Medieval Spanish Literature: Jarchas, El Cid, Mester

The Jarcha: Oldest Romance Poetry

The Jarcha is a unique form of popular lyric poetry from Muslim Hispania, often attributed to anonymous authors. These short poems served as the final part of a longer poetic form called the muwashshah, with examples dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries.

Jarchas were composed in colloquial Hispano-Arabic dialects or in the Andalusian Romance language, sometimes inaccurately referred to as Mozarabic. They were crafted by educated Arab and Jewish poets who drew inspiration from traditional Romance poetry. Poets could either derive them from popular folklore, adapt them to fit the metrical requirements of the muwashshah, or create new compositions based on established patterns.

Their immense importance lies in their status as the oldest known poetic documents in a Romance language. They offer valuable insights into metric analysis, content, and expression of early Romance literature.

The Song of the Cid: Medieval Epic Poem

The Song of the Cid (Cantar de mio Cid) is a foundational Castilian epic poem that recounts in verse the heroic exploits of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, known as El Cid Campeador.

Manuscript and Date

The surviving manuscript dates from the 14th century and is incomplete, missing at least one page at the beginning and some intermediate sections. In total, 3,730 verses are preserved.

Authorship Debates

The poem's authorship remains anonymous, though several hypotheses have been proposed. Ramón Menéndez Pidal, a prominent scholar, suggested shared authorship by two minstrels (from San Esteban de Gormaz and Medinaceli). However, he also posited that it could have been written by a legal expert or a clergyman, indicating a more learned origin.

Content and Structure

The Song of the Cid is traditionally divided into three main parts:

• Song of Exile (Cantar del Destierro)

  El Cid is unjustly banished from Castile by King Alfonso VI, losing his honor and possessions. He was falsely accused of appropriating taxes from the Moorish kings due to the King of Castile. To regain his honor and return to his homeland, El Cid engages in a series of battles and conquests.

• Song of the Wedding (Cantar de las Bodas)

  El Cid conquers Valencia, establishing his own lordship. His military reputation is fully restored, and King Alfonso VI, recognizing his valor, arranges for El Cid's daughters, Doña Elvira and Doña Sol, to marry the Infantes of Carrión.

• Song of the Reproach of Corpes (Cantar de la Afrenta de Corpes)

  The Infantes of Carrión, revealed as cowardly and dishonorable, are mocked by El Cid's men, particularly after a significant incident where they flee terrified from a lion. El Cid calmly subdues the lion, which was tame. In a heinous act, the Infantes brutally abuse El Cid's daughters in the oak grove of Corpes, leaving them for dead. El Cid seeks justice, leading to a judicial duel where the Infantes are defeated and disgraced.

Central Theme: Honor

The overarching theme of the poem is honor. The hero's primary objective throughout the narrative is to regain his lost honor and restore his family's reputation.

Mester de Clerecía: Medieval Scholarly Poetry

The Mester de Clerecía (Clergy's Craft) was a literary movement prevalent in the Middle Ages, primarily during the 13th and 14th centuries. It comprised narrative poems with religious content, often drawing from ancient stories and showing reverence for learned authors.

Key characteristics include:

• Regular Meter: Typically used a consistent, regular meter, often the cuaderna vía (four-line stanzas of Alexandrine verses).
• Rhyme Scheme: Monorhyme (AAAA) in Alexandrine verses.
• Didactic Function: Poems aimed to teach moral or religious lessons.
• Learned Authorship: Composed by educated clergymen or scholars.

Mester de Juglaría: Medieval Minstrel Poetry

The Mester de Juglaría (Minstrel's Craft) emerged earlier, in the 12th century. These were anonymous works, often transmitted orally by minstrels (juglares).

Key characteristics include:

• Irregular Meter: Often had an irregular meter, adapting to oral performance.
• Assonance Rhyme: Primarily used assonance rhyme.
• Heroic Themes: Dealt with heroic deeds, historical events, and popular legends.
• Oral Transmission: Language forms were typical of oral exposition, designed for public recitation.
• Purpose: Aimed to inform, entertain, and sometimes serve as political propaganda.