Troubadour Poetry: Catalan, Galician-Portuguese, Arabic & Hebrew Lyrics

Lyrical Learned Catalan

Provence emerged in troubadour poetry, where a lyrical character was created by known authors. Their compositions for song were released by the minstrels. The troubadours created a fine art that was difficult: "The verse was based on the number of syllables and ought to be strictly consonant rhyme."

Genres of Provençal Poetry

• Cansó: Composition of loving nature, always from male to female, reflecting feudal ideology. Love relationships are treated as feudal relations between lord and vassal.
• Sirventes: Was employed as an expression of anger, personal attack...

The Concept of Courtly Love

Like the troubadours, who were intimately linked with the courts, they had a decisive influence on their work. Courtesy, in opposition to supposed villainy, represented moral and social perfection. Concepts included loyalty, bravery, generosity... Courtly love was the art of love of courtesy and was understood as a service to the lady, considered a superior being. The lover goes through four stages:

• Still does not dare to express their feelings to the lady.
• He expresses his feelings.
• Is matched by her.
• It becomes her lover.

Cultured Galician-Portuguese Lyric

Songs of love excel. They are inherited from the Provençal tradition. The poet is a man who addresses a lady, complaining of her indifference or hostility.

In the songs of love, joy, love of weary sadness and torment becomes... The environment is urban rather than palatine.

In addition to this aspect, it includes a songbook of love and songs mocking religion.

Cancionero de Teasing

Has two types of compositions:

• Skits mocking songs... evenings.
• Curses... songs of direct attacks on groups or individuals.

Religious Songbook

This constitutes the Cantigas de Santa Maria, works of Alfonso X the Wise. They tell their narratives and miracles.

Lyrical Learned Arabic and Hebrew

Appeared in Al-Andalus two kinds of poems in stanzas: the zejel and the muwashshah. The underlying theme of both formations is love, frequently of the homosexual type. The setting is urban, and there are references to the flora and fauna.

Zejel: In classical Arabic, it was soon adopted by Hispanic Jews, who used classical Hebrew. The last stanza is finished off with a poem called Jarcha, written in spoken Arabic.

Muwashshah: Was composed in Arabic dialect and lacked a Jarcha.