains a relationship of concordance with the verb and refers to the animal or person performing the action.

• Lexical Subject: Subject expressed in the sentence.
• Grammatical Subject: Endings indicate number and person, functioning as a predicate.