The next thing to consider when looking at the form of the poem is the language that is used. Traditionally the language of a Spanish ballad is simple; there is a general lack of imagery and figurative language. This is because there was generally no need for it due to the nature of how they were told and performed (everyone knew the story and not a need for context the joy was in the performance of the canción). Manrique does not use complicated language, but however does use some imagery and clever yet straightforward metaphors, for example his river metaphor ‘nuestras vidas son los ríos que van a dar en la qu’es el morir’ this is a metaphor for the pathway of life leading to death. I would suggest that the language used is formal and the use of the language together with the structure, for example the copla de pie quebrado make the verses flexible so that they fit the tone whether that tone be sombre, light or quick. Montgomery (1995) believes that the Coplas stand out for their dynamism and the frequent interchange between first and second person invokes the reader as witness to what is affirmed for example ‘ved, ‘dezidme’. In other medieval literature it is uncommon to have this direct involvement with the audience and I see no evidence of the use of the first person plural which is common in the Coplas.
The title of the poem suggests that the central theme is death, this is true however looking more closely at the Coplas it is clear that they divide naturally into three sections, each one focuses on a different theme and there is a change of mood from the beginning of the poem to the end. The first section from stanzas 1-13 is a Dominguez (2001) pp.145 ‘general disquisition on the freedom of human beings to choose how they will live their lives’, stanzas 14-24 shows historical figures and their choices and demise and the third section 25-39 Montgomery (1995) pp.484 ‘treats the virtues and triumphs of Don Rodrigo’. The first section continues a common theme of Middle Age poetry which is death and uses topoi from Medieval Death literature for example the dance of death tradition and death as the social leveller (lines 34-36 in the Coplas). However Salinas (1947) he introduces Christian Neo-Stoic view of life and death. Manrique uses images like río and camino to describe the inevitable path to death. The second section also continues a traditional theme common in Medieval literature, this is the use of historical figures and tales of their adventures. Manrique goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks up to recent Spanish monarchs and he employs the doctrinal and rhetorical commonplaces of the Middle Ages, and according to Deyermond (1971) they have great emotional power despite lacking intellectual originality. Analysis show that the first two sections are quite traditional in the themes that Manrique uses, however before the Coplas there were cold divisions between real and theoretical Manrique weaves in between both expertly.
There is a significant change in tone and theme in section three. Stanza 25 is the major turning point; Manrique expresses admiration and love for his father ‘el maestre’ and the tone becomes distinctly personal. This is uncommon in poetry from the middle ages, there was love poetry but that did not personally involve the reader. Manrique himself wrote a lot of standard middle age cancioneros about lovers, but this was different. Manrique’s grief is clear at the loss of his father and Deyermond (1971) ‘urgently needs to resolve the intellectual and emotional problems with which this confronts him’, Manrique achieves this by writing about his father’s achievements in a way which expresses true grief but also reverence for his father. This marks a change from the pessimistic and sombre beginning. To help resolve his grief Manrique uses death again but in a very different way to how it was used before. Death and Manrique’s father have a dialogue in which death talks positively about Rodrigo Manrique and the afterlife and Rodrigo responds by going gracefully, ‘que querer hombre vivir cuando Dios quiere que muera’. Dying well is the central theme here and there is the Christian element also this peace and finality found by Manrique in religion defines him as a Middle Age poet.
The Coplas are an emotional personal journey for Manrique and the optimistic conclusion that he finds himself at is a contrast to the morbid days of Enrique IV, whilst the notion of dying well is an age old theme in storytelling and poetry. It seems to be the personal aspect and the emotion that is shown in the Coplas that make it ground breaking and although many themes that he uses are traditional they are relevant to him in his situation. There is an emphasis of the renaissance aspect of fame as a reward for a good life, and in the Coplas this is related to the religious considerations that are present.
In summary, Manrique’s Coplas combine different traditional elements of the Middle Ages whilst introducing new ideas of poetry and writing. The Coplas show that Manrique was one of the leading poets of his era and the way he uses the traditional form but customises it for his Coplas and his use of rhyming and tenses shows great technical competence. His style of language which is very precise and, like in Medieval poetry, is without decoration is able flow dynamically and change tones with ease. This narrative carries the reader along and is complemented by his interaction with the reader through his use of first and second person. The Coplas can be seen to be ground breaking through the strong emotion shown by Manrique towards his father and due to the success of the Coplas and Manrique’s own death this new approach to poetry, when at a time when love and humorous canciónes were the main genre for poets, would have inspired many who looked up to Manrique as a true nobleman to copy his ideas. It is a fair conclusion that the Coplas were the epitome of Medieval poetry whilst sowing seeds of things to come.
Bibliography
Jorge Manriquie (1993). Poesia. Edition de Vicente Beltra Biblioteca Clasica 15. Barcelona Critica
A.D. Deyermond (1971). A Literary History of Spain. London: Barnes & Noble
Pedro Salinas (1947). Jorge Manrique o Tradicion y Originalidad. Third Edition, Buenos Aires : Editorial Sudamericana
Frank A. Dominguez (2001). Body and Soul: Jorge Manrique’s ‘Coplas por la muerte de su padre’. Hispania, Vol. 84, pp.145-156s
Thomas Montgomery (1995). Jorge Manrique and the dynamics of grieving. Hispania, Vol. 78, pp. 483-490
P. Dunn (1964). ‘Themes and Images in the Coplas por la muerte de su padre or Jorge Manrique’, Medium Aevum, XXXIII, pp.169-183.
Stephen Gilman (1959). ‘Tres retratos de la muerte en als Coplas de Jorge Manrique’. Nueva Revista de Filologia Hispanica, XIII, pp.305-324.
