Medieval Spanish Literature: Clergy, Lyrics, and Prose

The Mester de Clerecía

A new poetic trend emerged in the thirteenth century, aiming to educate about Christian life and culture. This movement is known as the Mester de Clerecía (Ministry of Clergymen).

Leading representatives of this trend were Gonzalo de Berceo and Juan Ruiz, Archpriest of Hita.

Gonzalo de Berceo

Gonzalo de Berceo was the first writer in the Spanish language whose name we know. His most important work is The Miracles of Our Lady (Milagros de Nuestra Señora), which contains 25 short narrative poems (miracles).

Juan Ruiz, Archpriest of Hita

Juan Ruiz, Archpriest of Hita's most important work is The Book of Good Love (Libro de buen amor). It belongs to a time of transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Features of Mester de Clerecía

This school emerged in the thirteenth century with distinct features:

• Topics: Differed from those in the chansons de geste (songs of heroic deeds), focusing often on religious themes.
• Protagonists: Included not only knights performing feats of war, but also courtly historical figures, saints, and biblical characters.
• Metrics: Regular lines were used, often employing the cuaderna vía (stanzas of four fourteen-syllable lines with single rhyme).
• Style: The language was careful and cultured (culto), intended for an educated audience.

Learned Lyric Poetry in the Middle Ages

Medieval literature is often divided between two movements: a popular tradition and a cultured (culto) tradition.

Within the cultured tradition, alongside the mester de clerecía, another lyrical form grew, less focused on indoctrination and more interested in artistic expression and courtly themes.

Characteristics of Learned Lyric Poetry

During the fifteenth century, the nobility became increasingly interested in the arts and letters. This caused popular poetry to evolve and gave rise to learned poetry, addressed to a cultured and refined audience.

The characteristics of this cultured lyric include:

• Themes: Predominantly love (courtly love), societal commentary, and death.
• Metrics: Characterized by the use of specific verse forms like the eight-syllable line (octosílabo) and twelve-syllable line (dodecasílabo), and stanza forms such as the canción (song) and the copla de pie quebrado (broken-foot stanza).
• Style: The language was enriched compared to folk poetry, using more cultured vocabulary and abundant literary devices.

Jorge Manrique

Jorge Manrique's life was spent partly in battle, defending the throne of Queen Isabella I. Some chroniclers describe him as a very thoughtful man and a lover of literature.

His poetry consists of love poems and a famous elegy. His most prominent work is the Coplas por la muerte de su padre (Stanzas on the Death of his Father). This consists of forty stanzas (coplas) addressing various themes, particularly the transience of life, the power of death, and the nature of fame. The primary verse form used in this composition is the copla de pie quebrado.

Medieval Prose

In addition to narrative poetry, the Middle Ages saw the birth of Castilian prose as a literary medium. Until the thirteenth century, prose texts in the Iberian Peninsula were written mainly in Latin.

Narrative Prose and Don Juan Manuel

During the fourteenth century, prose acquired, for the first time, a clear didactic intent. This is reflected in the narrative work epitomized by Don Juan Manuel. His best-known work is titled El Conde Lucanor (Count Lucanor) or Libro de Patronio.

Features of Don Juan Manuel's Work:

• Topics: Varied, but shared the common goal of teaching moral or practical lessons.
• Characters: Also varied, including historical figures, fictional nobles, and ordinary people.
• Structure: Often employed frame tales (like El Conde Lucanor), where stories (exempla) are embedded within a larger narrative structure.

Scientific and Historical Prose and Alfonso X el Sabio

King Alfonso X el Sabio (the Wise) spared no effort in the task of making the Castilian language suitable for literary, scientific, legal, and historical use. His royal scriptorium produced or translated numerous works, standardizing Castilian Spanish and establishing it as a language of culture and knowledge.