Sobre el autor, Berceo
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First author whose name we for sure know
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Spain; born: ~1198, death: ~1268
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Was probably a monk, but we’re not sure
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This work was composed between 1246 and 1252
COMPS
The Comps question on the
list is long and very general, covering tons of authors. What we need to know,
essentially:
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What is known about Berceo’s life (not a whole
lot)
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Literary, social, and historical context in
which Berceo wrote
o
He’s probably most important for the mester de
clerecia.
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What he wrote (Milagros) and when (In
1240s/50s)
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Important critics (no clue)
Secondary Source – Article about Agnus Dei by Raquel Torres Jiménez
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Agnus Dei = Cordero Santo
o
Lamb symbolizes Christ, and virtues of
docility/humility
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Importance of symbolism and allegory in Middle
Ages, especially in Christian context – something that the general public would
understand and be familiar with
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Break down of symbol of lamb in levels
o
Moral (virtues), allegorical (Christ as
sacrifice), mystical (Christ resurrected)
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Use of lamb “virtues” to describe people in
Berceo’s Milagros (XIII, XVI)
Themes, important ideas
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Use of allegory
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Mester de clerecía – very precise writing style
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Devotion to virgin Mary
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Moral message, message of salvation, how to
receive salvation (pray, be devoted to Virgin)
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Theme of the pilgrimage
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Salvation
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Theme based on the precedent of Marian tradition
General notes based on my reading of text
Introduction
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Addresses text to Christians (“friends and
vassals of Almighty God”)
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Use of rhetoric: “if it pleases you to listen to
me”
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Says he was on a pilgrimage, describes a
beautiful meadow (allegory)
Twenty-Five Miracles
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One of the most important miracles: “Milagro de
Teofilo” (#25)
o
Summary in
general notes below
o
One of the few that was originally written by
Berceo
o
Includes conclusion to the text, at the end of
the miracle
Structure (all the miracles have the same structure)
Simple version
1. The
protagonist does something bad (he’s a sinner), but is devoted to Virgin Mary
2. The
sinner/protagonist suffers or is in danger
3. Fair
consequences for the sin
4. Virgin
Mary’s miracle – something that breaks with normality; she intercedes
5.
The sinner/protagonist converts, confesses, and reforms
his life
More complicated
version
1. Exordio
(Introducción) – establece el tema
2.
Presentatio
(Presentación) – amplifica el personaje, el escenario, y la acción
3. Elaboratio
(Situación agonística)
4. Recapitulatio
(Consecuencia)
5.
Peroratio (Glorificación)
Writing style
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The majority of the miracles in Berceo’s text
are “copied” from older texts or popular stories – he translated and adapted
them. The main original component of his work is the introduction.
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There’s a somewhat propaganda goal in this text
– Berceo is promoting his monastery
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Mester de clerecía
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Berceo wrote 9 different works – they’re all
religious in theme
o
Belief in a deep connection between mester de
clerecía and religion
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Judicial perspective in miracles – sinner is
sort of put on trial, and Virgin Mary petitions for sinner’s cause
Social context
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The peoples’ complete devotion to the Virgin
Mary
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Obsession with the idea of salvation – life in
the time period was so crappy that salvation was the huge hope for the general
population
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“El Camino de Santiago” – a very important path
for pilgrimage
o
Many monasteries along the path – people would
travel during the day and then stay in monasteries at night
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Cultural changes in the 13th century
o
Foundation of universities – higher level of
education (especially for people in monasteries)
o
Immigration (from France to Spain) – French
influence on Spanish literature
Miracle = a divine interruption in the normal order of things
Mester de clerecía
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This is a way of writing, a writing/literary
style
o
Based on a French style (alejandrino)
o
Verses of 14 syllables, divided in two even
parts (7 syllables each)
o
This was seen as a superior writing style –
takes skill and care, proves a poet’s ability to write well
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Sense of it being something different/distinct
than the norm, something new
o
Idea that it’s not a mere style of composition,
it’s something that is studied
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Created in the 13th century and
endures through the 15th century
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Berceo’s text makes up part of this mester
o
It was different/interesting that Berceo signed
it with his name – most of the texts included here were anonymous
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Comparison of Mester de clerecia and verso
juglaresco
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Example
of juglaresco: Cantar del mío Cid
o
Juglaresco is less rigid than the mester de
clerecía
Devotion to the virgin Mary begins in the
13th century and just grows as time passes
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13th century was known as “Marian
renaissance” in Europe
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Based in the idea of her being the mother of
Jesus
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A vision of the Virgin Mary as rather human; the
population can identify with her and she is presented as their protector
o
Her mantle = representative of her protective
grace/power
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Idea that Virgin Mary has a special relationship
with all those who have declared themselves as a vassal to her – she has kind
of a feudal power role
o
She is like a queen, who gives pardon and grace
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Interesting use of a woman (rather than Christ
or God)
o
Idea of one perfect woman, compared to the
general woman who is fallible
o
Could also have roots in pagan religions, in which
role of a female goddess was rather important
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Judicial perspective in miracles – sinner is
sort of put on trial, and Virgin Mary petitions for sinner’s cause
Idea of “allegory”
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Allegory can be read into any literary work
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Berceo tells us that he’s creating an allegory
and explains the terms. (prologue)
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Allegoric vision – the entire world is an
allegory that’s able to be deciphered by a good writer
o
Goal of deciphering whatever possible with aim
of greater knowledge/wisdom
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The miracles teach us how to worship and how to
form a relationship with the Virgin Mary – we should apply the actions of the
miracles to our own lives
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Two types of manifestations of allegory in
literature:
o
Something hidden in text that the reader
discovers when given the key by the author (Greek influence)
o
Allegory to explain something – no intention to
hide any meaning, but rather wants to present a truth in a way that the reader
can better understand.
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Allegory of the pilgrimage – we’re all pilgrims
traveling through this world towards salvation
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All literature can be read at four levels:
[writers consider these different levels of
reading/understanding when they are writing their works, and can orient their
writing towards different levels… readers can apply different “levels”
according to their own interpretation]
o
Literal – actions understood very literally
(most of the miracles can be understood in a very literal sense)
o
Allegorical
o
Moral – what is read can be applied morally;
miracles teach moral lessons
o
Mystical
Prologue/Introduction to the work
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Establishes that nothing found in the work can be
considered independent from the work or from literature
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Prologue creates the sense of a structure in
which the miracles interrelate, rather than forming just a random compilation
of miracles – narrator applies these miracles to the reality of the pilgrims
o
Miracles are testimonies… idea of an eye
witness; “it’s true and you can apply it to your own life/condition!”
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Gonzalo de Berceo introduces himself as the
narrator/writer of the text – but the narrator can also be considered distinct
from Berceo, just as another created character (not the same specific author,
Berceo)
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Emphasis on the eye-witness testimonial aspect
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There is a distinction between the prologue and
the 25 miracles. The prologue tells us about the system of reading; informs the
reader that there’s something new/different to be read.
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Prologue is an allegory (description of meadow,
etc).
o
Idea of recreation of paradise, with several
symbolic elements
§
All the
elements/objects are concrete, but also have another meaning; they’re symbolic
§
Example: Trees – can represent tree of knowledge
of good and evil, tree that eventually became cross on which Christ died,
symbol of the stability and strength of Virgin Mary, symbol of the tranquility
(shade) that people find in Christ
§
No working – this would be an important theme
during a time in which everyone works; message: once you reach your salvation
in paradise, you’ll be able to rest (“sombra del paraíso”)
§
Birds singing – people that sing praising the
Virgin and her miracles
o
Creation of a character that is a witness of the
existence of paradise
Milagro de Teofilo
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Summary: There’s a rich man, Teofilo, who serves
the bishop of the town. He’s a great man, very loved by everyone. When the
bishop dies, everyone wants Teofilo to be the new bishop. He refuses, so they
put a different vicar in charge instead. Everyone loves the new vicar and so
they don’t pay as much attention to Teofilo anymore, and he’s jealous. He
starts to turn bad – corrupted by the devil. There’s an evil Jew in the area,
and Teofilo goes to ask him for advice. The jew takes him to a king in the
middle of the night (the devil) and the king says that if Teofilo denies Christ
and the Virgin Mary and makes a contract with him, he will be restored to his
prior glory. Teofilo agrees, and is even more popular than before. After a
while, Teofilo gets very sick as a divine punishment, and starts to regret what
he has done. He feels like the Virgin Mary will not want to listen to him due
to the bad that he has done (rejecting her, sin, etc.). He starts to pray to
her obsessively, and she finally responds, and says that she forgives him, but
he has also offended Jesus Christ, who is still angry with him. He prays to her
more, and she forgives him on Christ’s behalf. As part of his penance, Teofilo
has to write a confessional letter and read it in front of a leader of his
church. Teofilo is completely forgiven and again loved by all. Soon after,
Teofilo is given the sensation that he will die soon, so he gives all his
wealth to the poor and then dies in good standing with God. At the end of this
miracle, Berceo writes kind of a conclusion to all the miracles, with a
reminder to the reader to confess and pray to Mary if he wants to be saved.
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This was one of the few miracles originally
written by Berceo, whereas the others were copied and rewritten from older
texts.
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This miracle is one of the most extensive ones
included
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Role of the Jew
o
In comparison with the Cid:
§
less of an economic role here, more of a role in
relation to wisdom/knowledge
§
In the Cid, Jews are necessary and aren’t
horrible people. Here there’s a much more negative vision of the Jews… vassals
and representatives of the Devil.
§
In the Cid, Jews have a small part in a
narrative that really focuses on a lot of other things. Here, the role of the
Jew is central. Message against Jews, specifically.
o
Relationship of the Jew with the devil
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Propaganda against Jews
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Jews as “vassals” of devil
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Allegory – recreation of the fall of Adam; he
fell because he was advised badly (by Satan in form of serpent) ---- here,
Teofilo falls because he is advised badly (by the Jew)
o
What happens to Teofilo is comparable to what
happens to Adam and Eve – he is a good person and loves God, but falls because
he is tempted
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Teofilo’s sin – envy, jealousy, pride
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“encrucijada” – main intersection of roads
outside of the city. This is a significant place because it is where criminals
are executed (no prison). Since the people that die there are bad people, the
Devil hangs out in the area to take these bad souls. Witches also hang out
there to take pieces of the dead body to use for their witchcraft. Therefore,
it is a traditional location for making a pact with the devil.
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Presentation of the devil as a king, surrounded
by his (evil) court – opposite would be Virgin Mary and Christ and their royal
(good) court.
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The contract with the devil
o
Virgin Mary breaks the rules in order to cancel
out the contract – goes to hell and destroys it
o
Contract between vassal (Teofilo) and lord
(devil) – devil is not a good lord, because he doesn’t completely fulfill his
promise
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Teofilo is able to change who he is serving (of
whom he is vassal) by swearing loyalty to the devil, and then later revoking
that by swearing loyalty to Mary
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Interesting to note names attributed to Mary –
she is called a doctor of the soul (comparable to one of Christ’s epithets)
