The history of Spanish literature commences at the end of the eleventh or beginning of the twelfth century, when the dialect emerged from the corrupted Latin, and became an independent language capable of producing literary works.
The origin of the language may be traced to the writers of the sixth, seventh, to the eleventh century. They wrote in the more or less barbarous Latin of the period. The most important authors of this time were San Isidoro and his pupils, St. Eugenio, St. Ildefonso, St. Eulogio, Alvaro, Sansom, Pero Alonso, and Oliva. The writers of the Roman period, Porcio Latro, Seneca, Lucan, Martial, Pomponius Mela, Collumela, Silius Italicus, and Quintillian, though born in Spain, must be numbered among classical authors. The Spanish language is derived in a direct manner from the Latin, though it has been enriched by a great number of words belonging to the different nations which have occupied the whole or part of the Peninsula. Iberian, Punic, Greek, Visigothic, Hebrew, and Arabic words are met with in large numbers. The abundance of these last has induced some critics to infer that the origin of the language is Semitic, but its grammatical structure is undoubtedly Latin. The abundance of Oriental words does not influence its organization, or produce any further result than to add nouns to the language.
Spanish literature is generally divided into three groups—twelfth century to end of fifteenth; sixteenth to seventeenth; eighteenth to the present day.
It is highly probable that Spanish poetry began by commemorating the heroic deeds of Pelayo and other heroes who fought against the Moors; but we can trace nothing to that period. The earliest compositions which have reached us are, a “Charter of Oviedo,” 1145 (the “Charter of Aviles,” 1155, has been proved to be a forgery), and two poems on the Cid, the favorite hero of popular Spanish poetry, 1040-1099. The best of these poems is the one beginning: El mio Cid (vide Ticknor). Though incomplete, it constitutes a real epic poem, and if examined in detail appears to have been written at the beginning of the twelfth century. Three contemporary works have reached us: “La Vida de Santa Maria Egipciaca,” “El Libro de los tres reyes d’Orient,” and “Los tres reyes magos.” The first two were evidently written under a French influence; “Los tres reyes magos” was written for recital in a church.
The same intellectual development appears in Spain in the thirteenth century as in Italy and France. The universities of Palencia and Salamanca contributed toward it. The tendency of the writers of this period is to imitate classic authors. A priest, Gonzalo de Berceo, is the first poet of any importance in the thirteenth century, 1230: he wrote a large number of verses on religious subjects. His poem to the Virgin contains some poetical passages. Two poems appeared shortly afterward, “El Libro de Apollonio” and “El Libro de Alexandre,” by J. Lorenzo Segura, adapted from the history of Alexandre Le Grand, by Chatillon. The poem “Fernan Gonzalez” is of the same period: it is free from foreign influence. Prose is improved at the beginning of the century by the translation from Latin of the “Fuero Juzgo,” and other historical and didactical works.
Don Alonso el Sabio, 1221-1284, absorbs the scientific and literary life of Spain during his time: the most eminent of his countrymen, Spaniards, Jews and Moors, gathered round him. So many works have appeared under his name that it is incredible they should all have been written by him. Probably only the poems, “Las Querellas,” written in the Castilian dialect, are his. An extensive Universal History, the first written in Europe in a vernacular language; the “Leyes de Partidas,” a series of legal works; “El Saber de Astronomia,” a cyclopedia of this science as it stood at that time; the “Cantigas,” a poem containing upward of four hundred compositions to the Virgin, written in the Galician dialect and in the Provençal style, and several other works, have passed hitherto as proceeding from his pen.
Don Sancho el Bravo, a son of Don Alonso, wrote the “Lucidario” and “Libro de los Castigos,” a moral treatise dedicated to his son. The “Libro del Tesoro” and “La Gran Conquista de Ultramar” were translated at his instigation from the Latin. The Infante, Don Juan Manuel, 1282, a nephew of Don Alonso, wrote several works on different subjects. The finest is the interesting collection of fables, “El Conde Lucanor.” They are earlier than the Decameron or Canterbury Tales.
Spanish poetry revived in the fourteenth century. The archpriest of Hita, 1330-1343, wrote thousands of verses on different subjects. Rabbi Don Santob, 1850, a Spanish Jew, dedicated to his friend, King Peter the Cruel, his principal poetical works. The best is on the “Danza de la Muerte,” a favorite subject of that time. Pero Lopez de Ayala, 1372-1407, who wrote the “Rimado de Palacio,” and Rodrigo Yanez, the author of the “Poema de Alonso XI.,” end the series of poets of the fourteenth century. Romances of chivalry became popular in Spain in the fifteenth century: their popularity lasted until the sixteenth, when Cervantes published his “Don Quixote.” “Amadis de Gaula” was the first work of importance of this kind; “Palmerin de Oliva,” etc., follow it. The Coronicas belong to this period. They are semi-historical narratives, in which the leading events of each reign are described.
Provençal style was introduced into Spain early in the fifteenth century. It became very popular owing to the patronage of Don Juan II., 1407-1454. The most important courtiers imitated the king’s example, and poems have reached us by Don Alvaro de Luna, Don Alonso de Cartagena and others. The Marquis of Villena and Macias belong to this period. Fernan Perez de Guzman wrote at this time his “Livros de los claros varones de España,” and Juan de Mena, an excellent poet, his “Laberynto” and “Dialogo de los siete Pecados mortales.” The last poet of the reign of Don Juan II. is the Marquis of Santillana. Several wrote late in the century: the most excellent among them being Jorge Manrique, whose “Coplas” on the death of his father are admirable. Novels begin at this time, generally copied from Italian models. The finest is “La Celestina,” written in acts like a drama, one of the best works in Spanish literature.
Romances or ballads are the most original form of Spanish poetry. They constitute the popular epic poem, and are the most spontaneous productions of the Spanish language.