Spanish Literature in the 14th and 15th Centuries: Romances and La Celestina

Spanish Literature in the 14th and 15th Centuries

The Evolution of Poetry and the Rise of Romance

Late 14th-century poetry saw a decline, giving way to shorter compositions with assonance and rhyme. A prominent form that emerged during this period was the Romance, characterized by short, oral poems composed of an indeterminate succession of octosyllabic lines rhyming in assonance in pairs.

Romances are broadly classified into two categories:

• Old Romances: Originating in the 15th and 16th centuries, these are characterized by their oral, traditional, and anonymous nature.
• New Romances: Emerging in later centuries, these are more elaborate, written, and often attributed to individual authors.

Origin and Formation of Romances

Two main theses explain the origin of Romances:

• Traditionalist Thesis: This theory posits that Romances resulted from the fragmentation of epic poems. As the epic genre declined, minstrels made changes in composition.
• Individualist Thesis: This theory suggests that Romances were born from the creation of individual authors, without any connection to epics.

Classification of Romances

Romances can be further classified based on their themes:

• Historical Romances: These focus on historical events and figures.
• News Romances: Based on contemporary events, these served a propagandistic function, similar to news reports, particularly regarding the Reconquista.
• Lyrical-Romantic Romances: These explore a wide range of themes, often alluding to feelings of lack, loneliness, and other emotions.

Characteristics of Romances

Romances are defined by several key features:

• Collective Authorship: As these compositions were transmitted orally, they evolved through collective contribution.
• Abrupt Beginnings and Endings: Romances often start and end suddenly, quickly introducing characters and narrating events.
• Detailed Descriptions: To immerse the audience in the story, Romances employ detailed descriptions of space and time.
• Abundance of Dialogues: Dialogue animates the narrative, bringing the action closer to the listener.
• Stylistic Devices: Minstrels used various stylistic devices, including repetition, exclamations, and fixed formulas.

La Celestina: A Masterpiece of Spanish Literature

La Celestina is a jewel of Spanish literature, written by Fernando de Rojas in the late 15th century.

Editions of La Celestina

• The first edition was printed in Burgos in 1499, titled Comedy of Calisto and Melibea, comprising sixteen acts.
• A second edition was published in Toledo in 1500, including lines at the beginning that revealed the author's name.
• In the early years of the 16th century, an expanded version with twenty-one acts was released, titled Tragicomedy of Calisto and Melibea, and soon after, La Celestina.

Structure of La Celestina

• External Structure: The work is divided into twenty-one acts, with the first act being more extensive and of unknown authorship.
• Internal Structure: Two main parts can be distinguished:
  • The first twelve acts focus on the romance between Calisto and Melibea until the death of the old servants.
  • The remaining nine acts continue the narrative.