La lírica medieval. Jarchas, cantigas de amigo, villancicos, juglares y trovadores

Summary

This video script provides an introduction to medieval literature, focusing on the origins of Romance languages and early literary expressions in Spanish. It discusses the emergence of written records in Romance, such as the Cartularios de Valpuesta and the Glosas Silenses, and the role of troubadours and jongleurs in spreading lyrical compositions. The script also highlights the influence of Provençal lyrical poetry and the development of subgenres like jarchas, cantigas de amigo, and villancicos, which laid the foundation for Spanish literature.

Takeaways

• 📜 The first manifestations of literature in Romance languages, including Spanish, are from medieval times and are not in Spanish but in a precursor language.
• 🏰 The Romance language is based on Latin and is the foundation for Spanish and other languages that evolved from Latin Vulgar.
• 📚 The earliest written records in the Romance language are economic annotations from the 9th century found in Valpuesta, Burgos, and the Silo and Emilian glosses from the 11th century in the Rioja region.
• 🎭 The first literary forms in Old Spanish were lyrical compositions, spread by wandering minstrels known as 'trovadores' and 'joglars'.
• 👑 The 'trovadores' were the creators of these poems, while the 'joglars' were the performers who recited them to wider audiences.
• 🌐 From the 10th century onwards, these lyrical compositions started to spread, influenced by the lyrical traditions from Provençal and Galician-Portuguese regions.
• 💖 The Provençal influence brought themes of courtly love, with notable female creators known as 'trobairitz', like Beatriz de Dia and Maria de Francia.
• 📖 The 'jarchas' are considered the first expressions in Romance language, appearing in the 10th century as short fragments within Arabic or Hebrew poems.
• 🎶 The 'cantigas de amigo' emerged in the 12th century, featuring multiple stanzas where a woman sings to her beloved, and are part of the Galician-Portuguese tradition.
• 🎉 Other early lyrical genres include 'cantigas de escarnio', which are satirical songs, and 'villancicos', which are short songs about love, festivals, and work, composed of a refrain and a body of the poem.
• 🌟 The development of these early lyrical forms in the Romance language laid the foundation for the evolution of the Spanish language and Spanish literature.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the literature class mentioned in the transcript?

The main focus of the literature class is the study of medieval literature, specifically the lyrical poetry of the medieval period in the Romance languages, which includes the origins of Spanish.

What is the significance of the term 'Romance language' in the context of the transcript?

In the transcript, 'Romance language' refers to the languages that evolved from Latin, including Spanish, Catalan, and others. It is the base for modern Spanish and other languages that originated from Latin.

What are the two earliest known documents that contain words in the Romance language according to the transcript?

The two earliest known documents are the Cartularios de Valpuesta from the 9th century, which are economic annotations found in Burgos, Spain, and the Glosas Silenses and Emilianenses from the 11th century, which are marginal annotations on Latin documents from monasteries in La Rioja.

What is the difference between 'trovadores' and 'juglares' as mentioned in the transcript?

Trovadores are the creators of the poems, who first recite them in a closed circle, while juglares are the performers who disseminate these poems to a wider audience, acting as medieval actors reciting and interpreting the works in public places and palaces.

What influence did the Provençal lyric have on the development of Spanish medieval literature?

The Provençal lyric, which originated in the south of France and Catalonia, influenced Spanish medieval literature by introducing themes of courtly love and the concept of the male as a prisoner to the lady's love, which were popularized through the works of troubadours and troubadours.

Who were some of the famous figures in Provençal lyric mentioned in the transcript?

The transcript mentions Beatriz de Dia and Maria de Francia as famous figures in Provençal lyric.

What is the contribution of the 'joglaría galaicoportuguesa' to the medieval literature in the Romance language?

The 'joglaría galaicoportuguesa' contributed to the medieval literature by disseminating lyrical works, particularly in the Galician-Portuguese region, which helped in the popularization of the Romance language and its literature.

What are 'jarchas' and how do they relate to the early manifestations of the Romance language?

Jarchas are short fragments in the Andalusian Romance language that appeared in the 10th century, consisting of two to six verses where a noblewoman calls to her beloved. They are considered the first manifestations in the Romance language and later evolved into more extensive poems called 'zambras' in Arabic or Hebrew.

What are 'cantigas de amigo' and how do they differ from other lyrical forms mentioned in the transcript?

Cantigas de amigo are a form of lyrical poetry from the 12th century, characterized by multiple stanzas where a woman sings to her friend or beloved. They differ from other forms like jarchas and villancicos by being more extensive and focusing on themes of love.

What is the significance of 'villancicos' in the early stages of Romance language literature?

Villancicos in the early stages of Romance language literature are short lyrical compositions that often discuss love, festivals, and work. They are composed of a refrain of two lines, followed by a stanza, and then a return to the refrain.

How does the transcript suggest the evolution of the Romance language into modern Spanish?

The transcript suggests that the evolution of the Romance language into modern Spanish was influenced by various factors, including the spread of lyrical poetry by troubadours and performers, the influence of Provençal lyric, and the contributions of Andalusian poets, leading to the development of various lyrical subgenres that formed the basis of Spanish literature.