10 characteristics of the Mester de Clerecia

He Mester de Clerecía is a literary current of the Spanish Middle Ages that developed in the 13th and 14th centuries in the Iberian Peninsula.. The clerics, that is, the men of the Church, were the main representatives and disseminators of this literary style that was characterized by the use of Castilian as the literary language in opposition to Latin, which was the cultured language of the time. The most representative work of the Mester de Clerecía is the Libro de Alexandre, an epic story that tells the life and adventures of Alexander the Great.

The authors of the Mester de Clerecía focused on morality and religious education, and used poetry as a vehicle to transmit these values. The metric used was the cuaderna via, a stanza of four lines of fourteen syllables each, in which the rhyme was placed at the end of each line. In this type of poetry puns, allusions and symbolism were used that required great skill on the part of the author and that were perceived by a small and select audience.

The Mester de Clerecía became a fundamental tool for education and the transmission of the faith to the population, and its influence was important in the development of later Spanish literature. Despite the fact that its themes and styles have become obsolete, the importance of the Mester de Clerecía lies in having been the starting point of a literary current that had a significant impact on the cultural history of Spain.

List of the 10 most important characteristics of the Mester de Clerecia

1. Didactic: The Mester de Clerecía has a strong educational focus, since it is mainly made up of didactic works that seek to teach moral and religious values.
2. religious theme: The works of the Mester de Clerecía have a strong religious content, since they were written by clergymen or people related to the Church.
3. Poetry: The Mester de Clerecía is composed mainly of poetry, and is characterized by the use of long and complex verses.
4. Rhyme: The works of the Mester de Clerecía are characterized by the use of consonant rhyme, which consists of the coincidence of the final sounds of the verses.
5. cult language: The Clerecía Mester uses a cultured and sophisticated language, with a strong use of Latinisms and unusual words.



6. Compilation of works: The Mester de Clerecía is made up of a series of works that have been compiled over time, and that address different topics.
7. Social criticism: Some works by the Master of Clerecía have a more critical approach and focus on society and its problems, such as corruption or vanity.
8. Focus on women: Some works by the Mester de Clerecía have a strong focus on women and their virtues, such as patience and humility.
9. Influence of classical art: The Mester de Clerecía is strongly influenced by classical art, and references to authors such as Ovid or Virgil can be found in some works.
10. Preservation of the Spanish language: The Mester de Clerecía is considered one of the precursors of the Castilian language, since it contributed to its normalization and preservation.

Historical importance of the Mester de Clerecía

The Mester de Clerecía was a literary and cultural movement that developed in medieval Spain during the 13th and 14th centuries. Its historical importance lies in several aspects:

1. Conservation of classical culture: The clerics and monks who were part of the Mester de Clerecía strove to preserve the classical culture of ancient Rome and Greece, which had been largely forgotten during the Middle Ages. This was done through the translation and adaptation of classical works into Spanish, which made the knowledge and wisdom of antiquity accessible to the general public.
2. Spanish development: The Mester de Clerecía also contributed significantly to the development and evolution of the Spanish language. The clerics and monks who were part of the movement used Castilian to write their works, instead of the Latin used in previous literature. This allowed Castilian to establish itself as a literary language in its own right, which laid the foundation for its use in later Spanish literature and culture.
3. dissemination of literature: The Mester de Clerecía also played an important role in the spread of literature throughout the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. The works produced by the clerics and monks were widely read and studied, allowing literature to become an integral part of Spanish cultural life.

¿Quieres leer más artículos similares a: 10 characteristics of the Mester de Clerecia (Actualizado 2024)? Puedes visitar la categoría Language and literature para ver más contenido relacionado.