Sobre el autor, Juan Ruiz, y
la obra
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Ruiz
o
Spain,
1283-1353?
o
We don’t know very much about his life; since he
wasn’t a great noble or anything, things weren’t always preserved
o
Was writing basically at the same time as Don
Juan Manuel – represents another class (clerical, rather than noble)
o
He’s rather hands-on, especially compared with
an author like Don Juan Manuel, who is very philosophical
o
He reflects the growing education level of
society (in comparison with writers like Berceo, a century before)
o
Ruiz also wrote poetry, which was rather
well-known during the time period
o
He writes that he was in prison – but this could
have been a metaphor for his previous worldly life; we don’t have any way of
knowing
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This work was written about halfway through the
14th century
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The Book of
Good Love (El Libro de Buen Amor), considered to be one of the
masterpieces of Spanish poetry, is a semi-biographical account of romantic
adventures by Juan Ruiz, the Archpriest of Hita, dating initially 1330 which he
completed with revisions and expansions in 1343.
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The work is considered as the best piece in the medieval
genre known as Mester de Clerecía.
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The Book begins with prayers and a guide as to how to
read the work, followed by stories each containing a moral and often comical
tale.
Comps ideas to consider
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What is known about Ruiz’s life?
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Why is this work important?
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How does this work relate to themes of
didacticism and salvation typical in medieval literature?
o
Use of examples!!! (like exemplum…)
Themes / Basic ideas
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Irony, sarcastic tone
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Sexuality, sex, women
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Sin, different types of sin
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Compares divine love (bueno) and human/carnal
love (loco) with the purpose of guiding the reader to good/salvation
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Didactic message… – idea that he give examples of carnal love to show the reader that
the best love is divine (God)
Structure and Style
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Text starts with a sermon, based on a line of
the gospel… “te doy intelecto para
que pruebes todas las cosas, pero voy a poner en ti mis ojos”
o
Idea: Men sin constantly, but they have to
choose the path to salvation.
o
Thus, Ruiz discusses what he has chosen in his
life, and what he has tried.
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Contains various styles of poetry, but a lot of
it is written in mester de clerecía
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Contains a section of lyrical poetry – cantigas
a la virgen María
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Book is a collection of various
stories/accounts, all about arcipreste (más o menos)
Main idea of the text
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Genre: an anthology – aim to be something
different/distinct, but doesn’t ever accomplish this
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It’s an anthology with a narrative strand – but
the strand frazzles out toward the end of the work
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An attempt to give an account of Juan Ruiz’s
life – doesn’t really do this, because it’s too broad; includes all of his
writings
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Many of the stories try to express the goodness
of God and God’s love, Virgin Mary’s love, etc.
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Sense of autobiography – Ruiz narrates in first
person, identifies himself by name
Autobiographical aspect of work (Holly’s presentation)
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Ruiz uses first person narrative voice
throughout the text
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Conflict between secular and religious
perspectives of the “yo”
o
Loco amor and buen amor
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Idea of the “yo” as a didactic function in the
text – perhaps Ruiz uses his experiences of loco amor to show others not to do
the same.
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The text is essentially a compilation of various
texts/genres, therefore various sections have different influences and are
derived from different sources. So the “yo” has to correspond to all these
different sources, and their original intentions.
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Medieval autobiography – “a way of reading more
than a way of writing”
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Critical idea that the text does not have one
specific goal/message – each section has potential to teach something different
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Binomial narrative technique
o
Ambiguous distinction between lover and cleric
o
First-person narration unifies opposing
perspectives
o
Provides structural transitions between episodes
(ex: transition between serranas and the prayer to the Virgin)
o
Alternating verb tense (past/present)
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Three structural functions of Juan Ruiz’s “yo”
o
Author – references the creation of the text;
uses the past tense
o
Narrator – presents and summarizes individual
episodes; uses the past tense
o
Protagonist – appears as either cleric or lover
and develops individual episodes; uses the present tense
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Autobiographical discourse encourages a
structural, not didactic, reading of the text
General notes
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Chronology / time period and the medieval
concept of the universe are very important in this work, especially in
comparison with a work like Berceo’s Milagros
o
Proposes image of the universe in which the
world is in the center, with God/heaven surrounding the earth, and also the
zodiacs/elements influencing man
o
Idea of the presence of paradise – concept that
in Christ’s crucifixion, he reopened paradise
o
Work reflects the liturgical year
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*** Idea that the
world is run by two things: amor (sexo) y comida (estómago)
o
Food is central to the mystery of Christianity
(mass, last supper)
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Idea of beauty/appearance
o
Description of Juan Ruiz’s appearance (in the
text) (c. 1485-1489)
§
It’s an almost monstrous description/appearance
– it is a deformation of the classic version of a description of
beauty/appearance (use of irony, sarcastic tone)
§
Ruiz indicates that he has black hair – this is
negative, associated with moors and evil, and sensuality
§
This is an ironic/sarcastic description.
§
Compares himself with “pavón” (peacock) –
connotation of arrogance
§
Use of color red – association with sensuality/sexuality
o
Image of beauty is rooted in Visigoth heritage –
very Aryan: blond hair and blue/green eyes
§
Ex: Virgin Mary is always pictured this way in
iconography
o
If someone didn’t match this ideal of beauty,
they sometimes changed that fact in writing (lied)
o
This idea of beauty/appearance was a topic of
rhetoric that everyone learned – when describing someone, you start at head and
go down.
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The character of Juan Ruiz doesn’t necessarily
reflect 100% the reality of Juan Ruiz – it’s a persona that Ruiz creates to
fulfill his purposes for the text.
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Description of a woman, “la mujer chica” (c.
1606-1617)
o
Says he doesn’t like tall women; he likes short
women – thus this woman (and her beauty) don’t follow the conventional ideas of
female beauty… a typical beautiful woman would be tall
o
Says short women are the best; they are good in
bed
o
Variety of metaphors comparing small and big
things; conclusion: small things are always best
o
Play on words: if you have to sin it’s best to
sin a “little bit” (with a smaller woman) than a lot (with a tall woman)
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Book was probably intended for a rather reduced
audience, because it includes some rather scandalous themes
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Idea that the sin is general – there’s not
anyone exempt from sin. Thus, he can write about sinful themes in his book – he
justifies it by doing the service of informing his audience about various
different types of sin.
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Arabic/Jewish element
o
Exposes the manner in which the three cultures
co-exist in the time period (Christians, Jews, and moors/Arabs)
o
Various references to both moors and Jews
o
Demonstrates a rather profound familiarity with
Arabic culture (example: indicates use of exclusively Arabic instruments in
cantares)
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Central metaphor of the text:
o
Idea of the nature of the world and its
creation, as well as the creation of language… God over everything. Humans
create language and symbols, but God created everything.
o
Idea of different interpretation by different
people – comes from Bible, Tower of Babel
o
Can be seen in the example of the Greeks and
Romans –
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Story of the Greeks and Romans (debate)
o
One of several examples/stories about the
transmission of the empire
§
The Greeks give up power to the Romans… the
world is made up of people who use signals/symbols to communicate. But these
symbols are a divine creation, and everything that happens in the world is
God’s will…
o
Idea of cultural relativism – different people
understand different things differently… what everyone understands is
correspondent to their own capacity
§
This idea is based on Bible – Tower of Babel
o
Context of a scholarly debate over a law/belief.
o
The Romans are represented by a rustic low class
cheat. They dress him up well – idea of deceit in covering the truth
o
Narrator suggests that although the Romans want
the law, they shouldn’t have it (shouldn’t win the debate)
o
There’s a language barrier – so they decide to
debate with signals. But they don’t understand each other.
o
Message – even signs/signals depend on culture;
no sign/signal is universal. The Romans and the Greeks have different knowledge
and memory in their respective cultures.
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Various of Ruiz’s stories are not actually his
creations, but rather are adaptations
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“Las
ranas que demandaban un rey”
o
A fable with animals as characters – about the
beginning of the differences between people. The frogs ask God for a king; he
sends them a stork, and the stork eats them.
o
Message: Be careful what you ask for
o
Different types of people, all set by God – God
sets the social structure; God decides what happens
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“Cruz, cruzada, panadera”
o
One of the most well-known stories/poems of the
text
o
Autobiographical – something that happened to
Juan Ruiz
o
Summary: Juan Ruiz wants to get with a chick
called Cruz. He sends a friend as a go-between, but the friend takes advantage
of the situation and gets with Cruz himself.
o
Double meaning in “Cruz/cruzada/panadera” –
reference to a woman but also to Christ…
§
Lost in the world, where he can’t see the light
of Christ
o
Cruz/cruzada/panadera
§
Cruz – woman’s name, also cross
§
Cruzada – crossed/penetrated, also crusade
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Panadera – woman who sells bread, way of saying
prostitute; also giver of bread for communion?
o
Plays with the literary topic of life like a
“camino” and also mocks Andalucía (“senda creí carretera / como si fuera
andaluz”)
o
Friend as a go-between – You should never use a
man as a go-between with a woman – because he may get interested himself
o
One message (first half): we all look for the
light of Christ. There are only certain people who can serve as a go-between
between Christ and the world; these are the priests, who give the bread of
mass. But some priests are bad, and don’t help people find salvation.
o
“él le regaló un conejo” – basically; he had sex
with her (conejo symbolizes male genitalia)
o
Ends poem with a metaphor ---- he has been
hunting for a woman/“rabbit”, with a “dog” helping him, but the “dog” doesn’t
bring him the rabbit back, so it’s of no use……..
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Juan Ruiz is born under the sign of Venus, so
he’s going to naturally be predisposed to certain types of behavior/personality
– this plays into the beliefs of people in the time period
o
Astrological stuff influences people – sets
limitations on how people are; based on birth
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“El rey Alcaraz”
o
Summary: the king’s son is born, so he looks for
astrologers to know what his son’s future will be like. The astrologers tell
him his son will die; each one says by a different way. He puts them all in
prison, and then all the prophecies come true in some way.
§
Same type of debate as in the story of the
Romans and Greeks – the “wise” men don’t agree about how the son will die
(offered 5 possibilities)
§
Example: One astrologer said he would be stoned;
the son is out hunting when it hails.
o
Message: the future is not for us to know, just
for God. Questioning about predestination and free will…
o
Ambivalent message about the wisdom of men… men
can be wise, but future is not for men to know.
§
The three wise men do read the future, but each
man can only see a part of the future – the three separate images together
describe what actually happens. Men can’t have full knowledge of the future –
just God!
o
There are several works/stories like this in
medieval literature that propose thoughts about telling the future and
particularly predicting manner of death (example: story about Merlin)
o
Reference to three social orders – all three
depend on destiny according to astrology/horoscope and God
o
Idea of infabilidad
§
Man can’t determine course of life – can see
parts of what will happen but not everything / can’t see end result
o
Message/moral – it’s natural for men to search
for future, and they can even read it sometimes; but God created nature and so
he can easily change the path of things and do something completely different
------- just like the Virgin Mary can break rules
§
Ruiz demonstrates this with both legal/political
law and canonical law. Law is powerful and correct, but God is superior to all
law and He can break/circumvent the law.
o
Names various characteristics of love – mixes
between courtly love and a slightly more modern approach to love. Names
positive characteristics but also negative characteristics / flaws. Refers to
the dishonest/deceitful side of love.
o
All people can change their destiny to some
extent with the passage of time (metaphor of the pear/apple maturing). As you
mature, you leave the world/sin to work towards your salvation.
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Popular/influencing texts in time period and for
Ruiz
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General interest in time period in the writings
of Virgil (esp. before 11th century)
o
Later, interest in the writings of Ovid (mid-11th
– 13th centuries);
§
One of Ovid’s texts about how to get a woman was
very popular and influenced a lot in later texts about relations between men
and women
o
Also popularity of texts of rhetoric
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Andreas Capellanus – De amore – “manual” on courtly love (main ideas: courtly love is
sexual, should be secret, should be difficult to obtain, should ennoble the
lover, the woman loved should be superior, symptoms of love include suffering
and sickness, and it’s a frustrated love that isn’t ever fulfilled/satisfied)
o
El Pamphilus
de amore (siglo 12) – rather popular little work narrating a love story.
Touches on theme of sexual promiscuity. Importance of satire of society, and
ironic tone. Idea of an impossible love; lover’s frustration.
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“Don
Melón y doña Endrina”
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Ruiz talks about the person’s life to set the
context for the love. The person often loves many women – which is a break with
the whole concept of courtly love.
Las Serranas
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Origin in French “pastourelle”
o
Ruiz’s serranas are some of the very first that
appear in Spanish literature. They also appear later in Santillana – with
stylistic advances and a touch of courtly love.
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Basic structure/format: A man goes walking in
the country/mountains. He meets a girl from the area. He tries to seduce her;
sometimes successful and sometimes not.
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Style: divided in prose part and poetic/verse
part. Prose part gives an introduction. Verse repeats the introduction.
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They are located in the middle of the book,
right before the section about Lent – idea of a last round of sexual pursuits
before Lent.
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The women (“las serranas”) can have different
forms, different types of women – they are often called “cowgirls” (“vaquera”)
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Antonio’s thesis about serranas – that these
women are demonized or possessed by the Devil.
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These serranas serve as a parody of courtly love
and the “rules” of love.
o
Ex: in courtly love, the men give women gifts,
but the women don’t ask for these gifts. Here, the mountain gals demand gifts
and then don’t get them.
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Introduction to serranas – gives an idea of
pilgrimage (“provar todas las cosas el apóstol lo manda / fui a provar la
sierra”) and also references the prologue which suggests that you should try
everything. There’s nothing good in the countryside, however; it’s a place of
sin.
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“La Chata” (Serrana) – pg. 242
o
Summary: Apostle orders the monks to try
everything… “Who seeks what he has never lost should lose all that he has.” On
the path, Ruiz sees a mountain girl who calls herself “Bumpkin” (Chata) – calls
herself an “uncouth, strong girl” and says she collects a toll for passage, and
threatens him with violence. Juan Ruiz offers her several gifts instead of
payment and she agrees and takes him to her shanty. She feeds him and then
demands to have sex with him. The end!
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“Gadea
de Riofrío” (Serrana) – pg. 250
o
Summary: Goes to Segovia for a bit but misses
home so goes back towards monastery (¿). On way, Ruiz meets a hill girl tending
cattle; she hits him with her shepherd’s crook and says that’s how she normally
gets money from strangers, but then she invites him into her house and says her
man doesn’t need to know anything. She feeds him and then they have sex; then
she indicates the correct path home for him.
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“Menga
Llorente” (Serrana) – pg. 256
o
“Of all that happened there I made a simple
mountain song; Below it’s written in this book which now is in your hand” (s. 996)
o
Summary: Ruiz is wandering around in the
mountains and meets a girl and says he’s looking to get married. He lies and
says he knows all about mountain ways and she offers to marry him and asks for
lots of gifts. He agrees and then says “oh, gotta bail to buy all those gifts!”
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“Alda
de Tablada” (Serrana) – pg. 258
o
Summary: Arcipreste is in the mountains and comes across Alda in
the early morning. It’s cold and so he asks her for shelter. (Describes girl’s
ugliness). In exchange, she asks him for a red girdle, beads, fur…With these
presents “you can be my husband and I will be your wife.” He says he doesn’t
have those now and he’ll bring them next time. She says he’ll have to tough it
out because she won’t give shelter without gifts. “Nunca de omenaje pagan
ostelaje”-promises do not pay for hospitality.
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“Santa María del Vado” –
pg. 270
o
This isn’t exactly a serrana like the others – it just accounts
the end of his time in the sierra. This is a way of giving a religious end to
the section of the serranas, and establishes the “good love” (for God) – in
comparison with the bad love for women. Also completes sense of pilgrimage
mentioned in intro to serranas – since he originally said he was going out to
sierra for religious reasons.
o
Summary: Since St. James says all good gifts come from the Father,
I begged God not to forget me and to forgive me. There was a shrine to the
Virgin on that mountain, so I went and composed these verses for her. (What
follows is a rather typical prayer to Mary).
Batalla de don Carnal y doña
Cuaresma
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“De la pelea que ovo don Carnal con la Cuaresma”
(pg. 278) (“About the Battle of the Lord Flesh-Season and the Lady Lent”)
o
Summary: Lent is starting, so the Arcipreste
goes back to his homeland. The Lady of Lent is going to arrive for a time of
penitence for all the sins of the Lord of Flesh. Lady Lent addresses letters to
Lord of the Flesh setting terms for battle. There will be fasting. Lord of
Flesh goes to battle of the fast with soldiers, who are lots of different food items.
Lord of Flesh doesn’t do well in battle because he’s full and sluggish. Lady
Lent’s soldiers are fish and lean soups (leek soup). Lady Lent wins battle but
they don’t kill Lord of Flesh – Lady Lent says he must submit to the fast.
o
Social context of the relationship between lord
and vassal; Ruiz uses that idea in Lady Lent’s communication: letters from
lord/lady to vassal.
o
Personification of various elements – ex: Sir
Fast.
o
Interest in chronology – cites specific days and
even times. Includes various aspects of Christian chronology – the liturgical
year.
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“De
la penitencia quel fraile dio a don Carnal e de cómo el pecador se deve
confessar e quien ha poder de lo absolver” (pg. 290)
o
Summary: A monk comes to Lord of Flesh wanting
to make him change his ways. Lord of Flesh asks for penance and writes a
confessional letter. But: you can’t be absolved through written papers; you
have to verbally confess sins to the holy confessor. You have to believe that
you will achieve salvation at end of penance. You can be forgiven by God but
not by church. Stopped at stanza 1138.
You have to publically demonstrate your penitence rather than hiding your sin.
o
This is one of Juan Ruiz’s asides – didactic
purpose of teaching how you have to be absolved from sin. Ruiz uses context of
battle to include this lesson. Wanted to speak out against priests
inappropriately granting salvation (when they don’t truly have the capacity to
do so).
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“De
lo que se faze Miércoles Corvillo e en la Cuaresma” (pg. 300)
o
Summary: Lady Lent enters homes of everyone on
Ash Wednesday and marks foreheads of true believers with ash cross (ashes to
ashes, dust to dust). Lord of Flesh is gaining strength again – in order to
corrupt. Lord of Flesh escapes on Palm Sunday (before Ash Wednesday) and goes
to sin – goes to the Jews and their butchery to break his forced fast (stanza
1183). Don Carnal sends a letter to his vassals declaring a second battle with
Dona Cuaresma (carta de desafío).
o
** Carta de desafío – there is a set pattern
which is always followed. Not meant for the person that the writer is opposing,
but rather to the general public as a kind of heads up about what’s going to go
down.
o
Use of symbols that help to elaborate the
representation of don Carnal. Description of his very triumphant entry in the
city, carrying a scythe/axe – comparable to death. (Idea of salvation with
Cuaresma vs. death with Carnal). Don Carnal is dressed like a butcher.
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“De cómo don Amor e don Carnal venieron e
los salieron a rescebir” (pg. 308); “De cómo clérigos e legos e fraires e
monjas e dueñas e joglares salieron a recebir a don Amor” (pg. 310)
o
Importance of music for Ruiz – extensive list of
musical instruments
o
Conflict between clerics and frays
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“Don Carnal” is sometimes “don
Carnaval”
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Interest in the book in chronology – division of
days and years. This section about lent fits into that theme.
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Also the theme of allegorical use of animals and
food.
Horas canónicas – horario
litúrgico
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“Aquí
fabla de la pelea quel arcipreste ovo con don Amor” (pg. 112)
o
Summary: The evilness of love – simple words to
catch everyone possible. Love’s mockery of faithful prayers. Love tempts people to sin.
o
Juan Ruiz starts his description of the
liturgical day with nighttime (vespers).
o
Ruiz talks about his desire to live well and his
sexual desire for women, but in context/frame of liturgy.
o
Ruiz uses Biblical passages to mock fleshly
pursuits/activities – manipulates biblical words to create double meaning and
imply sexual activities. Uses sacred text in a secular context --- this is like
a type of literature called “Contrafacta.”
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** Contrafacta – someone takes a holy hymn and
applies a new, secular set of lyrics to it, or applies a holy hymn to a worldly
situation. This is not necessarily negative, but can be very burlesque/parodic.
This is a very old literary tradition.
- Idea of liturgical year can be applied to a specific time or to a person’s entire life. For example, in person’s entire life – a person is born and dies, and somewhere in there the person converts…
- Idea of liturgical year can be applied to a specific time or to a person’s entire life. For example, in person’s entire life – a person is born and dies, and somewhere in there the person converts…
-
There’s a liturgical year but also a liturgical
day – how prayer should be done over course of day
o
There’s a schedule for when certain prayers
should be done at indicated times.
Maitines, laudes, prima,
tercia, sexta, nona, visperas, completa
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