LITERATURE 



313 



SPANISH LITERATURE Continued 



There is no record of the literature of Spain 

 earlier than the Twelfth Century. The oldest 

 manuscript is a fragment of a pfay written for 

 the Church of Toledo, the earliest important 

 work the "Chronicle of the Cid." Allusions in 

 l;iter literature suggest that heroic poetry may 

 have been quite rich, but no poems are preserved. 



With the heroic poetry, taking subjects from 

 history and legends, there grew up in the Thir- 

 teenth Century a religious poetry, written mostly 

 by monks. Among these Gonzalo de Berceo 

 wrote poetical lives of the saints, devotional 

 poems, and religious hymns. To this century 

 also belongs a " Life of St. Mary the Egyptian, 

 translated from the French. 



King Alfonso X., who reigned until 1284, was 

 author of the poem l "The Philosopher's Stone," 

 besides several prose works. Under his patron- 

 age scientific compilations were made and he 

 was th0 founder of history written in Spanish. 

 The "Cronica General," composed under his 

 direction, tells of universal history from the 

 creation of the world, in one part, and of na- 

 tional history in another. This last was called 

 " Historia De Espana." The source of the first 



Crt was Spanish chroniclers, who wrote in 

 itin. hut whose works were soon translated. 

 In the "Historia De Espana" many legends 

 are found, also the story of tin- ('id. 



King Alfonso's example was followed l>\ other 

 writers on his models. About i:woa ' Chronicle 

 of the Conqueridores" was compiled l>y com- 

 mand of the grand-master of the Order 

 John of Jerusalem. Special chronicles o 

 king were also written. Annum the wi 

 these comes Pedro Lopez de Ayala, a man who 



.Iture and knowledge of I 

 history, and with him the style QJ 

 much improved. Besides these chronicles are 

 some biographies of important persons and a 

 very curious book of travels, the story of an 

 <y sent by Henry III. to Tamur. 'in 1 Mi.;, 

 evidently written by one who led the mission. 



Other writings in prose in the Thirteenth and 

 Fourteenth Centuries are generally filled with 

 maxims and short moral tales, a few of Eastern 

 origin. The best among these Oriental tales is 

 a collection by Juan Manuel, nephew of Alfonso 

 X. Juan Manuel also wrote graver works on 

 education, domestic economy, and politics. 



The principal French romances of the Round 

 Table were translated and imitated in Spain in 

 the first half of the Fourteenth Century, and 

 notice of the "Book of Chivalry," in Spanish 

 literature, shows that Spaniards have long 

 known this romance from France, perhaps 

 through Great Britain. 



In the reign of John II. of Castile I H7 I i:> I 

 there appeared a court poetry, now known as 

 the " Arte de Trobat." This poetry was written 

 in short pieces and in complicated verso form. 

 It was made up of love dit ties, debate-, repartee-. 

 burlesques, and satirical .M>ng-. To understand 

 or appreciate these poems they must be read in 

 connection with the history of the time. 

 doza, Marquis of Santillana, stands first among 

 these courtiers and poets, and some of his lighter 

 poems are very graceful and full of melody. 

 Juan de Mena belongs, also, to those days, and 

 his principal works, "The Coronation" and 

 '"The Labyrinth." show the effect of Italian 

 influence. They a No show progress of the I m 

 guage in Spain. 



As the Deginning of Spanish drama during 

 these centuries, dramatic representation*- had 

 been given at church te-ti\.iN. with the 

 of explaining the ritual to the ignorant. ( Ira. In 

 ally ehangini:. dialogue was added, ami about 

 the year 1492 a book appeared, "La Celc*tina." 

 written by Fernando de Rojafl. and this most 

 astonishing novel exhibited, for the first time. 



ol all cla-eH, pa it ic: :la 1 1 y the toWMt, 



talking in harmony with their natural surromid- 

 ve been represented 



on the stage, but it left its mark on the drama 

 of tin- nation It was translated into various 



