THE EPIC – The Death of Hialmar 1

 

 

ETHOS

What is it?

VALUES

What are they?

Why are ethos and values important in literature in general and in the epic in particular?

 

 

 

­ THE EPIC – The Death of Hialmar 2

 

What are the main values incorporated in The Death of Hialmar? Attemp an hierachical schemata? Take into consideration the following clues:

­

­Nobility, civilization, prowess in battle, gentleness, strength, power, “energy”, love, commanding attitude, kindness, refinement, mutual reliance, sophistication, intimidanting power

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Death of Hialmar 3

 

 

ØPower:

­prowess in battle, strength, power, energy, commanding capacity, intimidating power

ØCivilization:

­Nobility,

­gentleness, kindness,

­refinement, sophistication

ØLove

ØMutual reliance

Ø?

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Death of Hialmar 4

 

 

ØAssign the values above to the following characters:

­

­Angantur:

­Hialmar:

­Orvard-Odd:

­The King of Sweden:

­Gunhilda:

­Hialmar’s men at the island of Samöe:

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Death of Hialmar 5

 

 

ØWhich is the most prevalent or repeated value? Which ones follow?

ØCould you assess the different values by adding a + or a – sign.

ØAre there any characters partaking of several values? Of good values mostly? Of bad values mostly?

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Old Stoerkodder 1

 

 

ØCharacters:

•King Frode (+ + +)

•Ingiald (– – –)

•Helga – Hroar (+ +)

•– Aslak, churl, boor (+ –)?

- His eight brothers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Old Stoerkodder 2

 

 

ØCharacters:

•Three different helpers:

•tax collector (– – –)

•the farm labourer married to a slave (– – )

•a woman slave (+ – –)

•a farmer (+ + +)

•Hader, son of king Hlenes (+ + –)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Old Stoerkodder 3

 

 

“pues el viejo Stoerkodder tiene tanta consideración por los valientes como odio sienge por los débiles y cobardes” (Helga, p. 109)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EPIC – The Old Stoerkodder 4

 

 

ØPower:

­prowess in battle,

strength, energy, commanding capacity, intimidating power

 

­

ØMutual reliance, faithfulness

­ØRevenge

ØCivilization:

­Nobility, dignity, self-assertion

­gentleness, kindness,

­refinement, sophistication

 

Ø Christian values:

­ human understanding, compassion, pity

­Resignation, renunciation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon – map (1)
faculty.uca.edu/~jona/second/maldonmaps.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Battle of Maldon – map (2)
faculty.uca.edu/~jona/second/maldonmaps.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon excerpt (1)

http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/second/malnotes.htm compiled by Jonathan A. Glenn

 

 

                 Ða se eorl ongan     for his ofermode

                  alyfan landes to fela     laþere ðeode;

                  ongan ceallian þa     ofer cald wæter

                  Byrhthelmes bearn     (beornas gehlyston):

                  'Nu eow is gerymed:     gað ricene to us

                  guman to guþe.     God ana wat

                  hwa þære wælstowe     wealdan mote.'

                           

                                                                       (89-95)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon excerpt (2)
http://faculty.uca.edu/~jona/second/malnotes.htm

compiled by Jonathan A. Glenn

 

 

 

                  Then the earl for his arrogance

                  left too much land to a hostile people.

                  Then over cold water Byrhthelm's son

                  began to call (men listened):

                  "Now you have room: come quickly to us,

                  warriors to war. God alone knows

                  who may master this battlefield."

                                                                                                                                                         (89-95)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon stylistic resources and conventions (1)

 

1. ALLITERATION

2. PARALLELISM:

            Conceptual (as a kind of afterthoungt)

            Linguistic / Syntatical:

 

3. INDIRECT ALLUSIONS AND PERIPHRASIS

 

4. EPITHETS

 

5. ELEGANT VARIATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon stylistic resources and conventions (2)

 

 

6. ASYNDETIC CONSTRUCTIONS - JUXTAPPOSITION

7. COMPOUND WORDS

            Compounds

            Kennings

8. LITOTES

9. GRIM IRONY:

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon stylistic resources and conventions (3)

 

1. ALLITERATION:

2. PARALLELISM:

Conceptual (as a kind of afterthoungt):

And as for him, Eadric would follow his prince,

his lord to the fight; he bore forth, then,

spear to the battle. He had good thought

as long as he with hands could hold ” (ll. 12-15)

 

Linguistic / Syntatical:

“To leave his horse, to drive it far off” (l. 3)

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon stylistic resources and conventions (4)

3. INDIRECT ALLUSIONS AND PERIPHRASIS:
            Then Offa's kinsman (l. 6)

he bore forth, then,

            spear to the battle. (ll. 13-14)

            Wounded was Wulfmaer, chose slaughter-bed (l.113)

 

 

4. EPITHETS:

 

5. ELEGANT VARIATION:

Byrhrnoth (l. 18),  land's earl (l. 29), the earl  (l.89),  that good one (187); Wielder of peoples = God (l. 173)

 

The Battle of Maldon: Anglo-Saxon stylistic resources and conventions (5)

6. ASYNDETIC CONSTRUCTIONS -      JUXTAPPOSITION

7. COMPOUND WORDS

 

Compounds: war-band (l. 52)

Kennings: slaughter-bed, slaughter-wolves

 

8. LITOTES: 

Then Offa's kinsman first discovered

that the great earl suffered no slackness (l. 7)

 

9. GRIM IRONY:

point must, and edge, reconcile us first, (l. 61)

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: ethos (1)

 

 

"Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,

mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."

 

 

 

 

"Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener,

mind must be the greater, while our strength lessens”

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: ethos (2)

 

ØPower:

­○ prowess in battle, strength, energy, commanding capacity, intimidating power

­○ mutual reliance, faithfulness à vassalage, feudalism?

 

­○ revenge

 

ØCivilization:

­○ nobility, dignity, self-assertion

­○ gentleness, kindness,

­○ refinement, sophistication

 

Ø Christian values:

­○ human understanding, compassion, pity

­○ resignation, renunciation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Battle of Maldon: ethos (3)

ØNational consciousness and pride?

 

Ø Christian values:

­○ antagonism in terms of Christian - pagan?

­○ Christian death: spiritual peace and dread of hell? Where?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: historical facts (1)

 

ØThe battle took place on 15th August 778

ØThe “Spanish” emir Omeya Abd Al-Kahnman I (later Abd al-Rahman) declars indepence of Muslim Spain from the Caliphs of Damascus (756)

ØSuleimán ibn Yakzán ibn al-Arabí, governor of  de Barcelona and Gerona revolts agains the emir and takes refuge in Zaragoza.

ØAgains him, Abd al-Rahman sends and army which is defeated.

Øal-Arabí, not feeling confident with his victory, ask for help to Charlemagne. (…)

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: historical facts (2)

 

ØIn 778 Charlemagne comes with an army divided in two columns: one of them is commanded by him and arrives in Navarre, where he is welcomed by the local Christians of Pamplona who open the gates of the city to him; then, he arrives in Saragossa in May 778 and there he meets the second column of his army.

ØBut the French cannot get into Saragossa due to internal fights  among the Arabs there.

ØCharlemagne feeling suspicious of the his Arab allies  decides then to take Al-Arabi prisoner and go back to France.

 

The Song of Roland: historical facts (3)

 

Ø According to Arab sources Charlemagne suffered an attack by Al-Arabi’s sons, who finally rescue him.

ØWhen Charlemagne arrives at  Pamplona, he order the demolition of the city walls (it is not well known why) and set off for the Pyrenees.

ØEinhard (year 830) in his Vita Karoli tells about the ambush suffered by French army of Charlemagne and how they would know “the Basques’ treachery” (Wasconicam perfidiam). Apparently, when going through the pass of Roncesvals, the Basques or Gascons set an ambush above the French rearguard on the mountaintops, killed all the soldiersand took away the army’s equipment.

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: textual aspects

 

ØAnglo-normand text, between 1087 and 1095.

ØMS Digby 23 in the Bodleian Library (Oxford), of the 12th century. Preaching of the first Crussade

ØReworking of one or several texts of the 11th century.

ØLast line: "ci falt la geste que Turoldus declinet”

Ø = Turoldus presents his own version of the legend.

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: the author

 

Ø Who was Turoldus? Turoldus de Fécamp.

Ø Abbot of Malsmesbury & Peterborough (there existed 2 Roland MS s/). Canon of Bayeux.

ØTook part in the battle of Hastings (1066).

ØIt is known that at Hastings a minstrel or jongleur called Taillefer sang something related to Roland.

ØPOLITICAL IMPLICATION: Composed around the beginning of the twelfth century, the time of the First Crusade against the Muslims in the Holy Land, directly inspired by Pope Urban II.

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: ethos

 

ØPower:

­○ prowess in battle,

strength, energy, commanding capacity, intimidating power

­○ mutual reliance, faithfulness à vassalage, feudalism

 

 

 

 

­○ revenge?

 

ØCivilization:

­○ nobility, dignity, self-assertion

­○ gentleness, kindness,

­○ refinement, sophistication

 

Ø Christian values:

­○ human understanding, compassion, pity

­○ resignation, renunciation

­○ religious divide with the enemy

 

Nationalism:

○ France

 

 

The Song of Roland: metre

 

Ø10 syllables per line (Mester de clerecía / learned poetry).

ØTirades of uneven length (Mester de juglaría / popular poetry).

ØInternal caesuras (Mester de clerecía / learned poetry).

ØAssonant-like lines (Mester de juglaría / popular poetry).

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: some features (1)

 

ØIDOLATRY AND INTENTIONAL CONFUSION OF ISLAMIC FIGURES AND PAGAN GODS:

•

Apolín, Mahoma y Tervagán, are presented as idols of the Saracens.

 

 

ØSWORDS & HORSES NAMED:

                        Swords                                   Horses

 

Roldán             Durendal                                 Veillantif

Oliveros           Altaclara (106)            —

Carlomagno     Monjoy                                   —

 

 

The Song of Roland: some features (2)

 

 

 

                        Swords                        Horses

 

Gerín               —                               Sorel (108)

Gerers             —                               Passecerf (108)

Climborín (Sarraceno)             Barbamosca (114)

Valdabrún (Sarraceno)            Gramimón (116)

Malcuidan (Sarraceno)             Saltoperdido (118)

Grandonie (Sarraceno)            Marmorio

Turpín         Almance (145)                 Grossaille’s horse, ample desription of it (126).

Marsil                                                 Gañón (142)

 

 

The Song of Roland:  epic traits (1)

 

ØDemonization of enemy:

 

• magic: CVIII, 1391-3; CXV, 1510; CXXII, 1617-19 (enemy = blasfemous); CXLII, 1910-12 (cowardice of enemy); CXLV, 1945 (treacherous). Remember that Apolín, Mahoma and Tervagán are presented as idols of the Saracens (e.g., CXCV) and are destroyed by the desperate Saracens themselves (CLXXXVII).

•Nominalization: prefix “mal-” Malbien, Malpramis, Malquiant. Falsaron = false & treacherous.

•But --"God, what a lord, if he were but a Christian!" about the emir Baligan (CCXXVIII)

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: epic traits (2)

 

ØPromise of paradise: CXIII, 1478-82

ØNationalism: CXL, 1861-2; CXLIII, 1927;

ØProtoracism: CXXV, 1635-37; CXLIII, 1917-19; CXLIV, 1932-34. But

 

ØElegiac mood and (?)fatalism: CVIII, 1400-01.

ØPortents (omens) & prodigies: CX, 1423-37; CLVI, 2015-18.

ØAnticipated end: CVIII, 1406-11, CX, 1421-22; CXII, 1458-59; CXXXVIII, 1840-41

 

 

The Song of Roland: epic traits (3)

 

Ø Heoric rashness (cf. Battle of Maldon): CXXXI, 1722-34

ØHeroic dissension (cf. The Iliad): CXXVIII-CXXXII;

ØSingular combat: See CXVI-CVIII, CXIV-CXX, 141-42, 145-46.

Ø

ØHeroic ethos: CLVIII, 2125-26: "Cuando el conde Roldán los ve que se aproximan,/ mucho más fuerte se hace, más feroz, decidido" (cf. Battle of Maldon: "Thought must be the harder, heart be the keener/ mind must be the greater, while our strength lessens"; CLXIII, 2207-13.

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: epic traits (4)

 

ØDenunciation of cowards & traitors: CXIII, 1471-77 (cowards); CXXV, 1645-47; CXXVII, 1672-77; CXXXIV, 1770... (Ganelon the traitor).

ØFame: CXIII, 1474; etc.

ØHeroic exaggeration: CLIV, 2071-75; CLVII, 2120-22; CLX, 2152-63.

ØFame: CXIII, 1474; etc.

ØHeroic blow: CVII, 1370-75; CXXII, 1601-06; CXLI, 1870-71.

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: epic traits (5)

 

ØHeroic dissension (cf. The Iliad): CXXVIII-CXXXII.

Ø Encouraging/Heroic speeches (cf. Battle of Maldon): CXIII, 1471-77; CXV, 1515-18; CLIII,2066-63 (among the Saracens).

ØHeroic simile: CXLI, 1874-75

ØLitotes: CXII, 1466.

ØParallelism & parataxis: CXIV, 1483-86, 1490-95: Cabalga en su caballo.../ Lo aguija cuanto puede.../ No pueden protegerlo...; CXV, 1509-11: Ha descargado.../ Ha matado..; CLXXVII: Ya se ha muerto Roldan… Dios lo tiene en sus cielos / Está el emperador llegando a Roncesvalles; CXXXVI: 1799-1803: Tienen buenos escudos,../ los gonfalones.../ En sus caballos.../ Espoleando van.../ no hay ninguno...; CXXXVII, 1807-11: Clara estaba la tarde, el día fue muy claro, etc.; CXXXVII, 1825-29; CXXXVIII, 1830-34; Muy altos son los montes, etc.; CLV, 2095-98: Esto dice.../ El barón de San Gil.../ Quien esto no sabe...;

 

 

 

 

The Song of Roland: epic traits (6)

 

ØAppeal to documental or supernatural authority: CXI, 1443-45; CXXVII, 1684-85; CLV, 2095-98

Such, Peter and John Hodgkinson (eds.). 1991. The Poem of My Cid. Warminster: Aris & Phillips.2nd ed. Bilingual edition.

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (1)

ØElaborate court-ceremonial (cf. Canto V feast at court after the defeat of Ludeger & Ludegast; Cantos XXII, wedding of Kriemhild & Etzel -Attila at Wien; Canto XXVII reception by margrave Rudeger and his wife of the Burgundian kings Gunther, Giselhr and Grnot, on their way to Attila’s court: “the Bechelaren idyl”)

 

VI. 141. …A estos desconocidos [los dos heraldos] se les preguntó cuál era su mensaje y se les hizo presentarse en la corte ante el rey.

 

VI. 142. Éste les saludó amablemente diciendo: “Sed bienvenidos. No sé todavía quién os ha enviado. Hablad y hacédnoslo saber”. Así habló el buen rey…

 

 

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (2)

ØElaborate court-ceremonial (2)

 

VI. 152. Mandaron entonces aposentar en la ciudad a los emisarios. Gunter el poderoso mandó que se les tratara bien — eso fue un buen acuerdo— aunque se les tuviera por enemigos,...”

 

VI. 164. Los emisarios de Lúdegest fueron luego a la corte. Contentos se pusieron de regresar a su patria. Gunter, el rey generoso les regaló valiosos presentes y les procuró escolta. Grande fue entonces la alegría de ellos.

 

VI. 166. Ricas dádivas entregaron entonces a los emisarios, pues para repartirlas Gunter tenía de sobra. No osaron rechazarlas los hombres de Lúdeger, Y cuando hubieron recibido licencia, partieron con ánimo alegre.

 

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (3)

Ø Sense of doom, fatalism, objectivism & elegiac tone:

 

VI. 145. Dentro de doce semanas va a comenzar la invasión, habréis de demostrar pronto si tenéis buenos amigos que os ayuden a proteger ciudades y campos. Muchos yelmos y rodelas han de quedar destrozados por el brazo de vuestros contrarios. [los dos heraldos]

 

VI. 146. …pues por ello habrán de morir muchos valientes y arrogantes caballeros. [los dos heraldos]

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (4)

Ø Sense of doom, fatalism, objectivism & elegiac tone:

 

VI. 150. Eso lo impediremos con nuestra espada”, así hablaba Gernot. “No mueren sino los predestinados y a esos los dejaremos tendidos sin vida. Por ello no voy a olvidar yo lo que exige mi honor...

 

VI. 206. Aquel día hubieron de caer ante ellos muchos hombres de pro.

 

VI. 180. Muchas correas de yelmos iban a cortar aquel día sus [Sigfried] tajos.

 

VI. 230. También hubieron de quedar tendidos los amados de muchas dueñas…

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (5)

Ø Objectivism & mutual reliance:

 

VI. 145. Dentro de doce semanas va a comenzar la invasión, habréis de demostrar pronto si tenéis buenos amigos que os ayuden a proteger ciudades y campos. Muchos yelmos y rodelas han de quedar destrozados por el brazo de vuestros contrarios.

 

VI. 165. “Decid”, habló Gunter, a mis poderosos enemigos que más les valiera no emprender su aventura y quedarse en sus hogares. Pero si pretenden invadir mi reino, y no me fallan mis amigos, van a conocer lo que son penalidades.

 

See also the impersonal tone of battle description.

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: social aspects (6)

Ø Ring giver:

 

VI. 166. Ricas dádivas entregaron entonces a los emisarios, pues para repartirlas Gunter tenía de sobra. No osaron rechazarlas los hombres de Lúdeger. Y cuando hubieron recibido licencia, partieron con ánimo alegre.

 

VI. 173. Con ellos cabalgaban Sindolt y Hunolt. Bien merecían ambos el oro de Gunter.

 

VI. 256. Luego el rey empezó a meditar cómo podría premiar a sus leales por haber cumplido los deseos de él tan honrosamente.

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (1)

 

Ø Heroic boast (qualified):

 

 

VI. 156. Si vais en busca de amigos contadme a mí entre ellos. Confío en demostrarlo hasta el fin de mis días

 

VI. 160. Aunque vuestros poderosos enemigos pudieran contar con el apoyo de treinta mil guerreros, yo les haría frente, incluso si no tuviera más que mil. Dejadlo de mi cuenta [Siegfried]

 

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (2)

 

Ø Singular combat:

 

 

See VI. 184-187 dealing with the fight between Siegfried and Liudegast.

 

 

 

 

Ø Mentioning of the name of personal sword:

 

VI. 207. Cuando el rey Lúdeger descubrió a Sigfrido y le vio blandir en lo alto su bien forjada espada Balmung derribando tantos guerreros...

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (3)

Ø Anticipated end:

 

 

VI. 177. Nunca en verdad sufrieron los sajones campaña más desastrosa.

 

 

VI. 180. Muchas correas de yelmos iban a cortar aquel día sus [Siegfried] tajos.

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (4)

Ø Parataxis:

 

 

VI. 187. Había causado [Siegfried] tres grandes heridas a través de su [Liudegast’s] refulgente coraza, que era de gran calidad; las hojas de la espada hicieron manar sangre de las heridas. El rey de los daneses tuvo por esto gran turbación.

VI. 190. [heroic hyperbole] Sigfrido iba a llevarse  de allí al vencido cuando fue acometido por los treinta El brazo del héroe hubo de defender su valioso rehén con tajos descomunales. Pronto el gallardo batallador [elegant variation] hizo aún más destrozos.

 

VI. 141. El rey trató a sus huéspedes con gran generosidad. Todo estaba lleno de súbditos y extranjeros. A los heridos graves los mandó cuidar con esmero. Muy abajo se había tenido la altenería de los infelices.

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (5)

 

 

Ø Apposition and elegant variation:

 

 

VI. 154. …A esto respondió el rey Gunter, el paladín preclaro.

 

VI. 154. No tardó en vestur su armadura el hijo de la bella Siglinda [Seigfried].

 

VI. 141. Por grandes que hayan sido las hazañas realizadas por todos los caballeros… eso no es nada comparado con la gesta de Sigfrido, el hijo del rey Sigmundo.

 

 

 

 

 

The Song of the Nibelungs: formal traits (6)

 

Ø Litotes:

 

 

VI. 141. Permitidnos, señor, deciros el mensaje que traemos: los nombres de los príncipes que aquí nos mandaron no queremos callarlos; son Lúdegast y Lúdegest,…

 

 

VI. 141. [Krimilda] ¿Quién se ha distinguido más? Contéstame.” Presto respondió el mozo: “En nuestra hueste no hubo ningún cobarde”.

 

 

The Poem of My Cid textual aspects (1)

 

 

ØThe influence of France: Castile among the few European countries influenced by France with an epic of its own.

Øextant epic: Poema del mío Cid, Rodrigo / Mocedades de Rodrigo,  Cantar dRoncesvalles (fragments), Los siete infantes de Lara (fragments)

Øinferred epic: El Infante García, Bernardo del Carpio, El conde Fernán González, etc.

 

 

The Poem of My Cid textual aspects (2)

 

ØAuthorship or copying work: Per Abbat?: “Per Abbat le escrivio…” (l. 3732): “escribir”  = copiar. Per Abbat is the scribe. Year 1207 (Smith, 1998); 1307 (Menéndez Pidal, one C is lacking).

Ø Composed about the first years of the 13th century.

(for Menéndez Pidal, about 1140)

ØFor Menéndez Pidal the blending of two versions: one by a poet from San Estebán de Gormaz (1097-1098) and another by a poet from Medinacelli (1140)

 

 

 

The Poem of My Cid textual aspects (3)

 

ØOne poet in or near Burgos, perhaps a clerk or lawyer of the time (Colin Smith).

ØIt deals with the life (indeed with around twenty years of the life) of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Cid /¿1040?-1099.

ØThe historical Cid is quite different from the Cid presented here and the Cid of the tradition.

 

The Poem of My Cid textual aspects (4)

ØComposed about the first years of the 13th century.

ØIn or near Burgos.

ØIt deals with the life (indeed with around twenty years of the life) of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, the Cid /¿1040?-1099.

and of My Cid, and inferred epic poems in Castilian.

ØThe influence of France: Castile among the few European countries influenced by France with an epic of its own.

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (1)

 

Ø

extant epic: Poema del mío Cid, Rodrigo / Mocedades de Rodrigo,  Cantar dRoncesvalles (fragments), Los siete infanted de Lara (fragments) Ø

realistic atmosphere

Øhistorical character dchronicle.

 

Ødomestic view of the Cid and his entourage and family.

Still, French influence. Written possibly when on the highest point of the influence of the chanson de geste.

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (3)

 

Øirregular verse in length: between 10 and 20 syllables each. Most abundant: 14, 15, and 13.

ØA caesura and two hemistichs: 7+7, 7+8, 6+7, etc.

Øhistorical character àchronicle.

 

 

 

The Poem of My Cid: Cid’s route

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (4)

 

ØThe two hemistichs very often match the clause.

Still, French influence. Written possibly when on the highest point of the influence of the chanson de geste.

 

 

Minaya Albar Fáñez,     al buen rey se espidió.

“¿Hya vos ides Minaya?     Id a la gracia del Criador.

Levedes un portero,     tengo qu vos avrá pro;

Si leváredes las dueñas,    sirvanlas a su sabor…”

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (5)

ØEpithet, elegant variation, apposition, parataxis, formulaic language:

 

la barba vellida (l. 274) = the Cid

 

el que en buena hora naçió (l. 294)

el que en buena cinxo espada (ll. 58 & 507)

 

 

Martín Antolínez,      el Burgalés de pro (l. 736)

Martín Antolínez,      el Burgalés complido (l. 65)

Merçed, ya Çid,          barba tan complida (l. 268)

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (6)

ØSometimes, the epithet in apposition replaces the name it refers to:

 

enclinó las manos    la barba vellida (l. 274)

 

 

Øthe heroic blow: à see following snapshots

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (7)

 

38

A Minaya Albar Fáñez    matáronle el cavallo,

bien lo acorren      mesnadas de cristianos.  745

 

La lança a quebrada,       al espada metió mano,

Maguer de pie       buenos colpes va dando.

Violo Mio Çid       Roy Diaz el Castellano

acostós a un aguazil        que tenié buen cavallo

diol tal espadada   con el sol diestro braço,  750

cortol por la çintura,       el medio echó en el campo.

 

 

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (8)

Øthe heroic blow:

(...) 38

Mio Cid Roy Díaz,    el que en buena nasco,

al rey Fáriz           tres colpes le avié dado;  760

 

los dos le fallen, y el únol ha tomado,

por la loriga ayuso     la sangre destellando (chorreando)

 

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (9)

Øthe heroic blow:

 

118

Alcançólo el Çid a Búcar    a tres braças del mar,  2420

 

arriba alçó Colada    un grant colpe dádol ha,

las carbonclas del yelmo     tollidas gelas ha,

cortól el yelmo     e, librado todo lo al,

fata la çintura      el espada llegado ha.

 

 

The Poem of My Cid some features (10)

 

 

Ø Mutual reliance, vassalage, ring-giver:

 

45

 

Mio Çid Ruy Diaz          a Alcoçer ha vendido

qué bien pago       a sos vasallos mismos!

A cavalleros e a peones  fechos los ha ricos,

en todos los sos    non fallariedes un mesquino.

Qui a buen señor sirve, siempre bive en deliçio.  850