Historical Analysis

For my final project, since I have chosen to work in Spanish, I will analyze Cantar de Mio Cid. I chose this text because of its nature as an epic poem. Epic poetry has always held my interest: I studied The Aeneid by Vergil in its original Latin and am currently learning The Iliad by Homer in its original Greek as well; I have also studied the Mahabharata and Ramayana of India. I am not familiar with Spanish epic poetry, and I would like to learn more about it. The poem’s style is different to what I have read before in that it is realistic, not magical or fantastical in the way of other epics. Cantar de Mio Cid, while expanding my knowledge base of epic poetry, will also teach me more about a specific era of Spanish history that already very much interests me.

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Cantar de Mio Cid, also known as Poema de Mio Cid, is one of the earliest fundamental texts in Spanish literature (Encyclopædia Britannica). The text is an epic poem and occupies a similar place in the history of Spanish literature as The Iliad and The Odyssey do in ancient Greek tradition and as the Mahabharata and Ramayana do in Indian history. Composed during the twelfth century, its original poet is widely disputed; although some scholars posit that two different poets composed the epic (one from San Esteban of Gormaz and the other from Medinaceli), the surviving text bears the signature of Abbot Peter (donQuijote.org). Thus, these scholars believe that, in the tradition of epic poetry, the story of Cantar de Mio Cid, a popular and well-known series of events, passed from storyteller to storyteller, undergoing changes to its structure that reflected the person telling its story (donQuijote.org). However, though the poet’s identity can be disputed just as scholars dispute those of Homer and Valmiki, Cantar de Mio Cid still remains a pillar of early Spanish literature.

Cantar de Mio Cid takes place during the long period of the Reconquista of Spain from the Moors. Spain, after having been released from Roman control after the collapse of the Empire, experienced a slew of invasions, from Germanic-speaking tribes to the north to Muslim tribes (the Moors) from northern Africa. After the year 726, the Iberian Peninsula was divided informally into two regions based on religion and language: to the north reigned the Christian principalities, while, in the southern and central territories, the Muslim emirates achieved dominance (Pei 27). Although linguistic and cultural assimilation occurred, the two areas maintained overtly hostile relations, with the Christian population recognizing the Moors as invaders. In addition to the division between the north and south-central regions, the northernmost territories managed to remain even more separate; it was these areas of Galicia, Asturias, Navarra, and the Basque region that would eventually pull together enough collective power to unite into the kingdom of Castile and León and begin to challenge the Moors’ dominance (Pei 27). The Reconquista of Spain began in 1050 as the Christian principalities challenged the Moors’ control of their cities; the goal of a unified Christian Spain was only achieved in 1492 with the marriage of the Catholic monarchs, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, and the subsequent unification of their respective kingdoms of Castile and León and Aragón (Pei 27). It is in the midst of the first years of the Reconquista during which the events of Cantar de Mio Cid take place.

The epic follows a series of events in the life of Rodrigo Diáz de Vivar, a man who lived from 1043-1099 (Encyclopædia Britannica) and who served during the reign of King Alfonso VI of Castile (donQuijote.org). A mercenary soldier, he fought under both the Moors and the Christians at different times during the Reconquista and earned the nickname of “al-Sidi,” “el Cid” (“sir”), due to his valiant efforts during the campaign; his most famous achievement was retaking the Kingdom of Valencia from the Moors on behalf of the Christians (donQuijote.org). Despite his military prowess, the Cid quarreled with King Alfonso was subsequently exiled (donQuijote.org); Cantar de Mio Cid follows him as he wanders through various events, both in his personal life and in the Reconquista. The epic is divided into three parts: the Cantar del destierro, in which the poet describes the Cid’s exile and the events leading up to the conquest of Valencia; the Cantar de las Bodas, in which the Cid’s daughters are married to high-ranking princes; and, finally, La Afrenta de Corpes, in which the Cid’s daughters are dishonored by their husbands and in which the Cid takes his revenge (donQuijote.org).

Unlike in other epics where the poet imbues mystic or fantastical elements into the story, Cantar de Mio Cid is notable for its realism. The foundation of the epic is firmly grounded in historical events and people: Rodrigo Diáz de Vivar lived, fought, and achieved what the poem describes in his lifetime (donQuijote.org). Cantar de Mio Cid is therefore a unique example of epic poetry. It offers a glimpse into real events that took place over 800 years ago and the society in which they occurred, thus allowing scholars across the disciplines to understand this fundamental part of Spanish history.

Since the date of the composition of Cantar de Mio Cid remains disputed (Garci-Gomez), it is difficult to identify the stage and evolution of the language it contains. However, the postulated date range represents a mere 105 years, from 1140 A.D. to 1245 A.D (Garci-Gomez). 105 years does not represent a large portion of time in the relative chronology of Spanish, so it may be concluded that the language and structure of Cantar de Mio Cid fall in the early medieval period in the history of the evolution of Spanish.

Works Cited:

donQuijote.org. “History of Spanish Literature: Epic Poetry – ‘El Cantar de Mio Cid’ (The Song of My Lord).” DonQuijote Spanish Language Learning. 13 March 2015. Web.

Encyclopædia Britannica. “Cantar de Mio Cid: Spanish epic poem.” Encyclopædia Britannica. 13 March 2015. Web.

Garci-Gomez, Miguel. “Anónimo: Cantar de Mio Cid.” Duke University. 5 April 2015. Web.

Pei, Mario. The Story of Latin and the Romance Languages. New York: Harper and Row. Print.