Medieval Spanish Literature: Mester de Clerecía and Juglaría

Mester de Clerecía (13th Century)

The Mester de Clerecía refers to a school of learned writers (clerics) who chose the Romance language as their literary medium. Their work is characterized by the cuaderna vía, a stanza consisting of four Alexandrine verses with a single consonant rhyme (AAAA). The language is noted for being careful and selective.

Key Characteristics

• 13th Century: Works were primarily anonymous, with the notable exception of Gonzalo de Berceo.
• 14th Century: Tastes shifted due to the rise of the bourgeoisie and the emergence of the first universities.

Mester de Juglaría

The Mester de Juglaría consists of epic poems recounting the exploits of Spanish heroes, disseminated orally by juglares (minstrels).

Cantar de Mio Cid

This epic poem recounts the exploits of El Cid Campeador. Its manuscript value is incalculable.

• Date: An anonymous copy from the 14th century, though the original dates to 1207.
• Authorship: Scholars like Pidal and Menéndez Pidal suggest shared authorship between two minstrels, though some argue it was written by a legal expert or cleric.
• Structure: It begins in medias res and is divided into three parts: The Exile, The Wedding, and The Affront of Corpes.
• Theme: The central theme is honor.
• Style: Features include anaphora, cultisms, and bimenber verses.

Jorge Manrique

Jorge Manrique balanced a passion for arms and letters. His work is classified into three groups: love poetry, moral poetry, and burlesque poetry.

Coplas a la muerte de su padre

This is his most important work, organized into three parts (I-XIII, XIV-XXIV, XXV-XL). It is celebrated for its simplicity and expression. He utilizes the copla de pie quebrado (broken-foot stanza) with an abcabc rhyme scheme. His work serves as a compilation of medieval feelings regarding death alongside his personal vision.

Don Juan Manuel

The first Castilian writer to prioritize the transmission and preservation of his prose works. His greatest work is El Conde Lucanor.

Structure and Style

• Structure: The Count presents a problem, followed by a story, and concludes with a moral.
• Style: Characterized by simple prose, coordinated sentences, subtle dialogue, and descriptive narrative.

The Romancero

A collection of ballads covering various themes: national epic, chivalric myths, border conflicts, Granada, biblical stories, and classical antiquity.

Characteristics

• Lyrical mold and simple metrics.
• Tendency toward condensation.
• Frequent use of archaisms and specific verb usage.
• Use of repetition, antithesis, and enumeration.
• Absence of moralizing intention.