Medieval Spanish Literature and the Epic of El Cid

Medieval Spanish Literature: VI to XV Centuries

During the Middle Ages (VI to XV centuries), the nobility and the clergy preserved Christian ideals, while the common people expressed their feelings through oral traditions.

The Evolution of Castilian and Galician Lyrics

• Portuguese-Galician Poetry: Developed in Galicia, it features three types of ballads: the cantigas de amigo (songs of a friend/lover), cantigas de amor (songs of love), and cantigas de escarnio (songs of cursing).
• Mozarabic Lyric: These songs, written in Arabic, are known as moaxajaz (muwashshahat). The final lines are called jarchas (kharjas), which are often of a romantic nature. These compositions are anonymous, popular, and traditional.
• Castilian Lyric: This includes wedding songs, May songs, and work songs.

Popular and Cultured Lyrics in the XIII and XIV Centuries

During the 13th and 14th centuries, lyrics were divided into:

• Popular Lyric: Anonymous, oral, and traditional.
• Cultured Lyric: Known authors and written traditions.

The Mester de Juglaría and Mester de Clerecía

The minstrel (juglar) was a character between a poet and a comic who performed narrative expressions in verse; this was known as epic poetry. In contrast, the cleric represented educated people who knew Latin. The Mester de Clerecía (Mester of Clergy) included notable representatives such as:

• Gonzalo de Berceo: Known for his religious work, Miracles of Our Lady (Milagros de Nuestra Señora).
• Juan Ruiz: The first great lyric poet in Castilian, author of The Book of Good Love (Libro de Buen Amor).

Masterpieces of the 15th Century

In the 15th century, the masterpiece of Juan de Mena was Laberinto de Fortuna (written in arte mayor). We also owe the introduction of sonnets to the Marquis of Santillana. Common themes of this era include love, society, death, song, words, and verse.

The Epic Tradition and the Mester of Minstrelsy

The Epic was part of the Mester de Juglaría. The minstrel did not write the play but narrated it. A) The Epics were dedicated to heroes, with origins in French, Arabic, or Germanic traditions. They involved individual, traditionalist, and neotraditionalist training. Over time, the epic was transformed into romances, historical prose, and romances of chivalry. B) Thematic Cycles were characterized by realism and traditionalism.

El Cantar de Mio Cid: The Oldest Castilian Epic

El Cantar de Mio Cid is the oldest document preserved in the Spanish language. It recounts the exploits of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, who was banished from Castile and eventually ruled Valencia. The primary topics include:

• The recovery of lost honor: The protagonist suffers humiliation twice—first by the king and later through his daughters.
• The desire for power: His journey to regain legitimate power.
• Justice: He is depicted as a righteous gentleman.

The poem is divided into the Song of Exile, the Song of the Wedding, and the Song of the Affront of Corpes. The locations, such as San Esteban de Gormaz and Medina, and the characters are well-known and based on reality; El Cid was a famous historical hero.

Classification of Literary Genres

Dramatic Genres: These include drama, tragedy, and comedy. Narrative Genres: These involve narrators, characters, time, and story structures such as the short story and the novel.