Narrative Theory and 15th Century Spanish Poetry

Narrative Theory: Structure and Features

Narrative is defined by a word count and a narrator. Key features include:

• Referential Function: A succession of events primarily focused on the narrative.
• Fictional World: The narrator belongs to the world of fiction.
• Prose Predominance: Most narratives are written in prose.

Narrative Subgenres

1. Epic Poem: Extensive narrative verse telling a hero's story in high-art meter.
2. Romance: Short narrative poems with assonant rhyme in even lines.
3. Fable: A short story with an ideological or moral purpose.
4. Short Story (Cuento): A brief prose narrative presenting a conflict that evolves through time and space, with either an open or closed ending.
5. Novel (Novela): An extensive narration presenting a complex world.

Narrative Levels and Elements

Levels:

• History: The chronological sequence of actions performed by characters.
• Discourse: The method used to tell the story.

Elements:

• Characters: Protagonists (sharing an objective) or secondary characters (acting as allies).
• Space: Can be open or closed.
• Time: Ranging from minutes to years, utilizing narrative movements like scenes, breaks, abstracts, and ellipses.

Discourse Analysis

• In Medias Res: Starting in the middle of the action.
• Analepsis: Evocation of previous moments (flashbacks).
• Prolepsis: Advance of future events (flash-forwards).
• Narrator: Can be 1st person (protagonist) or 3rd person (witness).

Speech Types

• Referential: Used to narrate facts objectively.
• Descriptive: Breaks the narrative with a subjective vision.
• Poetic: Focuses on characterization.
• Value Judgment: An assessment of a character.
• Universal: Expresses generalizations.

15th Century Spanish Poets

Marqués de Santillana

Known for cultural, moral, political, and allegorical narrative poetry. His Serranillas, which narrate encounters between a knight and a shepherdess, are highly regarded. He is credited with introducing the Italian sonnet to Spain.

Juan de Mena

Author of love ballads and intellectual poetry. His major work is El Laberinto de Fortuna.

Jorge Manrique

His Coplas a la muerte de su padre is an elegiac poem mourning Don Rodrigo Manrique. It consists of 40 stanzas, divided into a general section and an epicede. Each stanza features twelve lines and is split into two parts: the general reflection (first 24 stanzas) and the exaltation of his father.

Key Themes

• Death: The equalizer of all people.
• Fame: Acts performed well during life influence one's status in the afterlife.
• Eternal Life: Don Rodrigo achieves immortality by overcoming death.